Spring is here and everything outside is flowering! Bees and insects are buzzing about. Birds are chirping away. So please return to your sit spot and describe the changes that spring is bringing. Have a great weekend everyone!
I am in Phoenix, so instead of describing changes in my sit spot I'll talk about the flora here. This morning I went to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, a large stretch of desert land that was filled with really unique and interesting plants. Of course, the saguaro cactus was a characteristic feature of the landscape. A lot of these tall, older cacti had holes in them, and it was neat watching the birds fly in to their homes. There were also a lot of different types of yucca and agave plants. One section of the garden was devoted to herbs and edible plants. There was also an enclosed butterfly pavilion that we walked through, and that was really cool. There were so many beautiful butterflies and some even landed on us. On the desert loop, there were different Native American structures set up- like fences, metates, a wigwam. The fence to the vegetable garden was constructed out of living, thorny brush, which I thought was a neat way to do it. Art was another aspect of the gardens. In one section of the park were large statues of human heads made out of fake plants- from American artist Philip Haas. They were really quite remarkable. The gardens were absolutely beautiful, especially with the mountains in the background and since it is such a different landscape than what we are used to. Everything is dry, but plant life somehow still manages such abundant variety. I think it's amazing. I'll bring pictures if we want to look at them next week.
In my sit spot, the oaks are flowering, which is pretty evident given the ridiculous amount of pollen we've had around for the past week. The leaves are starting to mature on the oaks as well. The other trees that have budded leaves have that brilliant green color that only comes from lots of rain, and the beginning of spring. There are lots of birds and squirrels out, making a surprising amount of noise. The insects are out as well, the bees buzzing around. Everything is out enjoying the sunshine!
So last time we were at the sit spots is was a little rainy so it was really nice to sit outside in the Sunshine. I noticed far more squirrels, birds and bees at the sit spot this time. Some of this is probably due to the nice weather but I have seen more since spring started. The trees, which were only budding last time, now all have lots of leaves. This makes the sit spot have more shade than the past few visits. I think they are oak trees. Also the grass is very green and had some dandelions that were blooming, though these might be considered weeds and not be there next time I go to the sit spot. Also it was evident that it was spring due to the noticeable pollen on the cars by the area and because of my allergies.
My sit spot is teeming with life! The trees have almost all of their leaves back and it sounds like a jungle with all the different bird calls I heard today. So many different sounds! My yard is full of these beautiful pink azaleas and some really pretty purple flowers which I think are weeds, but are still beautiful. I just realized that the big tree in my yard is an oak, I can tell because of the distinctive tassels hanging off of it. I was hoping to smell some rich spring floral smells, but instead all I got was the bbq goodness of White Tiger which is just a block down the street...I'm not complaining, I'll take that smell any day :-). What a beautiful spring day! Even with overcast skies, it's evident that the warmer weather has brought with it some spectacular changes in the land and the animals whom inhabit it.
Redbuds are blooming (or leafing out?)! The earlier unidentified trees that the city recently planted have little red somethings emerging. A neighbor was bringing chairs out to sit in the field as well. He told me that he asked the city what they were. The daffodils were in bloom about a week or two ago, but now the flowers are wilting up and making way for a carpet of small, delicate purple flowers. The grass is looking greener and the recently put-down woodchips that surround the new trees are settling to look less stark. The large bush-like tree behind my spot is noisier than ever with rustles of squirrels, birds and other little critters. Maybe I'm just now noticing it, but it seems like the birds are singing more.
So my sit spot seems to be one of the few locations in town that hasn't got any flowers. The leaves have finally come in on all the trees, although many of them are still a light, bright green, soft and immature. I have to say, of everything in my clearing, the red ant hills seem to be doing the most blooming. I am seeing more birds though, with a cardinal and a thrasher today adding to the robins and squirrels (not a bird, I know, but on the subject of wildlife...) that I saw during the more wintery months. My one plant that was blooming last time we did an update (a small redbud I think) is almost out of flowers, so the predominant color in my sit spot today is green. There is a small shrub down the hill that is covered in these white inflorescences which look like pom-poms that are completely bare of leaves.
After our talk about lawns and grass last week I also spent a lot of time looking at the clear ground. Some of the dormant turf grass (I think it's bermuda) is starting to wake up, although its being far outstripped by the clovers, the thicker-bladed grasses (which I'm not sure were put there intentionally since they are so patchy), and a variety of other weeds.
