Monday, March 22, 2010

escaping winter's grasp


With the vernal equinox came the (hopefully) last cold front of the winter. So while the calendar is saying 'spring', the weather was saying 'winter'. It's warming up now. Me? I had to work all weekend regardless. One more week to finish the 8 out of 13 panels for St. Stanislau, the catholic church in Chappell Hill, so they can be installed before Easter (pictures soon).

So since I have no time, or am too tired and brain dead to come up with a witty or poignant post, here are some random pictures of spring flowers but what you won't see is the azaleas. None of my azaleas are blooming this year. I can't remember when that has ever happened before. I guess the drought last summer and the frigid week in January did them in. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any blooming around town either. But (and you may click on the pictures to enlarge)...


The wood violets are blooming


along with these small red lilies. The pot label said african lilies when I bought it. They are pretty in the spring but they're invasive. That's one of the things that makes them so pretty though, they have spread every where and are thick.


The red bud trees have been beautiful this year. We have them in both yards, city and country.


Out at the country house, the peas have been blooming in the garden


and the bluebonnets are putting up buds.


Back in the city this tree is blooming in the next block. There are three of them nearby the country house. This particular one, the top part of the trunk died this summer as it used to be taller.


Does anyone know what kind of tree this is? It is so sweetly fragrant.

19 comments:

  1. I love pictures of flowers! It's not very cold today (in the 40s) but it's rainy & gloomy. Your pictures perked me right up! Sorry I don't know the name of the one you asked about...

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  2. Pretty flowers ... I'm not sure about the tree ... It wouldn't be a pink dogwood, would it? All that is blooming here are the crocuses, nothing else yet!

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  3. What a breath of fresh air. I think EVERYONE is so happy to see the teasing signs of Spring this year.

    Your photos are truly lovely, Ellen. Love them. And you're forgiven for being tired, so no apologies.

    Besides... your rabbit post was awesome enough to carry your blog for awhile.

    Rest up girlfriend.

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  4. beautiful spring blooms...great photos...thanks for the happy spring feelings...

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  5. You have some beautiful pictures there... the only downfall if living in the desert is that nothing pretty like that grows :0(

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  6. No blooms here. But ........ I killed my first housefly of the season! Am I a little desperate or what?

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  7. Spring comes in small steps; I see many more steps.

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  8. I appreciate your posts whether or not you're feeling particularly inspired. It's YOU I'm interested in.

    Sorry it's cold and you're up against a deadline! It will all be over soon. (That's my favorite line from the film Titanic.)

    Beautiful flowers! Those lilies are gorgeous!

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  9. I love red bud trees. Great pictures! :)

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  10. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I have so much more appreciation for good photos now. I took 600 photos in Nepal in the past two weeks and more than half of them are pretty crummy.

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  11. So pretty, Ellen! :-)

    I was thinking that could be a dogwood, too.

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  12. Ellen, I love red bud trees. They remind me of where I grew up in the South.

    Our first day of Spring here in northern New Mexico ushered in icy roads and several inches of snow. Shudder.

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  13. It sure is colourful and lovely out your way. We're still way behind you.

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  14. Isn't it early for azaleas? Isn't there hope?

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  15. Ellen, I hope the work is going well, and I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures when you are done (and can relax and enjoy the spring). Thanks for sharing pictures of what we'll have in the North Country - in a few weeks. Or - maybe sooner!

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  16. I have no idea what sort of tree that might, so I just call it a pretty one :-) Lovely pictures, and thank you for sharing them! I'm in Colorado, and we had a foot of snow yesterday. Hehe, it will all be melted tomorrow, but at present, the only spring I'm enjoying is the vicarious ones I'm experiencing through blogs!

    Thank you for sharing.

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  17. Don't now what the tree is, but it is beautiful!

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  18. Your photos are wonderful- inspiring even though you thought not ...love your posts no matter... anything from Ellen!
    LOVE the little red whatevers- African violets?

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  19. All that is blooming here are the crocuses, nothing else yet!
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