I've Been THINKING OUT LOUD!

Franklinia at the Eclipse

I was at Vineland Nurseries a few days ago. This is a specialty nursery - the unusual and different.  There are many varieties of Japanese Maple.  It has all kinds of specialty conifers. I  came upon a large tree in a pot and it turned out to be a Franklinia.  This is a celebrated tree at Longwood as it was identified by the Bartrams - great Philadelphia botanists in the 1700's. It blooms in autumn with white Camellia flowers, so we are looking at the buds in the pictures below. "Philadelphia botanists John and William Bartram first observed the tree growing along the Altamaha River near Fort Barrington in the British colony of Georgia in October 1765. John Bartram recorded "severall very curious shrubs" in his journal entry for October 1, 1765. William Bartram returned several times to the same location on the Altamaha during a collecting trip to the American South, funded by Dr. John Fothergill of London. William Bartram collected F. alatamaha seeds during this extended trip to the South from 1773 through 1776, a journey described in his book Bartram's Travels published in Philadelphia in 1791. William Bartram brought seed back to Philadelphia in 1777 at which time William reported to his father that he had relocated the plant, but this time had been able to retrieve its seeds although it was not until after John's death (1777) that he was able to achieve flowering plants (1781). After several years of study, William Bartram assigned the “rare and elegant flowering shrub” to a new genus Franklinia, named in honor of his father's great friend Benjamin Franklin." What are our plans today for the "day the sun disappears?" Is this a story that will "eclipse" all others?  I look forward to the headlines full of puns.

Lake Effects with Autumn Gold

It was 'Lake Effects' day yesterday.  There was so much mist and moisture in the air, that the sun was a great orange ball in the sky at 8:30am. Then it disappeared into the clouds and the hazy mist. Dezi and I went for a walk at Beamer Park - that's the park on the brow of the escarpment where the hawk watch occurs in Spring and Fall.  There was no view to 'soak up' - but there was the intense golden colours of the maples.  Predominant are Sugar Maple and Red Oak.  We met a few fellow photographers, and one metal detector enthusiast who showed me a coin dated 1847 that he found last week.   The hay bales in the first picture will go to Andy's farm - Our Gate to Your Plate - and will feed his cattle.

I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Our title today is a song title by Rogers and Hart. On Saturday I stopped at Moyer Road in Vineland to photograph the solitary oak tree.  I've taken this tree's portrait for a while now and there are two pictures of it - one of these pictures is from December and one from Saturday.  They seem indistinguishable to me.  It will be interesting to see how spring unfolds on the landscape and shows its presence.

When Does Spring Start?

The sun is rising on a snow-covered garden, and I find out that for the weatherman, spring starts on March 1st.  There are different definitions of spring. Meteorological spring references a standardized split up of the seasons into four, 3-month periods.  Astronomical seasons are based on the solstices and equinoxes that occur around the year. Today's pictures are the entries in the Betterphoto contest that placed for the month of January.  The first is the second place winner in the Details and Macro category.  The other two are Finalists.  View this email in your browser

Wind Storm Warning

What makes a wind storm warning more significant in the late fall than in the spring? The Tree Expert told me last year.  He said that it is the trees who have suffered some decay or stress during the summer that are the ones prone to problems.  Heavier winds start to occur in the fall, and that's what causes limb failure. Of course there's the possibility of trees uprooting.  How many inches of rain make the soil wet enough that the roots come undone? The experts say that drainage is the major concern rather than rain fall.  Did you know that roughly 90% of a tree's roots are in the upper 18" - 24" of soil? How do you know if a tree in your yard is at high risk for falling?  The expert says:  look at the tree and its environment.  Is the tree leaning? Has the leaning increased in recent years? Is the crown healthy - root problems are often reflected in crown condition.  Are there noticeable cracks in the trunk? These are all signs of weakness and stress. We'll see what today's high wind warning produces.  Today's photos of fall colours in Charles Daley Park are filtered through rain patterns on the car windshield that we experienced yesterday.

The Photographer's Garden View

I enjoy interpreting gardens that I visit as well as taking pictures that showcase the garden just as it is.

These two images come from a beautiful Japanese garden in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  There is a metal screen fence at the back of the garden, and this Japanese Maple tree, set against it, stands as a living sculpture in the landscape.