Also I was looking at the ornamental bush/shrubs (they all smelled nice) and I realized that in addition to the sweet olives (which were mainly responsible for the smell), there were a lot of bayberries as well - which is the plant I'm doing for the LAEBG assignment - that were also contributing to the aroma. In fact, now that I know what they are I am seeing them everywhere in Athens. At my sit spot they had both male and females (they are dioecious), but there weren't any flowers yet (not that they are anything much even when they do flower).
I decided to venture out to my sit spot on a rainy afternoon. I took two unbrellas and camped out, with some coffee. The first signs of life I saw were two squirrels playing in the rain. I noticed that both Japanese maples had unfurled their leaves. They were now fluffy and had a soft ethereal look. The little red flowers that were on the larger, green leaved Japanese Maple were beginning to wilt, but there were a few late bloomers. The daffodils that were so abundant last time, now were beginning to wilt as well. Vibrant colors, that were not there last time, popped through the brilliant green. Red, Pink and White Azazels, some soft orange flowers that looked akin to honeysuckle, white dogwood, tiny purple dead nettle, and low lying purple and white ground cover flowers all broke the green from green. An almost sickly sweet smell hung in the air, from the beautiful wisteria, which is actually one of my favorite scents. I was out in the rain for almost half an hour, enjoying the sounds of birds, the stream, and the rain, enjoying the crisp air, the smell of rain and spring, and feeling alive with all the new life spring held.
There's a patch of sun where I'm sitting on this rainy spring day. I've heard this weather called the time when 'the devil beats his wife,' where you can see sunlight and rain at once. I feel there's some kind of covert misogyny in that statement, but this sort of weather really is muggy and evil-feeling. The bushes to the left of the stoop have bloomed pink flowers, which contrast with the green-purple leaves. I'm not sure what kind they are, but they bloom in clumps and have long, straw-like petals. Carpenter bees hover in mid-air amongst them. The trees in the driveway have also begun to bloom white and yellow, and the grass has begun to grow out. I hadn't realized this upon closer inspection, but then again, I also haven't noticed the weekly mowing that the landlord has started to do (and for which I have now learned to resent him for).
Spring has arrived in full bloom at my sit spot, although today, the rain had dampened the flowers a little. The formerly dormant grass is now a bright green, but there are still several patches that have yet to come back to life. The magnolias and camellias are in full bloom, although like before, many of the flowers have already fallen to the ground. I have been peeking in on my way to class, and there are consistently people in the garden, whether they are simply walking through or sitting on the grass soaking up the sun. A plus of the rain--most of the pollen that was covering every surface has been washed away.
The weather has been great. However the pollen has been everywhere and it has wrecked me. I really like the warm air along with the new and fresh smells of the season, but this transition has been a rough one. At first it was holding on to the cold nights and kept us guessing when it was going to warm up and stay warm. Now that its here everything is yellow. It’s a small sacrifice I’ll take to enjoy the new weather. I have been going out side as much as I can. The way I see it to beat it is to join it. I figured that if I just go outside everyday then eventually my body will adjust and I will feel comfortable in all the pollen and heat, only to anticipate no more pollen but a lot worse heat. So far it seems to be working. Though the rain we had on Thursday and the rain we have today on Sunday I feel like the air is renewed and freshly cleaned of the pollen cloud of every other day of this last week. I look forward to the summer and the freedom it brings.
I returned today before it had started raining. I love the noise of the wind through the trees, which is much more noticeable when there are leaves on the trees. There are beautiful trees around here, and many have become even more colorful than ever. There are bees everywhere, which i love; and there are wasps everywhere, which i hate. Pollen is everywhere, though, and it makes it very difficult for me to return to my sit spot very often. The grass is super green, and i can't tell if it's the pollen dusting it that color the the spring that has brought on the vibrancy, or a mixture of both. Most people hate this weather, but i enjoy the rain. It started sprinkling while i was outside and the sound of the raindrops on the vegetation is beautiful. I love the washing away of all the pollen which will hopefully mean that i can get through the day tomorrow without an antihistamine every few hours. I love the flowers everywhere, but i can see that more and more green is covering the beautiful yellows, purples and pinks.
