As much as I love winter I must admit that this warm weather has been getting to me. The tulips and daffodils are springing up everywhere. Yesterday I took my annual trip out to Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn to Mazzone Hardware on Court St. to buy flowers for my fire escape. I love this part of Brooklyn which still has the little italian shops such as the above mentioned hardware and garden shop plus a butcher, a fishmonger and a bakery all on the same street! It reminds me of how my neighborhood was years ago when I first moved here. Many of the houses have huge front gardens that are well cared for and often filled with garden gnomes or whirligigs.

Today I rolled up my sleeves and went out onto the fire escape to turn the soil in my pots and plant my flowers. This year I am experimenting with marigolds since I was assured they would thrive in pots. Of course I always get geraniums, not only are they cheery but they are very hardy. It gets so hot out there in the summer with direct sunlight for a good part of the day so they have to bounce back when the soil dries out too much.

I went for a deep salmon pink this year for the geraniums.

My Mourning Doves quickly arrived to check out the activity.

Naturally one of my squirrels had to investigate as well.

I cut this piece of wood down today to make a little bench so I can sit out there and have my coffee in the morning. I also bought these little Basil plants but I am waiting to plant them until they get a bit bigger, I am afraid the squirrels might dig them up and tip them over the edge into the courtyard below!

These gorgeous red tulips are in the tree pit in front of my building. Morton St. always has beautiful flowers in all the tree pits as do most of the little streets in this neighborhood.

All the trees in the neighborhood are beginning to bloom as well. The white ones come first and now the pink ones (cherry?) are coming out. I thought this corner of 12th St and West 4th St. was particularly charming.