“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”
Psalm 36:5
This is our country road and it sometimes takes us home…but most of the time we use it to travel from the lower pasture to the upper pasture (as I tend to call them).
Speaking of the lower pasture, the daisy fleabane that pops up every year in this section has a pink/lavender touch to the petals as opposed to white petals on most plants. I wondered, like hydrangeas, if soil acid content was responsible. I discovered there are several varieties of fleabane which contributes to the color variations. And such a strange name…fleabane. Did you know that in days gone by it was believed this plant, when dried, would repel…you guessed it…fleas!
Upon entering the upper pasture we encounter some flowers that are common for April, such as the meadow buttercup…
…toadflax…
…and crimson clover!
We were not the only ones to give attention to the clover, as this one already had a visitor. In the background (and out of focus) is vetch, another pasture bloomer with small lavender blooms beginning to appear.
P J is enjoying experimenting with some of the new features on her iPhone camera, and with princesses as subjects, it is hard to go wrong!
EM & EK love the Sunshine Cottage but also like climbing the maple trees. Maybe it’s ok since they really can’t get very far off the ground. About 12 inches!
My strawberry cobbler at Bottega had a featured spot on a previous post but this Eastaboga Burnt Honeycake does not need to be left out. This was P J’s choice for the evening and she raved over it. Can you count the layers? She had to do that before taking a bite! And if you aren’t from these parts, Eastaboga is a real place in east Alabama near I-20.
Ragwort is really taking off now around where we live. There are definite truths and absolutes in this world for sure, but some things are relative to when and where as to how we view them. In a well manicured yard or in a pasture that is intended for hay, ragwort might be considered a pesky weed. But…
…growing out of bounds along the bank of a quiet pond it becomes a beautiful wildflower!
We are excited about this. And you might say “what is so exciting”? Well, in our 3rd season, we have our first peony bud. Peonies just might be P J’s favorite flower or at least near the top of the list. It often takes several years for the plants to mature enough to bloom. Of our 4 plants, it appears 3 of them have buds. This plant is a Sarah Bernhardt.
I have wanted blueberries for years but for some reason never planted any…until last week. We learned it is best to have several varieties for pollination, so I set out 3 different types. PJ and I were not aware of how the blooms grew on a blueberry. If we never have a berry, we have already enjoyed these unique little flowers! Pam says I planted these for birds and deer. Definitely a possibility.
Our first mock orange blossom of the season. I ordered several mock orange shrubs many years ago thinking I was getting the same plant my mom and dad had beside their carport back in the day. I wanted them because I remembered their shrub had the best smelling blossom I believe I have ever smelled, rivaling honeysuckle and several others. Our shrubs will be loaded with flowers but they have absolutely no fragrance! Maybe we have a “mock” mock orange.
PJ and I took a Saturday hike and came across a number of interesting things. I wanted to show her all the trilliums I had found including those I had taken pics of and used in previous posts. To my surprise there was not one trillium anywhere to be found in the area where 2 weeks before had dozens? A lot of deer travel through this section of hardwoods. I wonder if deer have feasted on the trilliums? It wasn’t a total loss since we did find wild blue phlox! A delicate looking wildflower.
Pam was very observant and pointed out something about 50 yards of trail that I had not seen. Further investigation revealed a number of pines that looked like this one. Beavers, squirrels, porcupines, deer, and black bear are known to peel off bark from trees but I have not seen this type activity and I am in the woods a lot. All the trees were completely stripped of bark all the way around the trunk and up about 2 feet or slightly higher. The markings were not typical of beaver and we do not have porcupines (yet). I suspect squirrels but there is abundant food for squirrels so who knows? A black bear was picked up on camera a couple of weeks ago across the river and a few miles southwest of us. So, while a bear is not totally impossible, it is very unlikely. Maybe we need to put our trail cameras back in the woods!
Thistle is not the most appealing plant as far as wanting to make contact or brush against but this hummingbird moth was finding it very beneficial, loving the available nectar.
We closed out another week with a nice Saturday as predictions of rain never materialized!