I was outside all weekend. I was getting the last of my shade plants planted and gave everything a good mulching before the rains came. My yard has EXPLODED. I also got my Fig and Paw Paw tree planted which were beginning to leaf out. Basically as I say observing most things have leafed out except my first year bare root trees. They are still alive (green) but not leafed out yet. The tulips are spent, Narcissus are in waves as I planted early, mid, and late varieties and the phlox and other dormant perennials are starting to flush out with the warmer temperatures to aid them in waking up. The rains are always a welcome at this time to wash away the pollen and everything looked a bit cleaned up this weekend because of them. The birds are especially active since I placed a bird feeder on my porch. I see a steady stream of cardinals, finches, and thrashers... only I don't think I have room in my budget for all the bird feed... they are going through it fast!
Flowering indeed! My dogwood and azaleas are overrun with beautiful blooms that have added a pop of life to my backyard. My neighbor's white hydrangeas are completely covered with flowers. We don't have much grass in our "lawn," but the henbit, dead nettle, chickweed, wild onions, and plantain weeds are out in force. The pollen from the large oak and pine trees has covered my trampoline and back porch. There are tons of bees out, and there is one particular carpenter bee who is very protective of the back porch. I have seen more birds than usual, so I've been sure to keep the birdbath nice and full. All of the ones who have been gone for the winter have been coming back to enjoy the warm weather!
SO i'm in Portland, Oregon this weekend and wanted to comment on some of the bursts of spring I've seen in this wildly different ecology!
I walked down a street and that had a blanket of cherry blossoms covering the parked cars and sidewalks like a fat layer of pink snow, with many more blossoms in the trees waiting to fall. Then, around the corner, a whole intersection was strewn with camellia flowers from several huge bushes. I think the rain and the relative cold helped the floral action here last a lot longer - I feel like flowers in Georgia burst and burn/dry up much faster. But here, the dogwoods are flying open, and many low, dark green shrubs are right about to burst. It's much more lush here - the evergreens are darker and the underbrush is less scrubby, and the air is way less pollen laden (thanks, Rain!).
I am in Phoenix, so instead of describing changes in my sit spot I'll talk about the flora here. This morning I went to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, a large stretch of desert land that was filled with really unique and interesting plants. Of course, the saguaro cactus was a characteristic feature of the landscape. A lot of these tall, older cacti had holes in them, and it was neat watching the birds fly in to their homes. There were also a lot of different types of yucca and agave plants. One section of the garden was devoted to herbs and edible plants. There was also an enclosed butterfly pavilion that we walked through, and that was really cool. There were so many beautiful butterflies and some even landed on us. On the desert loop, there were different Native American structures set up- like fences, metates, a wigwam. The fence to the vegetable garden was constructed out of living, thorny brush, which I thought was a neat way to do it. Art was another aspect of the gardens. In one section of the park were large statues of human heads made out of fake plants- from American artist Philip Haas. They were really quite remarkable. The gardens were absolutely beautiful, especially with the mountains in the background and since it is such a different landscape than what we are used to. Everything is dry, but plant life somehow still manages such abundant variety. I think it's amazing. I'll bring pictures if we want to look at them next week.
ReplyDeleteIn my sit spot, the oaks are flowering, which is pretty evident given the ridiculous amount of pollen we've had around for the past week. The leaves are starting to mature on the oaks as well. The other trees that have budded leaves have that brilliant green color that only comes from lots of rain, and the beginning of spring. There are lots of birds and squirrels out, making a surprising amount of noise. The insects are out as well, the bees buzzing around. Everything is out enjoying the sunshine!
ReplyDeleteSo last time we were at the sit spots is was a little rainy so it was really nice to sit outside in the Sunshine. I noticed far more squirrels, birds and bees at the sit spot this time. Some of this is probably due to the nice weather but I have seen more since spring started. The trees, which were only budding last time, now all have lots of leaves. This makes the sit spot have more shade than the past few visits. I think they are oak trees. Also the grass is very green and had some dandelions that were blooming, though these might be considered weeds and not be there next time I go to the sit spot. Also it was evident that it was spring due to the noticeable pollen on the cars by the area and because of my allergies.
