Dogwood Blooms

In the dark and cold of the early Spring mornings, I make time to step outside and spy the dogwood tree.  At first, the start of leaves and the small, tight buds that will become flowers take time to come into focus.  As the days grow longer and the sunlight grows warmer, the leaves, which start the size of slender nail clippings, begin to grow larger.  The same is true for the buds.  They start as tiny hard nodules on the end of new growth branches and daily they grow just a smidge bigger.  

Come April, it’s clear there will be flowers in the coming weeks and though I’ve known it all along, known it since the tree shed its leaves in the Fall, I am still overjoyed at the coming blossoms.  Spring is here, the dogwood flowers call to me, and in the chill of the early morning, the chirping birds and I cheer them on.

Fall in Sight

The backyard dogwood tree is rather a harbinger of things to come.  It’s my first sight of Spring in April and come September, its leaves begin to turn ever-so-slightly.  I enjoy a daily check of the changes at hand.  This was the tree three weeks ago.   

Last week, a few more leaves had begin to turn.  

Yesterday, color was coming to all of the leaves on the side of the tree that faces West.  

This tree barely reached the roofline of the first floor when I moved here in 2005.  These days, it’s rather larger than that, though still very much in the shadow of Old Man Tree, and always a treat when I spy its branches.

Dogwood Mornings

Every morning I stand in the back windows of my house and admire the dogwood tree.  These days, it’s looking decidedly like Fall truly is on the horizon.

When October arrives next week, I’ll choose a day for a weekly dogwood picture.  Fall is lovely in the backyard and these days, I embrace all the beauty that I can find.

Dogwood Days

Though I am still wearing flip flops and sitting outside for all my spare moments, Fall is most clearly in the air.  The dogwood leaves are leading the way and they are lovely.

Mother Nature Marches On: Your Weekly Dogwood Report

The last of the dogwood flowers are in the very top branches of the tree.  They are rather hard to see because of the morning sunlight in this picture.  But I’ll never fuss about morning sunlight so this will do nicely.

By this time next week, the last of the flowers will have fallen.  That’s okay because they will be replaced by pretty green leaves.  And May has plenty more treats still up her sleeve for us to enjoy.

Mother Nature Marches On: Your Weekly Dogwood Report

This past weekend featured sunlight and warmth, a combination that all of the garden enjoyed.  The dogwood is beginning to leaf out, though plenty of flowers remain high above, a very welcome sight when I’m on the back deck.

As much as possible, I come out here for breaks during the work day.  This morning, there was sunlight and I made a few pictures.

This afternoon, there is a cold rain but Spring is on the march and I am grateful.

Mother Nature Marches On: Your Weekly Dogwood Report - April 29

Today is cloudy and cool and though the birds are chirping, I would still like some sunlight and warmth.  Yesterday was sunny and warm and I spent some time on the back deck.  The dogwood was looking lovely and that was enough to make for a good day.

Mother Nature Marches On: Your Weekly Dogwood Report - April 22

Spring has been its usual moody combination around here with days of sunshine and warmth followed by days of clouds and storms.  Today is beautifully clear sunshine but cold and windy because Spring makes her own rules.

Day by day, the warmth and light are showing the dogwood a path forward.  It’s a path of pretty flowers followed by fresh green leaves.  That’s happy!

Dogwood in Fall

The dogwood tree in the backyard  is now completely red.  T and I did some yard work yesterday and I made these pictures so I’d be able to remember this beauty through the coming Winter.

For a few days, the sight of red-leafed limbs will greet me in the morning.  Then, a windy day will come along and the leaves will fall.  That day will leave behind bare limbs that are also beautiful to see.  

I find beauty in every season but I’ll miss these leaves and their shady presence in my backyard view.

Dogwood Day: April 25

This is the last full week of April and today's post will be my last dogwood posting for the Spring.  Fittingly, the tree has reached peak flower.

When I look up in the branches, small green leaves have begun to emerge.  Spring is headed with speed into full bloom; the month of April has been simply splendid.

In the backyard, the morning light is a treat to behold; it’s lovely to see each day.  Spring, I am charmed.

Dogwood Monday: November 12

As predicted, a windy storm last week brought down the rest of the leaves.  The dogwood is holding on to one last leaf but the rest have fallen and await my rake.

On the same windy day that brought down the dogwood leaves, Old Man Tree dropped the rest of his leaves.  

Fall always seems to be like this; one day I look up and the leaves are gone, replaced by stark branch and cold days.  The days in November have passed in a similar blur; I expect the rest of the month will fly by just as quickly.  Fall is often that way for me.  

