Nature is Nifty

My dear friend Kate has a blog now, you should check it out!  After reading her first post about the "snowing petals," it made me go outside and capture what is in bloom before it starts "snowing."  There are a few things around our yard that are so wonderful looking at the moment.

This is one of our two apple trees; it is in full bloom.  This is the strip of the yard where Luna likes to go to the bathroom.  At night, when I am waiting for her to pee, I often find myself standing between these two trees looking up at the stars (those things you can see if you live in the boonies), and breathing in the sweet air.  Then, I watch the dog do her business, and it brings me crashing back to the present.

Close up of the apple blossoms.

Here is a tree that is at the back of our yard.  I am embarrassed to say that I actually don't know what kind of tree it is!  But I love it.  Maybe because I oddly relate to it.  Tall, skinny, kinda bent over a bit.

Between our house and the street is a wonderful Japanese Maple.  I can't even tell you how fast it grew leaves.  It was totally bare from winter, and then all of a sudden it was a vibrant red cloud.

Throughout the woods we have discovered that Lily of the Valley grows like a weed.  It probably got its name because it grows all across the Valley, like some kind of blood thirsty, land grabbing Lily.

And finally... on a few of the warm days we have had this last week, we have been able to open up our bedroom windows and catch the strong perfume of the lilacs right outside.

Lilacs with a fluffy ghost.

Hope everyone has been able to enjoy all these flowers and blossoms while they last.  Because I know that someday soon when I leave to go to work, there will just be a pile of petals laying on the ground.