Arbor Day

The Tree Campus USA Committee planted a redbud tree at the southwest corner of the Rike Center at Otterbein University in observance of Arbor Day.

Mimosa-A Loss and a Gain

Andrew made me a container today from the wood that he saved from our mimosa tree that died last winter; probably due a combination of old age and extreme cold.  Hated to lose that tree but loving the bowl. Andrew said that he will never again us mimosa wood for turning because it splinters badly and isn't easy to work with.

Hazelnut Flower

This is a hazelnut flower under magnification.This beautiful little maroon flower is the female part of the hazel nut which later in the fall will produce hazel nuts which are prized by both man and beast. The plant is growing in our back yard and last year humans the humans got zero hazel nuts and the beasts got all. Trust me that this will not happen again. (-: as Andrew is already making plans to put a squirrel proof fortress around the tree.

Joy to the World

“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.”— Charles Dickens 

This morning we took a quick trip out to Madison County to look for Snowy Owls. The Ohio bird listserv reported a sighting near Rosedale.  We struck out on the owls but there were lots of other beautiful things to be seen in the winter woods.  It was really cold but my new Stormy Kromer cap kept my head really warm.  We stopped at Pearle King Savannah and took a couple hundred photos. The lighting was really dramatic this morning.

 Bittersweet

Andrew is looking out over Pearle King Savanna, one of the park district's landholding, and making note of what work needs to be done there this spring.

 Mountain Mint

Almost noon on Christmas day.

Fall Colors

We went to Bishop Educational Gardens in Rockbridge, Ohio yesterday.  Fall color was probably about the best we are going to see as snow flurries are predicted for this coming Wednesday and the wind has been blowing so all the leaves will probably be down.  September and October went by in the blink of an eye. Hate to wish my life away but maybe November and December will go by fast too.

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
Henry Miller 

Star Magnolia

I took this series of photos of our star magnolia his evening as a storm was brewing. Look how much the lighting and color changed as the sky got darker and the wind began to blow and it started raining. It bloomed today; when I came home at lunch there were a couple flowers open and by the time I got home this evening there were many blooms.