Showing posts with label trees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trees. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Would You Plant Just One More Tree If You Lived Here?

I'll let YOU decide!

This photo of the front of our house was taken in May 2004. The two large trees at the left of center were removed by mid-June 2005. There was a problem that I cannot seem to recall.
As an aside, you might notice my "Sunny Corner Bed" was not so sunny then. It used to be a bed of iris that had become overgrown and crowded, resulting in very few blossoms. We'd moved into this house in October 2002, so the previous Spring had shown the need for reworking this bed! :-)

Now the photo below was taken April 23, 2008. You can see the cluster of three shagbark hickory trees was still standing in the front yard... they provided a wonderful shade canopy, as well as a beautiful accent.

Here's are two more photos, taken July 31, 2008 of these beautiful trees.

This one might give you an idea as to the proximity of the trees to the front of the house.
However, they were three separate trees competing for root space and light source. They were just WAY too close to the house. Hence, they had to leave the premises (especially after I'd watched a wind storm push them around and nearer the house!) See this post from last Summer.

The photo below was taken November 27, 2008.
Does it look a little bare over there?
Even with my sister's little tree in the foreground?


I thought perhaps you'd agree with me. :-)
My next post will show you what I had done just recently!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Saturday Afternoon

We first took a walk through the prairie. My husband pointed out the Autumn Olive seedlings that the birds are planting by seed dispersion. He's having to destroy not only the mature plants furnished (as seedlings) for planting several years ago but also these new seedlings. Instead of being the ideal bushy refuge and food source for birds, they've become invasive.

I know not everyone appreciates thistles, but I truly think they're beautiful. I'm not the only thistle fan. Check out the Great Spangled Fritillaries below!
(Click on the name for more information and the photo to enlarge it.)
We were on the edge of the prairie and just next to the woodland edge.
Close-up of the thistle.
This is Partridge Pea.
Next, we headed for the woods.
Trees
"I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree.
. . .
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree."
by Sergeant Joyce Kilmer I credit the following fungi to our recent rainfall. I had a comment, upon which I took action to investigate. The fungus below is most probably a Puffball.
I have NO idea what this is.

This is Monotropa uniflora, Indian pipe. Sometimes people find more beautiful specimens.
Click on the botanical name to go to a site that provides a photo of another "version," and additional information.Last, but not least, a few other items to share:
Path of a bark beetle,
Jewel weed, nature's defense against poison ivy "itch!"This area was so very overgrown and lush with rainfall,
that several jewelweed had fallen over... note this one's rooted stem.
Poke Weed (often called Poke Berry)
The plant parts are poisonous. (click on the name for more information)

I don't know what these flowers are... do you? Each stem was multi-flowered.

Towards the end of the trail, I noticed a few sticky seeds
had clung to the tail of my shirt. As I walked, I picked them off and dropped them.
I was providing a means of seed disbursement until,
at the END of the trail, I looked down and saw...

Thousands of seeds stuck to my socks!I'm trying to decide whether I should pick off the seeds
or throw the socks away!

Your verdict?