Tiptoed Tulips

Come tiptoe through the tulips with me.
— Al Dubin, "Gold Diggers of Broadway," 1929

When tulips are in their glory, there are few flowers that can match their brilliance. Anyone who has been to Keukenhof in the Netherlands can attest to that (I’ve been twice, and yep, they are magnificent). But this spring, I wasn’t able to check out New York City’s tulip gardens in their prime as I have in past years. The first day I was able to take my camera to visit the community gardens in Riverside Park was May 2, and I used that opportunity to check out the tulip offerings.

While I did see some tulips in their prime, I was able to photograph more of what I call “tiptoed tulips,” the ones that have been through their “how gorgeous” phase yet have continued to be interesting in their more distressed phase.

Tulips in their glory, Riverside Park, May 2

A truly lovely tiptoed tulip, Riverside Park, May 2

Check out some more tiptoed tulips. All photos were taken on May 2 with my Sony A7 RIV camera, using a 24-70 lens.

I did see a few more “untiptoed” tulips, and I hope you find these as interesting as I did.

The community gardens in Riverside Park at 89th Street are so special, showcasing the floral imagination of fellow New Yorkers who appreciate how satisfying creating floral art with mulch and dirt and seeds and seedlings can be. On May 2, there were other flowers available for my viewing pleasure, and I photographed some of these, too.

Azalea blooms, Riverside Park, May 2

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Bleeding Hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

European columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)

Bells of Ireland

Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum)

I suppose it is only fitting to end this post with what I might call a “tiptoed fritillaria.”

Fritillaria imperialis

Happy Superb Owl Sunday!

On this Superb Owl Sunday, let us rejoice in the superb owls that have graced our area with their presence!

Snowy owl, 2022

Two days a year I like to post owl photos: Happy Owl-o-ween and Superb Owl Sunday. Rarely do I post the actual day and location I saw the owls, even though in many cases it has been more than three years since I took the photos. Owls like to sleep during the day, so most of my photos show the owls with closed eyes. I have learned to live with that.

Screech owl, 2025

While I know that there are a bunch of players named after raptors playing football today, I will not be watching them, or rooting for them. Instead, I will be watching an incredible performer, Woody Regan, at Don’t Tell Mama in New York City. Way better than watching grown men carry a piece of pigskin around.

Great horned owl, 2023

Long-eared owl, 2025

Barred owl behind the needles, 2025