Yesterday was the first day of Spring and Roosevelt Island is starting to show signs of the nice weather soon to come with our Cherry Trees beginning to blossom as seen today on the East Promenade behind Capobianco Field and the basketball court.

Roosevelt Island resident Matt Katz muses on the first day of Spring:

“Spring is here, spring is here; life is skittles and life is beer; I
think the loveliest time of the year is the spring; I do; don’t you?
‘Course you do!”

Today is the first day of spring and I, for one, have had a surfeit of winter. My windows are open and my cats are on the windowsill sniffing the air and checking out the wildlife (and so am I).

My apartmentoverlooks the Westview courtyard which is full of burgeoning trees, squirrels fresh out of hibernation and birds busy building nests. There is a drain pipe just above and to the left of my bedroom window which, every year, is building central for a family of sparrows (or starlings, I’m not really sure). I watch them bringing twigs for that purpose and hope that a rainstorm won’t wash their efforts away.

We awake, this time of year, to the calls of bird sentries assuring that no usurpers will attempt invading their space. And the trees! The buds seem to be bursting alreadyand it’sstill March! If I stare hard enough, the buds seem to be throbbing with the expectation of new leaves. In a month there will be fronds and by May the courtyard will be a forest, a jungle packed with urban critters to entice my pussycats (and me).

Roosevelt Island does spring awfully well, doncha think?

Our gardens come to life as do our playing fields. Down coats are replaced by tee-shirts (Roosevelt Island Day tees, natch) and shorts.

All we need to make this idyllic spot perfection is a shop selling made-to-order ice cream cones. With sprinkles. (Sigh).

What I’m trying to say to my neighbors–new and old, friends and strangers, New Yorkers and from around the world– is…Happy Spring!

Matt Katz

Proud Roosevelt Islander

I asked Mr Katz:

Where did you get the quote about spring.

Also, if your looking for some good ice cream, go over to the Cornell Cafe. They have great ice cream from their Ithaca campus in pint and half pint carton but sadly no cones.

He replied:

The quote is from my favorite Tom Lehrer song, “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and it is as irreverent as the title suggests. I’ll sing it next time I perform here. This was the concert title of a program at the 92nd Street Y, a parody song concert as part of their Lyrics and Lyricists series where I got to meet Tom Lehrer. A big thrill for me!

Yeah, the Cornell ice cream is good but it’s not really summer without two scoops of chocolate ice cream on a sugar cone, sprinkles discretionary. Goes back to childhood in Brooklyn, I suppose.

Roosevelt Island Historical Socie ty President Judy Berdy adds:

Soon, the Cherry Trees will blossom all over Roosevelt Island.

From 2021.

But, the crowds will come:

UPDATE 1/22 – Cherry Trees starting to blossom on the East Promenade next to Cornell Tech Campus facing Queens too.