Friday, May 14, 2010

The natural world in my little world


I am so pleased. My almond shrub has finally bloomed. We waited 7 years for this moment. Two years ago Brian ripped this shrub out by the roots because it never bore fruit, was not pleasing to look at and it cumbered the ground. I was ready for it to go too though I knew from pictures that if it would only bloom it would be gorgeous.
Well as things usually go on farm he never did get it completely cleaned up and last year it came up from the roots. Long, slender, young shoots. Brian said he would spray it with something to kill it. Again, it never happened. And I am so glad it did not!
This year, for the first time it was covered with buds. Then the cold and snow came and I was so worried that the frost would kill the buds and I would still not get to see for myself the beauty that this shrub promised. But the cold did nothing terrible to it except 'burn' a bit of the bud and today it is blooming in all its glory.
I found out that this shrub only blooms on second year old wood. I learned that I should have trimmed out all the old wood each year and left energy for the younger shoots to bloom. Pulling this beauty out of the ground was the best thing for it. This fall I will be trimming out the old wood so that next year I can have this lovely treat to gaze on once again.

I received some tulips from a friend for my birthday. Next morning when I got out of bed...stretched... and made my way to the living room for my devotions I noticed this sun shining on the tulip. Devotions were forgotten as I ran for my camera to try and capture the sun shining through the petals. I love how it turned out.

Beholding God's handiwork is also a form of devotion, don't you think. Especially if you praise Him for the beauty the surrounds us each morning...and all day, for that matter.

Then I went out and photographed the blossoms on the crab tree and the may day tree. The fragrance coming from both these trees is divine. I delight in just being under these trees' spell.

I was walking through the trees when I saw a bit of plastic in one of the Ponderosa pines. I reached up to rip it out of the trees but just in time noticed the robin. With no lack of twigs she still craved something modern with which to build her nest.
Finally! I got a shot of the elusive robin with out the aid of a telephoto lens, though that would have been nicer. I had hope to get one of these lenses for my birthday but instead got a gadget that I haven't a clue how to use. It's an ipod touch. Someday...

1 comment:

  1. Now we're even a bad example to the birds... with all the plastic in our homes, eh?! Shame... shame... ;)

    Liked your story about the almond shrub. I'll probably miss seeing it in real life now,though, with your partial hibernation.

    Wonderful shots of the blooms. I know what you mean about the scent. I can smell them in people's yards as I go walking. Makes me wanna stop and take deep sniffs. I'll have to see if I can come across a crab tree... never noticed the scent of those before.

    I agree that beholding God's handiwork is definitely a form of devotion. Puts me in such a thankful and awe-filled state when I see the beauty He has created for us to enjoy.

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