This image, but in black and white, is my contribution to Monochromia today.
And you can see the B&W image here, too …
Hope you all have something fun planned for the weekend! I’ll be catching up on chores, checking out your blog posts, watching the Hokies play Carolina, and of course spending a little time on the bike!
The image of this intriguing old stump is my contribution to Monochromia this week. Pop on over if you get a chance and if you didn’t know it already, you’ll learn that I’m a tree hugger (like you didn’t know that already 🙂 ). As Joe always says, if you love B&W images, you need to check out Monochromia.
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.
Do you know how hard it is for me to not use words? 🙂
While sitting around the fire on a perfect Friday evening, enjoying alittle of the local flavor in a bottle (I thought you of you, Joe), I caught these photos. I though of Earthstills, too (Hello Weekend!).
I know there isn’t a photo of a lovely beverage, but I sure was enjoying one!
Bike Trip in Seven Days!
In just one hour after work, I was able to ride the motorcycle from the river …
to the farm …
to the woods.
Not a bad way to spend an hour!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 