This image is my contribution to Monochromia this week. As always, I encourage you to check out the work of the fabulous photographers who share their work on that fine blog devoted to B&W Photography.
Late yesterday, I finally edited the photos from a trip that I took almost 2 months ago. After planting some trees this morning and spending the day knocking doors and introducing myself to the people in the 12th District, I’ll be back to post the images.
Enjoy this day, my friends!
The Contented Crafter has now become the Wildly Excited Crafter! Check out this post and see why!
If you have been tagging along with this blog for a while you will have read on many occasions of my appreciation for the delightful people that blogging has introduced into my life. I love how certain folks circle around different bloggers, how we introduce each other to new and exciting blogs – how we click with new people. I sometimes forget how I stumbled across someone and then will see another name in the comments and remember that I gatecrashed their party a year ago and have been having a growing relationship ever since ….. I’ve made some really good friends while blogging. And never actually met a single one of them!
But that is all about to change!
Recently some of these friends put their heads together and decided to make something happen. They invited me to come stay for a few days. A week of…
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Many of you responded to my previous post about Redbud, scientific name Cercis canadensis, by saying that you were not familiar with the tree. Commonly called Eastern Redbud, it is a deciduous, often multi-trunked understory tree with a rounded crown and is noted for its stunning pea-like rose-purple flowers which bloom profusely on bare branches in early spring (March-April) before the foliage emerges.
The tree is native to eastern and central North America from Connecticut to New York to southern Ontario and the Great Lakes south to Western Texas and Florida( http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ ). Here in Virginia, we often see it in open meadows, and along roads and rivers.
My blogging pal, Pauline, The Contented Crafter, thought the Redbud looked familiar, and in doing a quick online search, found that in New Zealand they call it The Judas Tree.
Littlesundog, writing from Oklahoma, commented that she loved the beautiful blooms and the heartshaped leaves.
If you don’t have Redbud in your area, feel free to come visit Southwest Virginia in the spring and I’ll be happy to show you around!
For over 15 years, the group Pathways for Radford (PFR – find us on Facebook!) has been working with the City of Radford to promote the development, maintenance, and enhancement of a network of bikeways, walkways, greenways, and trails. Through both mental labor (grant writing, committee work, and fundraising) and physical labor (trail building & maintenance, river clean up, construction of various structures), the group of citizens have helped to create a 3.5 mile paved bikeway / walkway system called The Riverway, much of which runs adjacent to The New River.
The Riverway also runs through Wildwood Park, a 57 acre urban forest which has been designated a Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail and is an ideal place for hiking, wildflower identification, and because of it’s easy access and nearby location, is used as an outdoor biology lab by the school age and college students.
In honor of Earth Day, members and friends of PFR met to plant several Redbud trees. We’ve planted many trees through the years and it is always a time of fellowship and fun while at the same time doing good for the City and for Mother Earth.
The Trees Arrive!
The unloading and planting begins,
followed by the watering.
We admire the beauty of the trees,
the satisfaction of a job well done, and a community of friends.
Happy Earth Day!
When spring finally does come ’round, the moments of joy are endless.
If you haven’t already done so, I’m sure you are looking forward to getting back outside, putting your hands in the dirt, and bringing color and beauty to your surroundings. I’m so lucky to have a screened porch to enjoy while creating this blog post.
The bees are buzzing, quite loudly actually, all around my new hanging baskets and the blossoms on the Redbud Tree, all of which have been purchased from local nurseries or greenhouses.
The birds that have nested in the gutters over the carport are adding a beautiful song to the other sounds of spring, and FINALLY, I have found a few basil plants (if you know me at all, Basil is my summer addiction).
I’ll have to bring the pots in every night for a few more weeks, but at least I have some!
Yes, there are chores to be done, and errands to be run, but even accomplishing those things seems easy on a beautiful Sunday in April. So, until I can get back out on the bike and join my friends, at least I can get my hands back in some dirt, and finish what I started yesterday
As a woman who embraces all seasons (yes – even winter), I have none the less been ready for spring. After snow and 20 degree temperatures last week, Spring may finally have arrived in Southwest Virginia this week. Hurray!!
I even planted a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) yesterday. The Dogwood is the State Tree of Virginia and while I have several in the woods that surround my home, I’ve never planted one (this one is a cell phone photo …)
I hope the freezing temps are gone for the year, and I’m sending warm thoughts to those of you who are still hoping for Spring.
When I think of Easter, I think of my Grandma. Actually, I think of both of my Grandparents and the rest of my family,too.
My sisters, parents, and I would travel to Pinehurst, NC for the holiday. We’d participate in all the usual Easter things.
Decorating eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide (and somehow, Grandpa always found the last one!)
Attending services in the Chapel on the Village Green (where all the children received a potted Easter Lilly)
Enjoying an incredible meal, which always included lamb and homemade mint sauce.
It somehow just doesn’t seem right to not be with family this weekend, so I’m thankful that I have years and years of memories to make me smile.
Have a lovely Easter weekend!
The extensive rain and unusually cold temps have made this such a strange spring. I’m way behind on gardening and some of the weeds in my yard are as tall as I am! I’ve put fewer miles on the motorcycle than is typical for this time of year and I haven’t even had to turn on the A/C yet!
Despite all that, the temps are finally starting to rise and today, Karen and I were able to get on the river. I’ve got the truck; she’s got the kayaks. We knew that rain was coming but enjoyed the peace that floating the river brings and reached the take out spot right before the storm set in.
Simply lovely!
I’m slowly working my way through the 290 photos I took over just 2 days …wow … too bad I have to go to work!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 