By Mildred Alpern
Signs of spring are popping up, and the best way to spot them in New York City is to casually walk the side streets of a local neighborhood where residents spruce up their settings. Tourists often think of NYC in terms of hectic Times Square, but the city is made up of infinite neighborhoods, each distinctively homey. Surprises abound in the Upper West Side locale where I live. Notable are window attractions. Geraniums grace window sills. They open to the warm sunlight in decorative pots.
On street level of brownstone homes, an outdoor planter filled with pansies adds vibrancy. These flowers have a variety of color in patterns that appear kaleidoscopic. The unfurling petals and bordered edges make their little faces intriguing to shoot. Even a drenching rain adds to the overall beauty when it splashes the pansies with oversized drops that sparkle like Swarovski crystals.
I find that there are always photographic gems to discover, unexpected but visible, within a short distance from home. Unplanned destinations and a lens or two often yield some keepers.
How true! When others look pitifully at me when I tell them about my planned staycation I pity them in turn. Sights to see along with smells and the music of the street all so close and especially symphonic on the Upper West Side. Here’s to you Mildred!
Building management might have objections to flower pots of any kind on window sills – liability insurance is an issue,