Easter in New York 2

What a difference a week can make. Lots of sunshine, warmer temperatures and presto! Central Park's crocus are gone, replaced by swathes of daffodils and bluebells.



The magnolias are in full bloom…

Even some of the cherry trees are in blossom.

New Yorkers are out in force, enjoying the optimism of Spring.

I'm finally heading home, all the way to Adelaide to spend precious moments with my family. Wishing everyone a very happy Easter!

Easter in New York

Once again, I'm in New York.  In the city that never sleeps, the seasons influence the pulse and pace of outdoor activity.  The past Winter has been unusually harsh, and today in Central Park even though there was remnant snow on the ground and the tree branches were still naked, the crocus beds were blooming to signal the arrival of Spring and the promise of warm days ahead.

New Yorkers were out in droves, enjoying the sunny day despite a persistent chilling breeze, and taking part in the city's delightful Faberge Easter egg hunt - an exhibition of 260 Easter eggs decorated by famous artists and sprinkled across the city, waiting for children to find them.

New York Winter

While Sydney has been enjoying a balmy, beautiful summer, parts of south eastern Australia have been experiencing extended, intense heat and bush fires that have fought containment. Meanwhile, the USA is having a bitterly cold winter with near record snowfalls.  Packing for the opposite season is always tricky because it's easy to underestimate what's required and sometimes I get it wrong.

Fortunately, this time I packed conservatively - two pairs of boots, a puffer jacket, a (fake) fur, lots of scarves, gloves, and plenty of layers to take me from extreme cold outside to central heating inside.  And I've needed every bit of it!

I arrived in New York last Sunday on a freezing cold afternoon of -11C.   It snowed and rained intermittently throughout the week so the view from the hotel window was dull and grey…







... and the walk to work each morning was biting cold and slushy underfoot.

Today, though, the sun broke through, the grey landscape changed to brilliant blue and crisp white, the temperature soared to 8C, and Central Park beckoned.

The view down 59th Street, framed by the window panes of the Lincoln Centre at Columbus Circle, was my favourite of the day.

Christmas, New Year, Home

Last year I made 12 long haul trips overseas.  It was an exhausting, exhilarating year and by the end of it I was in need of some quiet time at home.  

My final trip of 2013 was to New York and Miami.  It seems ages ago, but it's worth having a look at a few images of New York dressed in Christmas glory.

From New York it was on to balmy Miami for an intense week of work, where the only opportunity to take photos was from my hotel room balcony!

From Miami it was back to Sydney for a few days then off to Adelaide for Christmas and New Year with my family.  It was a wonderful holiday, capped off by New Years Eve celebrations with Poppy's family who were staying at Aldinga Beach, just around the corner from our old family beach house on Dover Street.

Happy New Year!

And finally, for five weeks I've been at home in Sydney, enjoying morning walks to Balmoral Beach, days in the garden and evenings at home or out with friends.  Simple pleasures which have replenished me.

Australia Day was a Sunday, so the Nippers were out training at Balmoral Beach in a perfect expression of the joy of living in this wonderful country.

My garden has responded to the extra care by rewarding me with lush green growth and lovely displays of summer flowers.

I've even found time to get an undercoat of paint on my new gate!