Signs & Wonders

 

Old Knobby

 

Taskinas Trail, York River State Park

Autumn Sky

 

Linking today with Skywatch Friday.

Fruit to Nuts

 

 

 

I never cease to be amazed by both the variety of trees we have here in Williamsburg, literally everything from fruit to nuts. :-)

Signs

 

 

I sometimes think summer will last forever, and that these days when afternoon temperatures reach into the 90s will never end. Then . . . I look up, like I did yesterday, only to discover that, in fact, as Bob Dylan put it, "the times they are a-changin" after all. That epiphany came when I noticed the walnuts dropping from this tree, a sure sign that autumn is on the way.

 

Crepe Myrtle Festival

 

Yes, the heat and humidity have returned with heat indices rising into the triple digits, but so has the peak season for crepe myrtles. 

 

 

Makes me wonder why, if people hold cherry blossom festivals earlier in the year, why we don't have crepe myrtle festivals. Maybe because it's just too darn hot? So maybe we could celebrate with appropriately colored (and flavored) crushed ice?

Paw Paw

Reminds me of a former neighbor who raised Paw Paws to eat. He insisted they were quite tasty. According to Healthline, "Pawpaws are prized for their flavor, which is described as a tropical blend of mango, banana, berries, and pineapple. . . . However, it’s important to note that there are several types of wild pawpaw, some of which don’t have a pleasant taste."

Lagerstroemia

 

"Lagerstroemia, commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia, and other parts of Oceania, cultivated in warmer climates around the world. It is a member of the family Lythraceae, which is also known as the loosestrife family. The genus is named after Swedish merchant Magnus von Lagerström, a director of the Swedish East India Company, who supplied Carl Linnaeus with plants he collected. These flowering trees are beautifully colored and are often planted both privately and commercially as ornamentals." -- Wikipedia

Peaches!

 

 

 

I've been somewhat surprised to see peaches coming into season here lately.  Surprised, because I can remember seeing the trees, but not the fruit. So maybe they've just taken this long to fruit. I've read that it can take from three to four years to do so, and this does look like a very young tree.

 

Southern Magnolia

 

Log

 

This section of a tree trunk is from the tulip poplar that stood near the west front of Monticello. Centuries old, the tree succumbed to old age and disease and was removed in 2008. Although traditionally regarded as a tree from the era of Thomas Jefferson, the absence of solid wood and growth rings prevented a precise determination of the tree's age.

Catalpas

 

Now is the perfect time of year to experience the catalpa trees in Williamsburg at their peak. 

Fringe Tree

 

A couple of different looks at the Fringe Tree captured just at peak bloom.

Live Oak

"The name live oak comes from the fact that evergreen oaks remain green and 'live' throughout winter, when other oaks are dormant and leafless. The name is used mainly in North America, where evergreen oaks are widespread in warmer areas along the Atlantic coast from southeast Virginia to Florida, west along the Gulf Coast to Louisiana and Mexico, and across the southwest to California." -- Wikipedia

Smoketree

 

I'm keeping an eye out for the "smoke." :-) The flowers, it's said, are clustered in a large open terminal panicles with a fluffy grayish-buff appearance resembling a cloud of smoke over the plant, from which the name derives.

Tranquility

 

Location, Location, Location

This tree on the corner of Boundary and Prince George Street is a photographer's favorite in Williamsburg, partly, I suspect, because it is exceptionally beautiful and partly because it happens to be across the street from one of the town's most popular restaurants. As is true in so many cases, it's all about location, location, location.

Festivals of Color

 

Lots of folks were flocking to Washington, D.C. this week and weekend to see the cherry blossoms. I would have, too, had this past week's weather been a little more cooperative. Still, there are "festivals of color" nearly everywhere in Virginia these days, so I was more than content to simply enjoy our more domestic displays.

'Tis the Season

Skeletons