Wishing you a blessed week!
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
What an interesting post. Wonder about that bark. Sorry about your mock mock. I, too, remember the gorgeous perfume of the mock orange but no longer have one-something to put on the list. So many deer where we live on Long Island and they are so hungry as more and more farms and vineyards are fenced off. It makes gardening very frustrating. The eat things on the Deer Resistant list. Quess they can’t read. You are going to Love your Sarah B!! Happy Day.
Thank you Ruthie. When we first built our home in the country, we rarely saw deer. Now it is daily and two to three times per day. We are really wondering about the bark.
What a wonderful walkabout with Butch! He has identified the same plants we have here in S.C., some of which I had no names for until today! That dessert looks amazing. Tomorrow is our 48th wedding anniversary, and John and I are actually going out…so exciting! Dinner at our favorite restaurant, Soby’s, in downtown Greenville. Their crime brûlée is swoon worthy.
Happy 48 years Roxanne and John! Enjoy your night out for dinner. Creme brûlée sounds delicious!
I Agree with Ruthie. Having been raised in the South I thought I knew every wild thing that bloomed but you have topped my list by far. Alabama has many plants that I’m not familiar with and I so enjoy seeing these plants we consider wild. Just consider the mind of God and how He planned to have flowering beauty in the deep woods where they might not be seen by humans but were put there for the enjoyment of animals. I love it. And now Miss Pam you did an awesome job on the picture of the princesses. We are still cold and snowy but I can dream of Spring in Alabama and many layered cake!
I am so glad you enjoy Butch’s walks in the woods. I love to accompany him because he has been observing since he was a teen and has so much knowledge and is still learning. Hopefully, spring will soon arrive in CO!
I agree with Ruthie. Having been raised in the south I thought I knew every wild plant but Alabama must have some that NC doesn’t. Consider the mind of God and how He planted flowers in the woods where humans might not see them but the animals would. Now Miss Pam did an awesome job on the pictures of the princesses. We are still cold and snowy but I can dream of spring to come and many layered cake!
Alice, the cake was fabulous!
Forgive me on posting twice but my iPad was hiccuping this morning
No problem, my electronic devices are always hiccuping!
It is amazing how many wild flowers are around. Butch, you are an encyclopedia of knowledge.
It will be interesting to hear more about the bark mystery.
I’m excited about your peony buds too. That is so special.
Love the pics of the girls.
That dessert looks amazing.
Have a great week.
Bonnie, maybe we can meet for dinner at Bottega in the late spring or summer!
What a wonderful and informative post. I had the same experience with the mock orange and was so disappointed. Any picture of the princesses is a masterpiece! Hope you and Pam have a blessed week.
Thanks so much Bobbie. Your sweet words are always encouraging. Blessings ~
Nature is so amazing if one just takes time to look…I love the array of blooms you found, I’ve never seen Crimson Clover before and I hope you have a bounty of peonies! I hope you both enjoy every moment of this beautiful Sunday!
Jenna
Jenna, do you remember the old song from the late 60’s or early 70’s titled Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells? Have a beautiful week!
Yes! I always thought it was something they made up, I never dreamed it was a real thing!
Oh my – that song brings back memories! Love Butch’s pictures and the princesses are adorable. Wishing you both a lovely week!
Thanks so much Kim. The song is an oldie goldie!
I really enjoyed your walk in the pastures and woods, and identifying plants we hardly see up here in Chicagoland. I did recognize Buttercups and Daisy Fleabane. Lovely photos, and the red clover is amazing. I have only seen lavender/purple here. Hugs, Sandi
Thank you dear Sandi.Hopefully spring will soon settle in to Chicago.
Pretty peonies on the way, pretty girls framed in the black silhouette of your iPhone setting, and so sad your mock orange is a mock! Have a great new week, guys.
Enjoy your week, Rita!
