Tree Flower Buds

Some of the trees are forming flower buds.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Curious Orange Mound

While driving by the park, a curious orange mound has attracted my attention.  There has been a lot of tree clean-up recently.  This tree was cut.  A closer look at the stump explains why.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Sap-cicles

I found a few very random icicles on my walk this morning.  Each sourced from a wound.  With the warm days and freezing nights, sap has been flowing.  This kind of weather is perfect for maple syrup farmers!  A sweet lining to the gray of early spring.  

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Elegant Ending?

Snow melted some and refroze, leaving ice chunks on trees and dried weeds.  Pea-sized tree 'hail' fell on those of us braving the creek path today.  But the fall-out created lace-like patterns on the melting snow below.   Temperatures are expected to hit 60F on Sunday - could this be an elegant ending for winter in Minnesota?   


Could be ...

Enjoy!

~ Robin

If a Tree Falls...

The strength of spring storms was evident on my Sunday walk.  This tree splintered down to the root.  This is not the result of a tornado, but of strong straight winds.  Close-ups of tree breakage has a beauty not so unlike mountains whose sides are carved by fallen rock.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Bright and Fickle

Though several buds are making a bright debut, the weather forecast is fickle about spring.  Snow? Really?  We shall see!

Enjoy!

Robin Clifton

Wounded Tree

A tree on the corner lot has received Red-Green style care.  The doctor's trademark bandage didn't get applied to sap flowing from scattered spots in another near by tree.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Rabbit's House

There is some speculation that the tree along the marsh road be none other than Rabbit's - The Rabbit from Winnie-the-pooh.  Particularly the young park-walkers have wondered.   If not this tree, perhaps one of the others?

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Winter Tree-Scapes

Dead trees, upon closer inspection, make fascinating landscapes.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Changing Landscapes

I was so happy to see water flowing over the lake outlet this afternoon!  The rain and thunderstorms of this past week have helped a lot.

When taking the forest path, my path was blocked by a fallen tree.  The abundance of fungus signaled this tree was in the decay cycle before it fell.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Aspen Buds

Saturday I explored with another photographer.  We investigated the MAC wildlife area in Crystal, MN.  Some of the younger Quaking Aspen trees were budding along the path and starting to fluff.  There are a number of these trees along the marsh road.  It might be a little early yet for the budding.  The weather man is warning of the possibility of a foot of snow in the next couple days.  It will be interesting to see how things look by the weekend!

Enjoy!

~ Robin