Too early I bid the tulip tree blossoms adieu
I know my neighbors thought I crazy all week as I have scurried about photographing the tulip trees every hour or so, trying to catch the blooms as they opened.
I know from experience that if the buds are small enough they can handle some pretty cold weather. However, if they are too far along too soon, all it takes are a few really cold nights and that's it.
There's no way that a tulip tree whose blossoms are almost open, in the North Carolina piedmont, in late February will last more than the blink of an eye or a snap of the camera button.
That's why I have taken so many photographs of the tulip trees which have been fooled by some moderate weeks this winter. Since the premature end of the blooms came today, before the blossoms ever fully opened, I decided to devote an entire post to the tulip trees.
When I noticed the birds' water dish on my deck was a solid block of ice, I took my camera with me when I went to the bottom of my driveway to get the newspaper. The photographs immediately above and below this paragraph were taken early this morning (Thursday). The first four shots in this post were taken this Monday through Wednesday.
When I went to the dentist mid morning for a check up on my recently pulled tooth, I noticed there was still some life in some of the blossoms I've been watching so closely all week. The check up went fine, I'm healing nicely but alas, by the time I got home, the tulip trees blooms were faded to the browns of winter. 
I'm hoping that amidst the brown withered blooms there are a few tiny buds which will make a come back for a couple of full, open blossoms. If it happens, chances are I'll be at the ready for a snap, snap of the camera. Until then I bid the premature tulip tree flowers adieu.
I know my neighbors thought I crazy all week as I have scurried about photographing the tulip trees every hour or so, trying to catch the blooms as they opened.
I know from experience that if the buds are small enough they can handle some pretty cold weather. However, if they are too far along too soon, all it takes are a few really cold nights and that's it.
There's no way that a tulip tree whose blossoms are almost open, in the North Carolina piedmont, in late February will last more than the blink of an eye or a snap of the camera button.
That's why I have taken so many photographs of the tulip trees which have been fooled by some moderate weeks this winter. Since the premature end of the blooms came today, before the blossoms ever fully opened, I decided to devote an entire post to the tulip trees.
When I noticed the birds' water dish on my deck was a solid block of ice, I took my camera with me when I went to the bottom of my driveway to get the newspaper. The photographs immediately above and below this paragraph were taken early this morning (Thursday). The first four shots in this post were taken this Monday through Wednesday.
When I went to the dentist mid morning for a check up on my recently pulled tooth, I noticed there was still some life in some of the blossoms I've been watching so closely all week. The check up went fine, I'm healing nicely but alas, by the time I got home, the tulip trees blooms were faded to the browns of winter. 
I'm hoping that amidst the brown withered blooms there are a few tiny buds which will make a come back for a couple of full, open blossoms. If it happens, chances are I'll be at the ready for a snap, snap of the camera. Until then I bid the premature tulip tree flowers adieu.
8 comments:
How beautiful the tree was and all cut down by one night of frost.
I always think it must be so much warmer there than here because you are so much farther south. Obviously not, warmer that is.
Hi JMB,
Our weather is so variable it's hard to get a handle on it. We can literally go from an isolated day or two where it gets close to 80 F in the winter and then have a night where it's 8 F. The night which zapped the tulip trees was 20 F. We don't usually have a lot of snow but we've had as much as 2 feet of snow a few times. This winter we probably didn't get an inch of snow but we've had a few nights as low as 6 F. There I go sounding like the weather lady, ha.
The pink flowers of the tulip tree are so pretty! It's the first time I see and hear about the tulip tree.
What a pity the flowers are destroyed. :(
Hi Eastcoast Life, I enjoy the tulip trees a great deal but they aren't that well suited to where I live. They often bloom too early like they did this year. Oh well, there is always next year.
Hi Carver,
I've visited your blog before, through links from Jeanne's site, but this is the first time I'm commenting. I just wanted you to know that I love your pictures and also the article about "positive attitude" - being a curmudgeon - was really interesting.
Happy Leap Year!
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. Take care, Carver
I love tulips and NEVER heard of Tulip tree! Wow. I love it!
We have variable weather here in CA too! Sometimes, I have to run out and put blanket on all my delicate trees and bushes.... sometimes we dip below freezing...
Hi Sabine, Sometimes when the azaleas are too far along in the spring, I cover them with sheets or blankets when it's cold but the big ones are too big.
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