An Edgeworthia something or other, with very small flies. These wee gnats or midges have come out in force on warmish days all month, and even back in February.
Something Berberis — a mahonia. This was very active with various flies in the park last week. There was one bee-mimic, one honeybee, and a mess of flesh flies. I wouldn’t say the flowers stink of rot, though. Not like paper whites, a nauseating stench which make me think of Baudelaire translating Poe under the influence of opium in an Egyptian tomb.
Both of these plants are exotics, as are so many of our early bloomers from forsythia to all the bulbs. Here to note that flies also serve… as pollinators.
USNS Comfort being escorted through Upper New York Bay yesterday morning. With a total patient capacity of 1000 beds, including 80 ICU beds (maybe they’re making more?), it’s helping out the hard-hit city.
A city which has allowed several hospitals to be shut down for residential real estate developers in the decades I’ve lived here.
Backyard and Beyond 
Real estate rules in this city. Long live the one per cent!