We've been seeing this year a prolific species of crickets hidden in damp dark hidden places in our sheds, tucked between sheets of plywood. I know many people are grossed out by them but I've been admiring their beauty and jumping ability and was glad to see this in the NY Times today. They are part of our ecosystem and provide food for birds and mice.
It was a lovely afternoon in the garden for a fun and scary Halloween event. There was face painting, mask making, beanbag toss, gross body parts, candy and a huge basket of apples. All children were welcomed at the gate by our spectral gardener.
The latest Ladybug release was a big hit yesterday. Dozens of families and kids joined in the fun, doing arts and crafts, learning about ladybugs and going around the garden releasing hundreds of the tiny insects. Many thanks to Jenifer for organizing the event, and Bud, Oriol and Sam for manning the tables. Click on a thumbnail below to see photos.
José yesterday finished rebuilding the brick path around the turtle pond. Not only was it a lot of hard work, but he also laid it out in a beautiful pattern, finishing it with sand swept between the bricks. A huge improvement!
It was a cool brisk fall day yesterday. Perfect for working in the garden. Old and new gardeners came out for It's My Park Day to clean up, prune, mulch, organize, eat and have fun. New gardener Rivington Prentiss made an appearance with new mom Lauren. Happy to see our old Food Boss, Kevin, back in the saddle. Penny and Oriol felled a huge mulberry tree. The sandbox was stored for the winter. There was even work outside of the garden mulching tree pits. A perfectly camouflaged butterfly landed on Turi's shoulder. A great day.
The garden was mentioned on today's Science Friday show on WNYC this afternoon. The show featured a writer who took a walk with Ira Flatow "through New York’s Lower East Side earlier this week. Their first stop was the Sara D. Roosevelt park. He described it as “a splash of green in a sea of grey.”" He describes the garden itself in detail including the chess table, park benches, well-kept greenery, with the theory that peaceful green spaces are good for you. No great surprise to us.
