Blue spruce, picea pungens, is native to the Rocky Mountains, but can be found as ornamental trees throughout the United States. The young shoots can be used to make tea high in vitamin C. This bitter, resinous drink is surprisingly refreshing, although it is not uncommon for people to add a sweetener. Click on the image for a larger view.
Category Archives: Life at Home
Star Lanes
The summer Milky Way with the North American Nebula in Cygnus. Click on the image for a larger view.
Cloudland
Click on the image for a larger view.
Earth’s Endless Effort
Trees are Earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.
—Rabindranath Tagore
The Green of Spring
New foliage is so vibrant. Our forest practically glows with the yellow-green of new leaves. Our landscape was so different at the beginning of May. These last two weeks have almost made the grey winter seem like a distant memory. Click on the image for a larger view.
Spring Ablaze
This weekend was beautiful. The spring foliage is almost complete. Fern carpets our forest floor. When viewed in near infrared, this new world is incandescent. Click on the image for a larger view.
New Neighbors
I went out to our field last night to see the sunset. To my surprise, two beautiful horses trotted up to me, apparently looking for something to eat. They soon lost interest when they realized I had no food. Click on the image for a larger view.
A Spring Wind
A cold front moved our unseasonably hot weather out of Maine. Friday was a pleasant 70°F with a dry air and a strong breeze. This wind enwraps and enraptures us, as if the spirit of spring is inviting us to laugh and dance with the trees. Click on the image for a larger view.
An Explosion of Green
Our forest has transformed. The top image was taken on May 12th. The middle image was taken on May 15th. On that day, the temperatures reached 70°F. Today was even warmer. That is the last picture. The blue sky is being hidden behind a canopy of green. Click on the image for a larger view.
Sweet Crab in Bloom
Spring is such an amazing time of year. We have had months of a dry, brown landscape, and then, within a matter of weeks, the landscape transforms. After two days of rain, there was a break in the weather this evening. I went out to see our sweet crab apple tree. Not only do we enjoy its magnificent spring display, in the late summer, we can also harvest its fruit. Click on the image for a larger view.
