Cherry blossom time…
One of my favorite days of the year is when we take our annual spring ride into Boston. Not Boston, in general, but the Back Bay area where the magnolia and cherry blossoms are in full bloom. I loose myself in the color and scent, sunshine and warmth of the first spring day. It almost feels like a mini vacation. Camera in hand, I walk the streets and snap away and before I know it any worries I had upon arrival disappear instantly.
This year it seemed especially important to take my annual walk…It felt like it was such a long winter and the state of our union weights heavy on my mind and heart most days. Worry is my companion in most things that I do, so today I let it all go and walked the street of Back Bay with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. Nature does that for me and nature is never more exciting that when spring breaks through the storms of winter and the colors are raging. So Jim dropped me off on Newbury St. and let me do my thing. I know that he will stay close by until it’s time to move to the next street…he is a very good chauffeur and he knows his way around Boston. I’m grateful for his patience.
I thought maybe this year, you might also be needing a bit of spring color and sunshine in your life so why not come along with me for a little tour of the Back Bay. This will be a two part tour. First the flowers and doorways. When we complete this walk we will head on over to the Boston Public Gardens…come along now, this is New England and the weather can change at any time so we must get started.
Newbury St. has all the eye candy with its beautiful doorways and shops and many trees in bloom. It’s always my first stop. The French Library is interesting but I must say I have never been in there when it has been open. I do love the shadows this day that fall on the steps and the magnolia blossoms scattering that spring feel.
As I walk, I come across such beautiful colors in the flowers. Gardens perfectly groomed and the wrought iron rail fences that are the benchmark of Boston…
Further up Newbury Street I find the most delightful doorways. So unique in texture and color. Sometimes you have to give the gate a little push to get the full view of the little courtyards that are so sweet. I imagine myself setting out there on a summers day, reading my book, with a lovely glass of wine. It was the perfect day for the deep shadows that I so adore with the flowers and color
The old brownstones of Boston are so lovely and although the space is small they manage to decorate with mini gardens under the trees and in tiny corners. I’m always attracted to the fencing and rounded windows and amazingly, the windows are always clean. As I look further down Newbury Street I am so thankful for this beautiful day…petals on the ground, tulips blooming everywhere and in every color. Light and shadows dancing on the windows…
As we leave Newbury St, we cross this little parkway between the two streets. We will now move on to Marlborough Street. I do love these little “parks” with the bench’s though. The streets are quite long and when the weather is good it’s nice sometimes to just sit in the park and face the sun. In the summer you find lots of folks having their lunch in these little parks. Meet Samuel Eliot Morison, Sailor Historian. Samuel Eliot Morison was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history and American history that were both authoritative and popular. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and taught history at the university for 40 years. Pretty impressive…and it got him this statue.
Welcome to the beauty that is Marlborough Street…famously noted for its abundance of Magnolia trees…and with these trees, timing is everything…They are beautiful but they do not last long…There have been years when my timing was off and so I have missed them. I’m always delighted when I hit it just right…and follow the row of Brownstones…impressive but never more than on bright spring day with the magnolia’s are in bloom.
The doorways, full of blossoms, every one of them. Their time is short but their beauty lives on from year to year. I anticipate every spring. This is just the beginning. I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of the flowers in bloom. Mark your calendar and make your own trip in. You will not regret it and be sure to bring your camera even if it’s only the one on your phone…
When you come, make sure to leave time for a walk down Charles St…which takes you up to Beacon Hill. Stop and have lunch while you are here. So many great little cafes and restaurants…and of course, bakeries..also, stop by the blog again soon. Our next stop will be the Boston Public Gardens, right across the street. It’s tulip time over there.
"The spring in Boston is like being in love: bad days slip in among the good ones, and the whole world is at a standstill, then the sun shines, the tears dry up, and we forget that yesterday was stormy." — Louise Closser Hale
