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Spring is here again

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Spring is here again

Pollen tsunami, chlorophyll flooding, and flower waves

Lee Tilghman
Apr 24, 2023
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Spring is here again

leetilghman.substack.com

HAHA. I bet you thought the subtitle was the newest hot wellness trend on TikTok.

Nope, it’s just spring.

I’ve been watching the plants alter startingly fast over the last 8 weeks. In fact, the daffodils are already done in my area of Brooklyn (though I have noticed a second wave in some areas…). We had an early spring after a mild winter.

If you watch closely, the flowers come in waves, as one ends, another species begins. It’s amazing to think of all the bulbs under the soil, how can a city with so much concrete fit this many flowers?!

I love to think of the people who planted the millions of flowers here in New York, especially the perennials, which arrive year after year. In the winter, we can’t see them; they lay dormant. But they’re working, and then BOOM. They come in waves.

A brief timeline of the waves of NYC flowers

END OF FEBRUARY saw the beginning of the crocuses (and my first bee sighting of the year!)

Snapped on 3/9/23

BEGINNING OF APRIL the daffodils, sunbathing in golden hour light

Snapped on 4/7/23

MID-APRIL the tulips…

Snapped on 4/17/23

Which always recall in my mind’s eye this scene from Alice in Wonderland, which I found both tantalizing and scary (the mum! and that pompous Iris.)

END OF APRIL lilac, dogwood……

Read last year’s spring newsletter! It’s a tradition!

We haven’t had a lot of “April showers” here in New York this year, but this weekend, it rained for 10 hours, and the chlorophyl rushed the leaves, leaving everything a startling green. The grass, which looked dead, is suddenly fluffy and sprightly. The vines crawling up the brownstones are also coming back to life. Set against today’s blue sky, it was electric and more vibrant than a kid on mushrooms at Coachella.

Oh! and the lilacs are in full bloom, and each time I walk by them, I shamelessly stuff my nose into their blossoms and inhale their intoxicating scent. I often see my neighbors doing the same.

The marilyn tulips stretch up towards the sky, thin as paper, so delicate and tall that they begin to fall over, the weight of their petals too much for their thin frames….

More NYC spring goodness

Lately I’ve been asking myself, “has spring always been this gorgeous?”

Or has it always been this way, and I just haven’t noticed?

🎟️ Tickets for my Goodbye Influencing JUNE online workshop are on sale

📺 Watch my TODAY show segment with Hoda & Jenna

More soon!
XO L

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Spring is here again

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Avery Bredesen
Writes what doesn't tequila
Apr 25Liked by Lee Tilghman

I saw your TODAY segment so this comment is a bit more about that — how wonderful you were able to go on and spread your message that there's more to life than influencing! That there's more to life than social media, really! There are so many incredible careers we can have when we "grow up" with fruitful offline lives, even ones in which we can be our own boss or have a more flexible schedule. I myself dabbled back in the blogging days with being a full time blogger. Now I still have my passion projects but get to work full time and remotely for an incredible branding agency. I even deleted IG back in February and don't miss it. It's incredible how different, brighter, more colorful the world looks off my phone screen and how much healthier I am physically and mentally. Lee, you truly are a trend-starter but this is one I am loving to jump on! I truly enjoy reading along your journey. And those flower pics are divine.

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Jak Major
Writes Life, Deliberately.
Apr 25Liked by Lee Tilghman

The screenshot of the tiktok comments just about took me out 🤣 spring really is the best!

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