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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Nature Notes: Beauty, heat, and mosquitoes


It's easy for me to obsess about the heat and mosquitoes this time of year but there is also a lot of beauty to enjoy with a brief step outside my door, or even looking out the windows.I took the shot above on my deck. The pecan tree's green leaves were right in front of my face with the red of my large crepe myrtle being further back in the yard.
My large crepe myrtle tree is one of the last to bloom but it's worth the wait. It's hard to get a real sense of the size from these shots because it's so big that I'd need to cut back a lot of growth around it to see the whole thing.I took the shot above standing under the crepe myrtle and looking up through the green part of the leaves but the dark pink/red blooms are on the top. This is where the bird tend to go for shade which is why I have trouble photographing them because they are hidden deep in the crepe myrtle.
Around the corner from my house is the line of crepe myrtle trees in the photograph above. It takes about four of these trees to equal the size of my one big one. I also have some smaller ones but they get bigger each year unlike the ones above which are severely pruned each year.
It amazes me how fast the Virginia Creeper above has taken over my peas and beans trellis. I'm letting it go crazy since I didn't plant peas or beans this year and I like the way the Virginia Creeper turns red and orange in the fall. However, I'll tear it all down after the autumn color in case I decide to plant snow peas next spring like I used to do.
I guess I'll end with one of my hibiscus blossoms and also on a happy note weather wise. It will be much cooler this weekend. Woohooo! Nature Notes Home Link


11 comments:

Ayie said...

so that's a pecan tree...

the red flowers are very eye catching, pretty sight!

SandyCarlson said...

To have them in a garden would be a dream! Your photos are wonderful.

RJ Flamingo said...

Lovely post! I love the way you even appreciate the Virginia Creeper - one of the vines invading my space, that I just can't seem to get a handle on! :-)

I posted to Nature Notes, too, this week. Hope you'll stop by!

jmb said...

It is certainly lovely at this time of the year. I love crepe myrtles but we can't grow them here.
I make up for it by having one in my garden in Second Life.

Marju said...

Just wonderful pictures!

Unknown said...

We had some nasty heat and humidity the last two days, let alone mosquitoes and horse flies, so I feel your pain.

I didn't know both trees by name. Cool to see them. Your yard must be awesome for any kind of wildlife!

Good Luck with the cooler weather. It is a bit better here today, sigh.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Crepe myrtles certainly offer a blaze of colour, either pale or bright! Growing up in Sydney, my dad planted one that that very soft pink blossoms!

Enjoyed this post!

EG CameraGirl said...

It looks beautiful but I don't know how I could deal with the heat this time of year in N.C. ;-)

Leora said...

Crepe myrtles are so pretty. We've had a relatively cool summer, so I guess a little heat is more natural.

I plant peas every year. Your virginia creeper looks neat; I hope you'll photograph it in the fall when it's colored.

Rambling Woods said...

Hello Carver..ironic. Heat and humidity where you are. Cold and humid where I am. Beautiful shots. I love the way you look at different angles and find beauty that way. I need to branch out with my photographs and get away from the strictly 'speciman' type shots... Great post for Nature Notes. Michelle

Dawn Fine said...

Great plants to have in any garden! just lovely!