Last Saturday we got a fluke of a summer day in March. It was almost a little too warm until late afternoon, when a strong wind came up and the temperature dropped by 30 degrees within a few minutes. Lucky who had packed a sweater!
This warm day coaxed the first queen bumble bees out of their winter quarters. More flowers opened and brought bright colors where there were mostly brows and grays for several months.
With Spring arriving, we’ll soon need water. LaGuardia Corner Garden has the luxury of a system of water pipes that reach almost every corner. We are lucky that way: Convenient spigots allow us to water with a hose instead of watering cans. Many other community gardens in the city rely on water barrels that gardeners must fill from a nearby fire hydrant.
Our system was installed decades ago and the PVC pipes are a little delicate by now. Each year, the water is turned off in November to protect the pipes from freezing temperatures in winter.
Last weekend, our water master Jeff began to turn the water back on. This is a rather complicated and a little mysterious process as the valves and water meter are hidden in a pit underground. Jeff monitors for leaks with a camera at the end of a fiber optics cable. If all goes well, water will soon be available everywhere. Thank you Jeff!!
