hiding in the shadows

We have a large colony of mayapples. Its a strange and beautiful woodland plant. We humans rarely see the flowers unless we get down on our knees and peer under the thick canopy of umbrella-like leaves. Steve and I have been (ridiculously) busy entertaining this past week, and as a result I almost missed their flowering season. A few hold outs came though for me, only dropping one petal on the transport inside to my dining room table where they happily sat for this sriking portrait.

mayapple flowers in late May (Podophyllum peltatum)

it’s still pollen season

There has been a dusting of pollen on everything lately. And while the deciduous trees, with a few exceptions, are fully leafed out and done flowering, the pines are in full pollen. While pines don’t technically flower because they are gymnosperms, I feel these pollen candles are pretty enough to be called flowers.

red pine pollen flower

So dramatic!

My son has been making muglio (pine cone syrup). To make muglio he needs young green pine cones. He wanted white spruce, black spruce, red pine, and balsam so he could do a taste test. As a result we have been assessing every pine tree in a three mile radius of our home for muglio-worthiness. This red pine branch was at the tip of dead branch on an otherwise healthy tree. The crazy twisted needles implies it was some kind of parasite or gall that killed the branch. If you are going to go out, go out in style!

dead red pine branch with malformed needles and cones

well, hello stranger, nice to see you again!

Horse chestnut trees were everywhere in our corner of southern France. And they usually don’t grow this far north in Minnesota. The times they-are-a-changin’.

Horse chestnut tree blossom

turn towards the light

Eucalyptus are a favorite subject of mine to photograph. So sculptural. So exotic (in comparison to my Northern trees). So aromatic. So fun.