April Showers Bring May Flowers

SKYLARK'S ARTICLE OF THE WEEK - APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS

It's been a topsy-turvy Spring, but things are warming up. Summer is just around the corner. After a very cold winter, it's nice to see flowers and trees blooming everywhere. Bella Primavera.

Mother's Day weekend adorned us with perfect weather. We went to the beach and collected shells. It was so tranquil, and there was a sandbar. There were a lot of happy families there, too. Buona Festa Della Mama!

I spent the evening outside Saturday night. It felt like one of the best days of my life. The weather was sublime. It was a busy day of errands, but by the time 5:00pm rolled around, everything calmed down. I took a walk on the big lawn that sprawls across the property we live on. The sky was clear, and traffic was light. It was a mild day with comfortable temperatures. You could hear the sound of birds as the sun began to set. Tranquility came over me. I took a walk under our big beach tree. It feels like a tree fort. I imagined setting up a small table and chairs and having dinner out there. The Italians call it al fresco dining.

There's so much that goes on around us each day. When we take the time to walk around, we notice things, and often, we see something new. The wildlife around us creates a cacophony of sound, and who knows what's lurking in the trees to join them. I hear owls, but I never see them. They come out at dusk and dawn. Nature is a wonder filled with a beautiful soundtrack. I stayed out well past sunset. This is my favorite time of day. Twilight.

The sound of birds woke me up early Sunday morning around 5:00am. I stepped outside with my cup of coffee and sat on my stoop. My garden is beginning to bloom, but some flowers did not survive the harsh winter. I recently planted sunflower seeds. I hope they bloom. Each May, I wait for my peony to grow. They are my favorite flowers. One year, I had 10 flowers all about 8" in diameter. That was a special year. 

Here's some interesting history on flowers.

Flowers began changing the way the world looked almost as soon as they appeared on Earth about 130 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. That's relatively recent in geologic time. If all Earth's history were compressed into an hour, flowering plants would exist for only the last 90 seconds. The ancestors of flowering plants diverged from the common ancestor of all living gymnosperms before the end of the Carboniferous, over 300 million years ago. In the Cretaceous, angiosperms diversified explosively, becoming the dominant group of plants across the planet. Just in case you were interested.

So, what causes us to feel happy when we see flowers? It's dopamine. When you see, buy, or receive flowers, dopamine is released and makes you feel better. It also evokes the feeling that something special is on the way. Flowers not only brighten any room but also uplift and brighten our mood. Studies show that this effect can last for several days beyond just a little happiness. That means it’s much more powerful and has significantly fewer calories than a chocolate bar. Oh, but I do love chocolate, too.

Flowers can drive away worries and sorrows and relieve people from feeling depressed, suffering, or anxious. Increasing energy and well-being can bring a more positive outlook to life. Even the scent of flowers helps relieve anxiety and is an ideal antidote to stress. Surround yourself with flowers whenever you can. For that matter, grow a floral garden. 

We live in an era of more and more disconnections, where physical contact is prioritized over iPhones and social media. The feeling of loneliness is increasing among older Americans. The simple act of cutting yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers from your garden or sending some to a friend from your favorite florist can lift both your spirits and reconnect you to each other. Now that's Flower Power!

Peace and Love,

Skylark

At 60 and Beyond, sending flowers to someone is a good way to bring them Peace. Let's do this!

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SKYLARK'S PICK OF THE WEEK - LONG HOUSE RESERVE IN EAST HAMPTON

LongHouse Reserve is a 16-acre integrated environment in East Hampton, New York, created by artist, collector and world-renowned textile designer and weaver Jack Lenor Larsen (1927-2020), serving the community with vast open space, programs in art, nature, and wellness, and providing a sanctuary for Long Island and beyond. The sculpture garden, featuring more than 60 outdoor works, encourages exploration and contemplation for new and repeat visitors alike. As of this year, the garden is fully open to the public for education and enjoyment, with a next chapter of activating Larsen’s home (a modernist structure based on the Shinto Shrine at Ise) and displaying the extensive craft and design collections.

