Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Wildflowers in Winter Meme - Week 8

Bidding adieu.
Elizabeth Joy had a wonderful idea in creating this Wildflowers in Winter meme. What fun it has been, participating these past eight weeks! Thank you, EJ!

I'm afraid I won't find anything blooming here for quite some time. It's alright, though. The cold, snowy Winter has kept everything snuggly-warm and waiting until a better time to begin growing! Perhaps the weather will just move forward without a late frost or freeze. We can hope! :-)

On that note, I've decided to take Nancy's lead and use a photo (mine is of a woodland plant) from April 2007. I have absolutely no idea what this is... so I'd welcome input!

When he was young, George Washington Carver said, "Most people look, but they don't see."

When you visit a particularly beautiful place in the wild, or when you're just walking near your home and a beautiful flower or tree draws your attention, stop for a moment and spend a little time enjoying the moment. When restless thoughts come, such as "I should be hurrying along," ignore them for as long as possible. Bring your mind back to the moment of communion. *

*quote and other statements taken from Listening to Nature, How to Deepen Your Awareness of Nature by Joseph Cornell.

I found this book in a local used book store. A bargain with beautiful photographs and interesting comments and narratives.

Late-breaking news: Someone at UBC Botanical Garden and Center for Plant Research responded to my plea for help! They, too, identified the plant as a "buckeye." Hearty congratulations to those who already knew it! ;-)

As a sidelight... our afternoon
temperatures were in the 50s!!
What do you suppose that means? :-)

8 comments:

Elizabeth Joy said...

I have no idea what your flower is. I'm really curious! I hope you find out what it is.

Glad your weather is warming up!

Thank you so much for sharing!

Entangled said...

Your mystery plant reminds me of the way my bottlebrush buckeyes leaf out in the spring. Maybe a relative?

Anonymous said...

It looks intriguing. I love your encouragement to stop and look. I've been doing that a lot more these days. enjoy...

Anonymous said...

Nice sentiment and a nice photo of ??
I feel like I must know what woody specimen this is... Wow! So much for remembering my winter ID courses in woody ornamentals from the 1960's... hard to believe I was on the winning state team at Arnold Arboretum - it's all gone, now, evidently. I'll keep thinking... Deb

Anonymous said...

Shady - I'm back again... what about Ohio Buckeye? Aesculus glabra has the palmately compound leaves that your plant seems to have and the wide, reddish remnants of bud scales that roll downward. Maybe? Possibly?

I'm not familiar with bottlebrush buckeye, but I think 'entangled' is definitely on the same trail as I.
We have horse chestnuts, not buckeyes, in this area. Hope you get to a definitive ID... Deb

Connie said...

Sounds like a great book. Hang on....spring will come!

Gail said...

I thought Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) too the way it peels open...buckeye is native to Iowa and the midwest all the way south...just not those hot humid coastal states.

I think it is a great tree.

Gail

Shady Gardener said...

Hello to everyone. Thanks for visiting. I've also put a query in at the UBC Botanical Garden and Center for Plant Research, located on my right side-bar.

We do have buckeye trees here! Deb & Gail, you're probably right. Thanks for the lead, Entangled! Now we'll see what UBC does with it. ;-) The color does help stop a person from trampling it!

Elizabeth Joy, What will you do now that your meme is finished?? ;-)

Entangled, Thanks for your help! Your picture reminds me that I need a cup of tea. My server has been very slow today and I've spent Way too long at the computer!

Ellen B, Before that cup of tea, I've GOT to get outdoors. It's been a beautiful day today!

Deb, Always glad for your input. You were great! ;-)

Connie, Thanks for visiting. Before I can do too much, I need to pick up sticks, rake and get more dirt! :-)

Gail, It is a great tree. Thanks for your help. :-)