Notes
Four days of rain: In 2023, New York City had the wettest September in 141 years. On Friday, September 29, the recorded rainfall at Kennedy Airport broke a record set in 1960 by a hurricane; it was the third time in two years that it rained nearly 2 inches an hour in Central Park (An NPR article sums up the impact on ordinary New Yorkers: “Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams declared states of emergency and urged people to stay put if possible. But schools were open, students went to class and many adults went to work, only to wonder how they would get home.”) It had already been a rainy week; the four days of rain occurred the prior Saturday-Tuesday.
A swan in Hallet’s Cove: I often see this lone swan here (and it has also been noticed by Reddit posters). It is a mute swan, which is an invasive species, originally imported from Europe in the 1800’s by people who thought they looked nice. Breeders domesticated them on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley for sale to owners of private estates. Significant numbers of these birds were released into the wild in the early 20th century, seeding today’s populations.
Candy-scented honeysuckle: I deeply appreciate the chance to smell honeysuckle blossoms in my urban neighborhood, which is also a smell connected to a particularly joyful summer childhood memory. Maybe because of that, it’s a uniquely appealing scent to me. A group of Singapore- and China-based researchers recently looked into the chemical components of the scent, with an eye to distinguishing the many species of honeysuckle more readily, since its health benefits mean it is increasingly included in consumer products.
The joy and meaning: I don’t have a good explanation for why I should have this feeling. It feels strange to me that I should but it just is. I came across one theory in a Guardian piece about the meaning of Rosebud in Citizen Kane: “The remembered details of early existence – moments, sensations and images – have an arbitrary poetic authenticity which is a by-product of being detached from the prosaic context and perspective which encumbers adult minds, the rational understanding which would rob them of their mysterious force.” Hm. Maybe?
Most of what I found was about childhood amnesia – why humans tend to not remember much before they were 6 – including this informative overview from Psychology Today. I also don’t know why I seem to remember so much from before I was five. What is it like for you? Do you have many memories from when you were a young child, or not so much?
Wine-colored rug: The house where my parents sang belonged to the painter and musician Art Rosenbaum, who taught in Iowa City in the 1970’s. While there he formed a group to sing sacred harp music, which my parents joined. My sister and I both have strong memories of the rug, and the singing.
Thanks for being here with me.