ReplyDeleteMy sit spot is teeming with life! The trees have almost all of their leaves back and it sounds like a jungle with all the different bird calls I heard today. So many different sounds! My yard is full of these beautiful pink azaleas and some really pretty purple flowers which I think are weeds, but are still beautiful. I just realized that the big tree in my yard is an oak, I can tell because of the distinctive tassels hanging off of it. I was hoping to smell some rich spring floral smells, but instead all I got was the bbq goodness of White Tiger which is just a block down the street...I'm not complaining, I'll take that smell any day :-). What a beautiful spring day! Even with overcast skies, it's evident that the warmer weather has brought with it some spectacular changes in the land and the animals whom inhabit it.
ReplyDeleteRedbuds are blooming (or leafing out?)! The earlier unidentified trees that the city recently planted have little red somethings emerging. A neighbor was bringing chairs out to sit in the field as well. He told me that he asked the city what they were. The daffodils were in bloom about a week or two ago, but now the flowers are wilting up and making way for a carpet of small, delicate purple flowers. The grass is looking greener and the recently put-down woodchips that surround the new trees are settling to look less stark. The large bush-like tree behind my spot is noisier than ever with rustles of squirrels, birds and other little critters. Maybe I'm just now noticing it, but it seems like the birds are singing more.
ReplyDeleteSo my sit spot seems to be one of the few locations in town that hasn't got any flowers. The leaves have finally come in on all the trees, although many of them are still a light, bright green, soft and immature. I have to say, of everything in my clearing, the red ant hills seem to be doing the most blooming. I am seeing more birds though, with a cardinal and a thrasher today adding to the robins and squirrels (not a bird, I know, but on the subject of wildlife...) that I saw during the more wintery months. My one plant that was blooming last time we did an update (a small redbud I think) is almost out of flowers, so the predominant color in my sit spot today is green. There is a small shrub down the hill that is covered in these white inflorescences which look like pom-poms that are completely bare of leaves.
ReplyDeleteAfter our talk about lawns and grass last week I also spent a lot of time looking at the clear ground. Some of the dormant turf grass (I think it's bermuda) is starting to wake up, although its being far outstripped by the clovers, the thicker-bladed grasses (which I'm not sure were put there intentionally since they are so patchy), and a variety of other weeds.
Also I was looking at the ornamental bush/shrubs (they all smelled nice) and I realized that in addition to the sweet olives (which were mainly responsible for the smell), there were a lot of bayberries as well - which is the plant I'm doing for the LAEBG assignment - that were also contributing to the aroma. In fact, now that I know what they are I am seeing them everywhere in Athens. At my sit spot they had both male and females (they are dioecious), but there weren't any flowers yet (not that they are anything much even when they do flower).
I decided to venture out to my sit spot on a rainy afternoon. I took two unbrellas and camped out, with some coffee. The first signs of life I saw were two squirrels playing in the rain. I noticed that both Japanese maples had unfurled their leaves. They were now fluffy and had a soft ethereal look. The little red flowers that were on the larger, green leaved Japanese Maple were beginning to wilt, but there were a few late bloomers. The daffodils that were so abundant last time, now were beginning to wilt as well. Vibrant colors, that were not there last time, popped through the brilliant green. Red, Pink and White Azazels, some soft orange flowers that looked akin to honeysuckle, white dogwood, tiny purple dead nettle, and low lying purple and white ground cover flowers all broke the green from green. An almost sickly sweet smell hung in the air, from the beautiful wisteria, which is actually one of my favorite scents. I was out in the rain for almost half an hour, enjoying the sounds of birds, the stream, and the rain, enjoying the crisp air, the smell of rain and spring, and feeling alive with all the new life spring held.
ReplyDeleteThere's a patch of sun where I'm sitting on this rainy spring day. I've heard this weather called the time when 'the devil beats his wife,' where you can see sunlight and rain at once. I feel there's some kind of covert misogyny in that statement, but this sort of weather really is muggy and evil-feeling. The bushes to the left of the stoop have bloomed pink flowers, which contrast with the green-purple leaves. I'm not sure what kind they are, but they bloom in clumps and have long, straw-like petals. Carpenter bees hover in mid-air amongst them. The trees in the driveway have also begun to bloom white and yellow, and the grass has begun to grow out. I hadn't realized this upon closer inspection, but then again, I also haven't noticed the weekly mowing that the landlord has started to do (and for which I have now learned to resent him for).
