Switching from birds to buds, in honor of April

post #281
       The truth is that I love all those visiting birds in the past 4 posts, but I also love our Aprils in Kentucky. This means that, by today's date, there is a lot to share. I remain very conscious of the excess rains and the driveway run off from last April, however. I feel that makes for all the more reason to celebrate this year's more normal April. If anything, this year we could use a bit more rain!
       In these photos I have concentrated on the redbuds, and then the dogwoods, ending with the beginning in the last few days of those wonderful light greens of budding trees. I was away for a week in the middle of the month, but it stayed cool then, so the main thing I missed were the trout lilies in bloom.  
       First the redbuds, using a tree we transplanted to be right near the front door and the rock steps. I am invariably fascinated by how the red buds grow directly out of the trunk or the branches!

       In the last few days, the petals have fallen and are fading into the steps, while the leaves are just beginning to show.

       Next are some wildflowers from the woods and the waterfalls. I have shown many of these in other years, so these here are just some ones I happened to catch in the right light or at the right time:

toothworts (I believe) in bloom

chickweed

      These bluets reveal how much drier than usual the woods are. These ones grow on a hillside.  Bluets are sometimes called Quaker Ladies!

  

Now the dogwoods - I like it particularly when they seems to "float" through the woods:

     The next three dogwood photos were made along the ridge road on the way to "town".

        The most recent players on this year's April stage are the greening leaves of trees everywhere. The three photos that follow were made two days ago from one location on our driveway.  The show continues for the next week.  I can be amazed yearly how they all know how to work together in a kind of orchestrated harmony. 

      I regret these photos don't do justice to their splendor, but I hope you have some trees near you that you can notice and admire and appreciate -- and personally thank.