Red Maple Seed Development
Image by BlueRidgeKitties
Acer rubrum setting seeds along the Blue Ridge Parkway - these images are from different trees, but all growing around the same area. If you are close to a female red maple, you can watch this process every spring.
Top left: female flowers before fertilization
Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll have to watch the trees around late March into early April for this stage. They start flowering earlier at the lower elevations and later at the higher elevations. The young flowers are all bunched up together close to the stem. They don't stay very long like this.
Top right: female flowers after fertilization
Two obvious changes that happen rapidly after the flowers get pollinated are the elongation of the flower stalk for each flower so they no longer appear closely bunched together but rather as a hanging bouquet of flowers and the appearance of two "ears" that will develop into the characteristic wings of the wind-dispersed fruits.
Bottom left: developing fruits as leaf buds are opening
These maples flower before the leaves come out, so at this stage the trees look like they have tiny red foliage (see insert in the middle), coloring the mountain slopes along the Blue Ridge Parkway so intensely that I've had people comment on the "nice fall color" on pictures taken in April. The freshly emerged young leaves often look red as well.
Bottom right: mature fruits when leaves are out
As the fruits mature, they lose some of their intense red color and the trees turn green. This last picture was taken in early May along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it can take until June in the higher elevations. Eventually, the mature fruits (called samaras) are dispersed by wind blowing the seeds around like little helicopters. You can see these flying everywhere along the Parkway in May.
Two Years
Image by The Adventures of Scootz and Thunderbird
Now to the reason for my visit to the South Coast on Sunday (as some will already know), not that I ordinarily need an excuse to visit this beautiful part of the country, but this trip has become somewhat of an annual pilgrimage to lay flowers in memory of And (maelstrom4ever) on the anniversary of his suicide at Beachy Head.
After what happened last year at Beachy Head I had to keep my precise travel plans quite secretive, so rather than head down there today which is the actual anniversary of when he was found, I travelled down on Sunday which is most likely the anniversary of the day he actually died.
Whilst Eastbourne was bathed in beautiful blue sunny skies, a few miles up the road on the South Downs the weather was inclement with a thick sea mist descended over the Beachy Head Cliffs which made any attempt at some decent photography neigh on impossible.
I found it really eerie up there so I didn't linger for long, laying just this small bouquet of And's favourite coloured flowers. I couldn't even see the Beachy Head lighthouse so I just selected this spot near to where I think I laid flowers last November.
See where this picture was taken. [?]
Ranuncula
Image by ballookey
I took about 10,000,000 pictures of the bouquet I bought from Silver Lake Farms this weekend.
Birthday Lilly
Image by Peter L Barker
Part of a birthday bouquet foe my wife. An obligatory picture to send to her son the bestower of the bouquet!
Tulips
Image by Simply Shar♥n ~ Fun and Challenges
Here is the complete poem:
Tulips
The tulip has great strength as it pokes up from the sod
The strong green leaf surrounds the bud and acts as a façade
Then as the leaves spread open and the colored heads appear
The beauty of God’s planning often cause my eyes to tear
The jagged edge is lacy as it gently opens wide
And as it does,… you will be blessed …by the beauty found inside
The stamen stands so proudly in the center as on cue
And the colors vary greatly in the star shaped colored hue
Their splendor is a statement, yet in a simple way
They give a casual beauty to a lovely new spring day
I clip each color gently as I picture my display
I gather quite a bounty and they form a big bouquet
They grace my table sweetly as they stand so straight and tall
And then with time they curtsey and they take a humble fall
It’s like their bowing over to give their quiet nod
To their talented creator,…to the Great Almighty God
Each time I see a tulip…. my heart is drawn to Him
So I think I’ll plant more tulips… and let the praise begin!
Written by: Linda Hogeland
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