ReplyDeleteSpring has arrived in full bloom at my sit spot, although today, the rain had dampened the flowers a little. The formerly dormant grass is now a bright green, but there are still several patches that have yet to come back to life. The magnolias and camellias are in full bloom, although like before, many of the flowers have already fallen to the ground. I have been peeking in on my way to class, and there are consistently people in the garden, whether they are simply walking through or sitting on the grass soaking up the sun. A plus of the rain--most of the pollen that was covering every surface has been washed away.
ReplyDeleteThe weather has been great. However the pollen has been everywhere and it has wrecked me. I really like the warm air along with the new and fresh smells of the season, but this transition has been a rough one. At first it was holding on to the cold nights and kept us guessing when it was going to warm up and stay warm. Now that its here everything is yellow. It’s a small sacrifice I’ll take to enjoy the new weather. I have been going out side as much as I can. The way I see it to beat it is to join it. I figured that if I just go outside everyday then eventually my body will adjust and I will feel comfortable in all the pollen and heat, only to anticipate no more pollen but a lot worse heat. So far it seems to be working. Though the rain we had on Thursday and the rain we have today on Sunday I feel like the air is renewed and freshly cleaned of the pollen cloud of every other day of this last week. I look forward to the summer and the freedom it brings.
ReplyDeleteI returned today before it had started raining. I love the noise of the wind through the trees, which is much more noticeable when there are leaves on the trees. There are beautiful trees around here, and many have become even more colorful than ever. There are bees everywhere, which i love; and there are wasps everywhere, which i hate. Pollen is everywhere, though, and it makes it very difficult for me to return to my sit spot very often. The grass is super green, and i can't tell if it's the pollen dusting it that color the the spring that has brought on the vibrancy, or a mixture of both. Most people hate this weather, but i enjoy the rain. It started sprinkling while i was outside and the sound of the raindrops on the vegetation is beautiful. I love the washing away of all the pollen which will hopefully mean that i can get through the day tomorrow without an antihistamine every few hours. I love the flowers everywhere, but i can see that more and more green is covering the beautiful yellows, purples and pinks.
ReplyDeleteI was outside all weekend. I was getting the last of my shade plants planted and gave everything a good mulching before the rains came. My yard has EXPLODED. I also got my Fig and Paw Paw tree planted which were beginning to leaf out. Basically as I say observing most things have leafed out except my first year bare root trees. They are still alive (green) but not leafed out yet. The tulips are spent, Narcissus are in waves as I planted early, mid, and late varieties and the phlox and other dormant perennials are starting to flush out with the warmer temperatures to aid them in waking up. The rains are always a welcome at this time to wash away the pollen and everything looked a bit cleaned up this weekend because of them. The birds are especially active since I placed a bird feeder on my porch. I see a steady stream of cardinals, finches, and thrashers... only I don't think I have room in my budget for all the bird feed... they are going through it fast!
ReplyDeleteFlowering indeed! My dogwood and azaleas are overrun with beautiful blooms that have added a pop of life to my backyard. My neighbor's white hydrangeas are completely covered with flowers. We don't have much grass in our "lawn," but the henbit, dead nettle, chickweed, wild onions, and plantain weeds are out in force. The pollen from the large oak and pine trees has covered my trampoline and back porch. There are tons of bees out, and there is one particular carpenter bee who is very protective of the back porch. I have seen more birds than usual, so I've been sure to keep the birdbath nice and full. All of the ones who have been gone for the winter have been coming back to enjoy the warm weather!
ReplyDeleteSO i'm in Portland, Oregon this weekend and wanted to comment on some of the bursts of spring I've seen in this wildly different ecology!
ReplyDeleteI walked down a street and that had a blanket of cherry blossoms covering the parked cars and sidewalks like a fat layer of pink snow, with many more blossoms in the trees waiting to fall. Then, around the corner, a whole intersection was strewn with camellia flowers from several huge bushes. I think the rain and the relative cold helped the floral action here last a lot longer - I feel like flowers in Georgia burst and burn/dry up much faster. But here, the dogwoods are flying open, and many low, dark green shrubs are right about to burst. It's much more lush here - the evergreens are darker and the underbrush is less scrubby, and the air is way less pollen laden (thanks, Rain!).