Summer Hydrangeas

Summer Hydrangeas
Front lawns, porches, white fences.
Run through the sprinkler.

I have prepared this post so as to participate in Floral Friday Fotos and Haiku My Heart!

Nature Notes and the Tulip Tree

This photo was taken from my balcony looking across my driveway at the neighbors yard. It is, of course, July. So, what is wrong with this picture?

Are you thinking that the fall leaves look a bit out of place? I thought so too...so, of course, I investigated.

Turns out that all of the yellow and brown leaves had come from the neighbors tulip tree. I googled tulip tree and "yellow leaves" and several sources told me that the leaves of tulip trees will turn yellow and fall under drought conditions.

Mystery solved! It's the drought. Luckily, we had a big storm yesterday morning...here's hoping that cheered the poor tulip tree up a bit!

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I have prepared this post so as to participate in Nature Notes over at RamblingWoods.com. Check it out, It's a lot of fun. We get together and show and tell what Mother Nature is up to each week in our corners of the world!

Pink Petunias

A riot of pink
Petunias grow on the bridge
Wave at the river.

I have prepared this post so as to participate in Floral Friday Fotos and Haiku My Heart!

Nature Notes!

I have prepared this post so as to participate in Nature Notes over at RamblingWoods.com. We all get together there and show and tell what Nature is up to in our areas.

To tell you the truth, I have mostly hidden out inside this week because it is HOT! I did take a walk yesterday, and discovered a little wetland in an empty lot on a corner a few blocks away.

There were cattails there! I have always loved cattails!

Wildflowers...

Even summer weeds
By the highway enjoy the
Wind through their petals.

I have prepared this post so to participate in Floral Friday Fotos and Haiku My Heart.

Nature Notes and the Popping Seed Pods!

At first I thought there was bubble wrap on the sidewalk! I stepped on something that went pop! pop! pop! under my feet. But on closer inspection, this is what I found:

I had seen the larger, mature version of these in dried arrangements. And, I have heard these called Japanese Lantern Trees. But, when I google that, a lot of different types of tree appear, including this one. So, if you know any more about this type of tree, please let me know!

I have prepared this post so as to participate in Nature Notes over at RamblingWoods.com. Nature Notes is a lot of fun - we get together weekly to show and tell what nature is up to in our parts of the world!

Black-eyed Susans in July

Black-eyed Susans in
July are warm to the touch
as the bee alights.

I am sharing this post with Floral Friday Fotos and with Haiku My Heart!

Nature Notes!

I saw this patch of purple coneflowers, or echinacea, next to my brother's office one day. I ran over and snapped these photos with my IPhone. The bees were so intent, that they let me hold the phone just a few inches away from them to get these shots!

I have always been interested in echinacea because, as many of you probably know, it is reported to have medicinal benefits.

I have prepared this post so as to participate in Nature Notes over at RamblingWoods.com. This is a really fun weekly meme where we 'show and tell' about what nature is up to in our neck of the woods!