Larchmont trees, old and new

Larchmont residents value their trees, as was evidenced by last week’s Arbor Day celebration and the announcement that Larchmont has been named a “Tree City USA for the 29th consecutive year. But while children were helping plant the first of three bald cypress trees in Constitution Park on April 30, across town in Vanderburgh (Turtle) Park, a crew from Evergreen Arborists was taking down one of the Village’s oldest trees that had succumbed to Dutch elm disease.

The large elm tree in Turtle Park was more than 100 years old.

As the park is just across the street, I’ve been able to watch from my front porch the accelerating loss of trees in the park. Five years ago in a letter to then-Mayor Ken Bialo I wrote:

Childhood innocence can still exist in Larchmont

A wonderful story in today's New York Times involving two Larchmont residents: Jason Bay, the new Mets fielder, and 11 year-old Gabriel Tugend, who lives near the Village's newest celebrity resident.

As his Mother wrote,

I found something sweetly old-fashioned about all this. Gabriel wrote the note without any parental interference. He and his friends could walk past the home of a player on their favorite team, and it wasn’t a fancy mansion behind security gates. With the various scandals and multimillion-dollar salaries that sour many people on professional sports, it was redeeming to see their enthusiasm and hopes.

The story gets even better - but I won't spoil it for you.

Read it and smile.

Starting from seed

Inspired by Monica Flaherty, whom I wrote about in the Larchmont Gazette, I decided to bite the bullet this year and get a head start on my garden by starting some plants from seed.

Scouting out the seeds available from Tony's Nursery, Stop and Shop and Home Depot, I picked up the usual suspects: lettuce, cucumbers and spinach. And then there was the basil seed, ready to be watered, in a small pot that I'd picked up at a Christmas Tree Shop several months ago.

While Monica doesn't believe in using peat pellets, preferring to start everything in larger cups, I had bought some pellets on sale at the end of the 2009 gardening season, so I decided to use them. Sure enough, within days, the seeds had sprouted, and I was hooked.

Soon the shelf in my office was overtaken by seedlings. Inspired by my success, I went back to Tony's and picked up zinnias and impatiens. I began imagining that I'd have enough plants from a single $1.69 packet of seeds for the entire garden.

Help a needy Mom this Mother's Day

We never celebrated Mother’s Day when we were growing up. My mother used to say, “You should love me every day, not just one day a year.” So while my friends were busy buying cards and gifts and going out for dinner, I pretty much let the day go by like any other Sunday.

When I had children of my own we pretty much followed the same practice, although by then I’d relaxed a bit and appreciated the breakfast in bed they’d bring me.

A knitting celebration

Last night I joined more than 30 other women who knit to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Silver Canvas, Larchmont’s knitting store. And all of us, as the invitation suggested, were wearing our own creations. (See the story on The Larchmont Patch).

It was absolutely delightful! From simple scarves to elegant evening sweaters, the creations were imaginative, beautiful and – most important, as they all were created under the tutelage of Alice Giupta, owner of The Silver Canvas -- they fit perfectly.

I learned to knit when I was five and, except for a few years between high school and children, I’ve been knitting ever since. Now most of my knitting is for my four grandchildren (my goal is one sweater per child, per year) and it was only this year that I decided to make something for myself.

The sweater that I’m wearing (and which I wore to Alice’s party) is the Anhinga pattern by Norah Gaughan. I thank my friend Vicki for prompting me to try the pattern. It’s quickly become my all time favorite pattern.

For me, knitting is a wonderful way to relax, rating second only to gardening.

I find that I when I’m knitting I “think without thinking” about things that are bothering me. The soothing click-click of the needle, the steady lengthening of the item, are a soothing mantra.

If you’ve not yet tried it, stop in at The Silver Canvas and ask Alice when her next set of classes begin. Of give me a call and I’ll give you a hand.