Jack Lenor Larsen designed and built LongHouse as a case study to exemplify a creative approach to contemporary life. He believed visitors experiencing art in living spaces have a unique learning experience.

When he acquired the property in 1975, Larsen began to lay out an entrance drive lined with majestic cryptomerias, established lawns and ornamental borders, and defined major spaces as settings for plant collections and sculpture.

The long, low berms that divide the property recall the boundaries of farm fields that occupied the site until it was abandoned for agricultural use in the 19th century. Much of the deciduous canopy of second growth native trees has been preserved. The gardens present the designed landscape as an art form, demonstrate planting potentials in this climate with a wide variety of natural and cultivated species, and offer a diversity of sites for the sculpture installations.

Finding inspiration in the 7th-century Shinto shrine at Ise, Japan, Larsen decided to build the house on the property in 1986. LongHouse was designed by Larsen in collaboration with architect Charles Forberg and built by Joe Tufariello.

LongHouse Reserve is committed to equity, diversity, anti-racism, and access through its mission, collections, programs, policies, and communications, and to expanding diversity at all levels of the organization. Our staff, trustees, committees, and volunteers share this commitment.

We pledge to reflect the diversity of the community we serve in terms of our education initiatives, programming, and installations, in order to facilitate meaningful interaction and lasting relationships. We pledge to make all feel welcome and instill a sense of belonging.

We recognize that this work is ongoing and will evolve over time.

For more information, visit www.longhouse.org

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SKYLARK'S PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Dear God,

Please protect the gardens that are all around us so that people, young and old, can enjoy their vibrance and the happiness they bring to all of us. Amen.

SKYLARK'S INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK

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SKYLARK'S QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What's are some of your favorite flowers?

Please let me know by putting your answer in the comment section when I post this article. I'd love to hear from you. Molto gracie!

SKYLARK'S SONG OF THE WEEK - OUR HOUSE by CROSBY, STILLS, NASH, & YOUNG

LYRICS

I'll light the fire
You place the flowers in the vase
That you bought today

Staring at the fire
For hours and hours while I listen to you
Play your love songs all night long for me
Only for me

Come to me now (come to me now)
And rest your head for just five minutes
Everything is done
Such a cozy room (such a cozy room)
The windows are illuminated
By the evening sunshine through them
Fiery gems for you, only for you

Our house is a very, very, very fine house
With two cats in the yard
Life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy 'cause of you
And our

La-la, la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la, la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la

Our house is a very, very, very fine house
With two cats in the yard
Life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy 'cause of you
And our

I'll light the fire
While you place the flowers in the vase
That you bought today

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ABOUT MY BRAND, SKYLARK LIVE

My brand, Skylark Live, began when I turned 60 and noticed a profound shift. I wanted to talk about it and share what I was experiencing with the hope of helping other women as well. My brand consists of a weekly newsletter and a monthly vlog designed to motivate and inspire women over 60 to thrive in older age through knowledge and self-awareness. 

Weekly Newsletter - My weekly newsletter, Skylark Live Town News, features articles about human interest, nature, general observations, inspiration, motivation, music, places I've been to, and ideas I want to explore. I represent Bay Shore and towns beyond. There is also a calendar of events. I throw in Italian words, too, because I love the language and all things Italian. Bella Italia! As a paying subscriber, you will receive my newsletter each Wednesday morning in your email. That gives you a head's up. You can also advertise your business or event on my newsletter. Just click this link to subscribe: For updates, subscribe to our free newsletter!

Monthly Vlog - My first Monday-of-the month vlog, 60 and Beyond with Skylark, is a recap of what I've written about in my newsletters throughout the previous month. Then I introduce a new topic. My vlog is live on my YouTube channel, Skylark Live, and you can view it at any time. Just click the link to subscribe: (736) Skylark Live - YouTube

HOW TO SUPPORT ME

Patreon - This is where you can support my brand. This enables me to carve out time to write my newsletters, create my vlogs and to expand my brand. Just click the link to contribute: www.patreon.com/SkylarkLive

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Thank you for your love and support. Apprezza la giornata. Cherish the day. Saluti!