Pam and Butch-A stroll through the woods with you is always interesting and informative as well as colorful. It would be nice to know what’s eating the tree bark. Most curious indeed! Love the filter you used on the girls. It makes the colors pop and accentuates their pretty eyes and hair. Your dessert looks tasty. I have never seen a blueberry in bloom up close. They’re pretty. Enjoy your day sweet friends. Clara ❤️
Thanks so much, Mary. From a distance, the blueberry bloom doesn’t look so impressive. But when I got close, they looked like little bells! Happy week ♥️
This is a wonderful post, so enjoyed seeing all the many different wildflowers. The photo of the bark being stripped from the tree was most interesting. Mike also looked at the photo and said he had never seen anything like it. He is also a great fan of the woods and outdoors and has spent many hours in our WV woods. It concerned him as he thought it will most likely kill the tree. It will be interesting to see what you find out.
I will tell you the best of all the photos was of the girls. While I think every photo of them I see is the best, this one is at the top of the list and should be framed, in my humble opinion. Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday and a happy week ahead.
Thank you so much for your sweet comments. Butch has frequented our woods for over 40 years and he has never seen anything like the bark stripped from several of the pine trees. We can’t imagine what animal might doing this.
Wishing you and Mike a happy April week…
In urbanizing so much of our world, just look at the woodlands we are missing… thank you, Butch, for this Sabbath journey
of discovery. Blueberry bells; who would have thunk it…? Our Creator is filled with happy surprises for His own who open their eyes to see. Like so many, I become nostalgic in viewing your photos…so many memories of walks through the wood.
The Princesses are perfect subjects for Pam”s experimentation… that is a beautiful photo. The bane of the flea…. dog pillows
could be filled with some, what? That bark seems so thick that it would take some strong critter to denude the tree like that.
The height of the gnawing might be the clue. Great reading and viewing today, as ever. A blessed Sunday to all.
Thank you dear Mary. From a distance, you can’t see the beautiful petite bells from the blueberries. One must look closely…
The mystery of the bark has us guessing. Happy week!
Adorable pictures! Blessings,dear friends.
Thanks so much sweet friend 🙏🏻
Butch… I will say it again… I love going on a Sunday stroll with you and Pam. The wildflowers are in abundance, aren’t they? I may have to ben Pam’s ear about her new iPhone. I am thinking of upgrading to the 12 Max Pro. Or is it 12 Pro Max? 🙂
Thanks for the lovely captures and yay for Peonies! and Blueberries too!
Thanks so much, Nancy. My phone is as 11. Butch as the 12. I just had not played with the camera features. Wishing you a lovely week!
I really enjoyed this post…the girls are beautiful, love seeing the wildflowers, so interested in the fate of the pine tree w/missing bark, laughed at your mock orange story. I planted a mock orange 21 yrs ago for the sweet smelling blooms. It has NEVER put forth one bloom in all these years. 😂🥴 The girls are Blessed to have one so knowledgeable for their grandfather. Just think of all they are learning from you.
Thanks for sharing and God Bless.
Mildred
Mildred, our mock orange has plenty of blooms but no fragrance. Thank you for your sweet comments and wishing you a lovely week!
Happy Sunday, Butch and Pam! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend. I loved seeing all the beautiful photographs. I always learn something interesting. I adore mock orange. My grandmother had one, and its fragrance was heavenly. Wishing you both a blessed week ahead!
Thank you Shannon. Happy week to you!
How I have loved this walk through the woods with you. What treasures you are discovering in springtime’s awakening. I am so grateful you share them all with us!
Thanks so much Jeanie. We appreciate you always taking these walks with us!
Your grounds look lovely Pam. Filled with color and so much variety. We have blueberry bushes but they don’t do well inch Idaho’s heat. The flowers are pretty.
I planted peonies from root stock, and the 1st year when only a few leaves popped up, I thought it was a big fail. I pulled them out 🙁 The next year they came back, and finally the 3rd year there was buds! Just wait until next year, you will have three times as many buds!
Some things are worth waiting for.
RR
I love the country road that sometimes takes you home. It is always so interesting to see photos like this because they always make me wonder what lies just beyond that hill or curve in the road. God bless you all!
Good morning, Cheryl. I often have those same thoughts. Blessings!