Spring is almost sprung

[llcoolvad]

OK, so P and I had lunch at On the Border today, and we noticed there weren't many people eating at the restaurant with us. I thought maybe it was because it was kind of early, but P pointed out that it might be because people were all at cookouts. Were you all at cookouts? I think it's kinda early for a cookout, and said so. He said "Well, it's kind of the beginning of summer" and I guess (calendar dates to the contrary) it really is. I mean, all the resort/summer rental places pump their prices up starting this weekend, right?

But this year seems to be flying by! This winter was horribly long, but in some ways winter always feels like the dregs of the previous year. And now we're almost at summer? So I thought I'd better get off my butt and post some of my spring pictures before it's completely gone.

I took a drive recently and became obsessed with pretty trees. Thankfully I had my pocket camera with me.



Not sure what this is, but it pretty!


My library has a gorgeous collection of trees, but again with the not sure what this is.
Cherry? Plum? Crabapple? Probably shoulda asked a librarian...


The white trees are pretty, too. Also a library tree.


But I really am partial to these pink ones. Such a good color.


And these are so bright!


As always, more pix at my flickr page.

Comments

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

The second and fourth ones are dogwood. They come in both white and pink. I used to see a lot of them when I lived in Atlanta. (My favorite was where someone planted a pink one right next to a white one, and their branches intertwined.) I haven't seen one here in years--the ones I used to know about on campus are gone. I guess they need water.

The top and bottom ones might be azaleas. They do grow here.

Where I live, although I am also in the northern hemisphere, it feels a bit late to be having cookouts. But that's because our high's have been in the upper 90's (or worse) all week, which is fifteen degrees above normal for us at this time of year. So normally, it would be a perfect time for a cookout.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

DOGWOOD! Thanks! That's exactly what it is! Dogwood! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:P1020222.JPG)

And azaleas are always one of those flowers I associate with little old ladies but never know what the hell they look like. And now I know! Thanks again.

Today was the first day that I actually felt hot outside. I sat in the sun for a while. A cookout wouldn't have been a bad idea!

[kicking-k.livejournal.com]

The bottom one, and probably the top one too, is definitely a rhododendron. Rhododendrons love it in Scotland to such an extent that they're becoming a pest in the countryside. Although they're pretty. We have a standing joke that they're the only flower J can identify.

The white tree looks like an apple tree to me.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

I was thinking apple. My grandfather had an apple and a pear tree in his yard, and while I wasn't there often in the spring (mostly on school vacations) I seem to recall it looked something like that.

Apparently rhododendron and azalea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azalea) are the same thing...so everyone wins! :-)

[kicking-k.livejournal.com]

That's interesting - I'd have said azaleas were much smaller...

[zanzjan.livejournal.com]

Man, someone beat me to it! My dogwood flowered for the first time this year, it was wonderful!

I didn't go to a cookout today, but I did go out for chinese food for dinner. It was the first time in nearly 48 hours that both sprogs have slept at the same time for more than a few minutes.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Oy! Here's hoping they settle in and quit that! I'm waiting 1 hour and 15 minutes more before I wish you a happy birthday....