Spring At Last

Mary
Apr 30
5 min read

Updated: May 5

March ended and everything burst into bloom. Suddenly, daffodils, crocuses, forsythia, striped squill. Magnolias, whose palm-sized blossoms are anything but discreet, somehow arrived incognito in the night. My neighbor’s dogwood tree too, in a blink, is aflame in pink the color of over-ripe guava fruit. Every spring this reminder from the earth,

I am here and here is life.

April started off rainy with a brief return to winter frosts that, after weeks of gloomy skies, was truly spirit-breaking for those of us long anticipating actual spring. There was an unusual dearth of daffodils in my garden this year, one I can’t attribute to the conditions because I saw them growing abundantly elsewhere in the neighborhood. The tulips, that grew so early and so well last year, are not up to par; some bulbs only sent up leaves, others have grown flimsy stems with diminutive buds. I’m trying not to take these early results as omens for the growing season ahead.

Garden

It has been so fulfilling to return outdoors to begin the work of cultivation. For weeks now, I have been transplanting, sowing, and potting. This year’s edible garden: red kuri and koginut squash using seeds saved from produce, pole beans, Jasper tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon from seeds saved from an organic one from Choy Division farm, and snap peas. Our Trader Joe’s potted herb garden has been assembled and lives on the patio this year for easier access from the kitchen.

For flowers: Floret zinnias, burgundy scabiosas, Fata Morgana pincushions, three types of cosmos (afternoon white, apricotta, and cranberry double click), nasturtiums, and (I think) pink columbine.

I’ve culled the first round of the stubborn day lilies that proliferate almost invasively if unchecked, fertilized our rose bushes, and pulled up some tulip bulbs from seasons past that no longer send up flowers.

The first surprise of the season came in the form of a strawberry plant, returning from last year from an offshoot of a potted one that touched down and took root.

Pottery

Since February, I’ve been throwing exclusively with porcelain. This material is singular, and humbles any confidence in skills gained from working with stoneware. I’m dedicating this season to intentional practice, recycling more than I keep, and trying to throw taller and bigger. Because many pieces end up in reclaim, it’s taking me a long time to go through my 25 pound bag of clay.

At my hand-building station, I’ve completed a batch of Farmhouse mugs and am now making some Cactus Ring Dishes to fill those mugs with for bisque firing. Many of the wall altars I sculpted at a feverish pace in February are awaiting their glazes. The handful that I finished sold quickly, and I’m thankful for the positive early reception. However the initial bolt of inspired energy that impelled me to knock out one altar a day has subsided, and I’ve had the same one on my workbench for weeks now, needing to be rehydrated every few days, awaiting its finishing touches. All of these pieces, I hope to complete by month-end. Magical thinking is a part of my process :)

Around Town

We took Jasper to try out Il Gigante in Ridgewood, where we had a radicchio salad, a salumi plate, two pastas including the gramigna that’s emerging as a must-have, and a dessert of vanilla gelato with fabbri cherries. The staff, and I mean every single person that we interacted with, was so great with Jasper in particular that it made such a positive impression on me. I’d like to go back with family and friends, and sample more of their simple but solid menu.

Traze, owned by a female pizza slinger that would pop-up at Fifth Hammer brewery in LIC, has opened a brick-and-mortar that we’re looking forward to visiting. I love their vodka sauce pie, and they always have interesting ingredient combinations to try in addition.

I bought a 3-pack of hydra-facials as part of a Black Friday deal from a spa in Brooklyn that’s steps away from Winson Bakery (and Winson the restaurant, naturally). After redeeming my first voucher, I met my sister at the Bakery for coffee and it was packed to the gills on a random weekday. I had a great black sesame latte and brought some baked goods and breakfast sandwiches home. I look forward to going there again in a couple of months after my next spa appointment.

Et Alia

I’ve been on a casual search for a shampoo for a while now, since two pregnancies seem to have changed the texture of my hair. My ideal one is without sulfates, works well, and smells VERY GOOD. Surprisingly, the Lemongrass shampoo from Trader Joe’s has been amazing for my hair, leaving it shiny and feeling clean. Unfortunately, it does not check my smells VERY GOOD box - it doesn’t really have a scent that lingers at all. For that, my Ouai Detox Shampoo which features the company’s Melrose scent is the one to beat, but that formulation isn’t meant for regular use. (It helps a lot after my hair has been exposed to hard water, which makes it turn crispy and grippy within 1.5 washes.)
My office is mandating four days a week in the office, up from three, beginning in May. It’s really discouraging to see the financial industry move in this direction, by which I mean backwards. Luckily, my immediate management team is incredibly supportive and shows great trust in my work without needing to micro-manage my whereabouts. I have the flexibility to come in and leave as I need, so I can traverse the boroughs for the kids. But my situation is pure luck, and it’s just as likely for a given parent of young children to now have to scramble to cover a new childcare need. What a way for a company to narrow its pool of prospective talent and even push existing employees to consider looking for better arrangements.
Here’s a fascinating glimpse into ancient history that I enjoyed reading recently.
Today I ordered doggy diapers for Sunday, and it’s a little bit sad. She has accidents often, and we’re hoping these will help. If they do though, she’ll be a diaper wearer for the rest of her life and I hate being confronted by her mortality. Similarly, at a recent checkup, our vet advised against a procedure for Fitz “at this stage of his life” and it was a gut punch. It’s difficult to go to his regular checkups to monitor his early stage heart failure - I cry during the drive home every time.
I submitted a request to our local library for the first book of the Redwall series, which Kev and I both read as children. We’re excited to read it to Jasper.
Speaking of children’s books, I recently discovered the world of Brambly Hedge and it is the stuff of my cottage-core dreams.