We’ve been having some beautiful sunrises. This was last week over my neighbors house. I love the lace of the unleafed trees against the sky.
Our lot has six huge old silver maples on it. They are considered weedy trees, but they give us shade and are one of the reasons we bought this house. I wanted mature trees. A previous owner planted daffodils, fragrant hostas and sedum between two of the trees. The deer like those hostas, too. You can see the as yet uncollected piles of debris I pulled off the Autumn Joy sedums. Collecting yard trash was on my to do list yesterday but we had an unexpected dinner guest which was much more fun. That required picking up debris inside the house.
As much as I love these silver maples, they require yard upkeep. They produce seeds that turn into helicopters which then float down and cover the yard. The worst part is that the helicopters insert themselves into the spaces between the boards on our back deck. Removing them requires a hands and knees effort. The baby seeds are already on the trees. When they are large and dried out, they fly and really do twist and turn like helicopters. I’ll look at this photo every once in a while to remind myself how beautiful they are as babies.
Finally some tulips. Many more in bud. I keep spraying with Deer Away and so far so good. The deer like the blooms. One day you have a bed full of tulips and the next morning every single bloom is gone.
These daffodils quickly make huge clumps that must be divided. I don’t know where they came from, but I keep dividing them and they are now in many places around the house. There are even a few coming up in the grass where the squirrels must have planted them.
And finally some eye candy. A bloom on an early magnolia spotted on an early morning walk in my neighborhood . The pale pink on the interior of the bloom is divine. I wouldn’t have gotten this photo without the macro lens. Thanks again, Fred.
These are my Six on Saturday. See The Propogator for the ground rules if you’d like to join in the fun.
Oh Mala, what a beautiful six! I love those helicopters, all downy and innocent! If only they never grew into troublesome teens flying the nest! Your tulips are gorgeous! And your magnolia! I have magnolia envy at this time of year.
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The magnolia is not mine but a neighbors. It is in full bloom now but more gorgeous close up. “Troublesome teens flying the nest” is an awesome metaphor! I tried to think of something similar but got stuck on old, brown and desicated and it was just too depressing. LOL
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That’s a stunning sunrise! I will admit I don’t tend to be up early enough to catch the sunrise
When I was trying to find some deer-resistant flowers, I read that deer don’t like to eat Heathers…. the Roe Deer around here obviously haven’t read that, as they were trying to munch the ones in our front garden.
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I go to a 7 am yoga class four mornings a week. Keeps me fit to work in the garden. I don’t see much heather here. And the damn deer will eat just about anything. I am lucky that we don’t have too many, but I have tall deer fence around my beds at our community garden where I grow my tomatoes.
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wow! you’ve got a lot of bloom going on!
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Finally things are beginning to bloom, but the warmer temps are not cooperating. It’s hard to be out in the garden when it’s in the 40’s with a stiff wind. Rather be in by a fire with a glass of wine.
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Mala, I love your pictures.
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What a beautiful 6! I love the micro lens too…I bought one after seeing the photos over at Fred’s!
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Wow, I’m very happy to see you succeeded your macro photos … the magnolia is wonderful! Since I don’t have deers near me, is “Deer Away” a spray that the deer hates because of its odor or is it the taste it fears?
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I think is a combination of odor and taste. It does smell pretty funky. I have to be careful to be upwind of it when I’m spraying.
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Silver maple was my first maple, and is my second favorite! I know people who live with them do not like them as much, but they are rare here. They have a nice light shade that allows lawns to survive.
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Our kids had a swing in an old silver maple when they were growing up. I could see it out the kitchen window. Fond memories.
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What is your first favorite?
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We used to call the maple seeds, whirlygigs. I still love seeing them twirl off the trees, but like less the cleaning up aspect. You’ve got some great colour going there & your neighbour’s magnolia . . . maybe you could somehow move the boundary line & include it in your garden!
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Several houses down unfortunately…
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