Spring Comes to Central Park

After an especially long and cold winter, spring has finally come to New York City.  Central Park, an 843-acre tract in the heart of Manhattan, is full of blossoms and blooms.  The warm weather has also brought out huge crowds of bikers, runners, strollers, performers, skaters, sunbathers, tourists, horseback riders, dog-walkers, soccer players, picnickers, artists, readers, and all their friends.  We love being among the crowds who walk and bike the many miles of trails in the park.

Thousands of the daffodil bulbs which are now blooming in the park were given to the city by the Netherlands after the Attack of 9/11.

A very active "Central Park Conservancy" carefully manages, protects, and polices the park.  Bicyclists can be ticketed for disobeying bike-traffic signals. Waterfowl are controlled with the help of a "goose patrol" vehicle.

Horse carriages and bicycle carriages are popular.



The park includes a zoo, four man-made lakes, scores of statues, and dozens of playing fields. There are both formal gardens and wild areas.

This is a view of the park from the rooftop of our apartment building.  The land was set aside and the park's features designed back in the 1850s. The only "natural" elements are huge stone outcroppings of Manhattan bedrock. Even much of the dirt was imported from New Jersey.  One of the Park's designers wrote,  "Every foot of the park, every tree and bush, every arch, roadway and walk, has been fixed where it is with a purpose."

Sharing New York with Visitors from Home

What a treat it was for us to have visitors from home:  Brent, Sharilyn, Sage, Claire, Seth, and Halley Jo came from Bountiful for a week of exploring in New York City.  We loved having them with us and sharing some of their adventures.  Brent had them trooping all over the city discovering the delights of everything from little pizza shops to Wall Street.  One morning we spent over FOUR HOURS in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Amazingly, the kids remained enthusiastic and uncomplaining!!

 Some highlights were playing at the FAO Schwartz toy store, eating street food, visiting the annual spring flower show at Macy's Department Store, and getting lost in the overwhelming Museum of Natural History.
We were pleased to be on hand when they did baptisms in the Manhattan Temple.

Halley Jo was ALWAYS ready for a hot dog.
Claire loved visiting the REAL Statue of Liberty, too.

We had to visit the Herald Square Macy's:  "largest store in the world."

Sage enjoyed riding bikes through Central Park, and experiencing the light and bustle of Times Square.

 Seth became a fan of Jackson Pollock at the Museum of Modern Art.