Dogwood Monday: November 5

Over the past week, all of the dogwood’s leaves changed.  On Saturday morning, after the overnight clouds had cleared, the light shown through the leaves and inside the house we were bathed in a reddish-gold light.  It was splendid.

Some leaves have already fallen and thought the yard is covered; many more leaves still need to fall.  Some dry days and a burst of wind will take care of the rest of them.  The raking season has arrived.  

Until the rest of the leaves fall, I’ll enjoy the colors on the tree right now.  The time change means I have some more light in the morning and that’s rather nice, a chance to enjoy the last of the year’s dogwood leaves when I come downstairs in the morning.

Dogwood Days: April 24

We’re on our way to dogwood flowers and green leaves.

Each morning as the sun rises, I talk time to admire the dogwood.

We’ve had a nice patch of warm, mild days and have reached the point in Spring when an explosion of blooms and greenery is just around the corner.  That’s happy and lovely!

Dogwood Days: April 17

A few days ago, we had unusual warmth and sunshine.  It was followed by a cold rainstorm yesterday.  When an afternoon cleaning emerged, I made pictures of the dogwood.  Overhead, things look quiet.

Close up, there are signs that leaves and dogwood flowers will soon emerge.  Spring is an expectant season and each day bring the prospect of more blooms to enjoy.

That’s happy!

Dogwood Day: April 10

Since January, I’ve been posting Tuesday pictures of my amaryllis bulb as I not-so-patiently waited for the flower to appear.  My waiting was well-rewarded and it ushered in the month of April, which always delivers the goods for people like me, who long for flowers.  I am by nature an impatient person, a woman who has been known to read the end of a book so as to know how it all turns out.  Gardening has taught me the virtue and value of patience even as it has reminded me to take note of and appreciate even the smallest of changes.  With the arrival of April, my dogwood is ready for the season.

Or at least that's how things look up close.  Even today's gloom can't disguise the round buds that will become flowers in the next few weeks.

From further away, the tree seems to be stuck in Winter.  Gloomy, cloudy skies like today's don't hasten things as I would like.

But time is on our side and Winter's cold won't last forever.

Fall

Last Sunday, I looked up and realized that the dogwood and Old Man Tree had dropped their remaining leaves.  There had been some windy days and that seemed to do the trick.

I took a pass through the yard with the mulching mower, a Fall chore that I always enjoy.

Elsewhere in my yard and neighborhood there are plenty of leaves yet to fall.  That means that plenty of raking remains.  The weather has been cool and this weekend a windy rainstorm is expected to pass through; that will likely set the stage for Fall to finish up its efforts.  Garden chores like this help me put the garden to rest and give me plenty of time to daydream about the next garden season.  

Bring on the seed catalogs!

Dogwood Wednesday: October 25

This week, the woods around town have really taken on the colors of Fall.  My backyard dogwood tree is leading the way.

For much of September, I admired this tree as I watched the sunrise.  As the days are growing shorter, the sunrise is later and later and I'm typically on the way to school when the sun comes up.  But each day I find time to step to the back window and admire the colors of this tree, which are really quite lovely.  This tree is my daily bellwether of the season, a reminder to stop and appreciate all that Mother Nature has to offer.  

That’s happy!

Dogwood Wednesday: October 18

Though I remind myself that this year is an especially good year to live in the moment, something about cool mornings has me longing for the full-time arrival of sweater weather.  From there, I get to thinking about Winter: heavy down comforters, cozy blankets, coats and scarves and mittens……..before I know it, I’m planning my first snow day.  The dogwood is right here with me.

The color change accelerates as the nights lengthen and the warmth of the day feels thinner.

Halloween is on the horizon, with little ghosts and goblins crunchy through the leaves.  My task between now and then is to live in the happy moments.

Dogwood Wednesday: October 10

The last week has mostly been filled with warm, humid air.  Good for the tomatoes, but bad for folks like me who wish to sleep with the windows open to an evening chill.  My parents are in town to visit with us and watch the boy in a few Cross Country races.  Pumpkins and mums are everywhere, but otherwise it hardly seems like Fall.  Enter the dogwood, always at the ready to provide a charming display.  Up close, these leaves are well on their way to a Fall celebration.

In the mornings, the backyard squirrels scamper up and down the limbs.  In the afternoon, we are sometimes lucky enough to see the cardinals that hang out here.  It’s a treat to look out the back window and see the tree as it embraces the season.

Dogwood Wednesday: October 4

Fall is really starting to hold on around here and the cool evenings have led to some excellent sleeping weather.  While I rest, the dogwood is clearly getting after it.

That’s happy!