Close-ups From My Garden

I would never have purchased my Canon Rebel camera--I loved the idea of taking pictures, but I wouldn't have allowed myself the luxury of such a purchase, considering that I habitually let Ian be the main photographer. If I wasn't taking a lot of photos, did I need to spend a big wad of money on a tool to take photos? I couldn't justify it. Fortunately for me, Ian recognized that a real camera wouldn't, in fact, be wasted cash, and he was right. I loved the idea of taking pictures, and I am loving the manifestation of it, too.

In honor of the first day of spring, here are some pictures of what's up on the outside at Taylor Wallingford.

This is our ceanothus, California lilac, or simply "The Blue Bush," as we call it, preparing to burst into a billion blue blooms. It's quite the spectacular spectacle. Spackle likes to dig cool, damp, dirty dog beds under it. 

(Hitherto unknown fact about the Blue Bush: it inspires alliteration)

Blooms on our Japanese Maple. These are smaller than my pinky fingernail. 

 

Here is a wider view of our maple leafing out. 

Leaves on the Japanese Snowbell. There are three of these trees to the west of us down 39th, across Wallingford, and they are huge and happy and covered in blooms later in the year. Our own snowbell, on the other hand, has not grown smaller for the past few years (as it was wont to do early in our stewardship of it); and is still alive; and is making positive, hopeful steps toward a continued existence. 

This is a bud on the dogwood that my childhood friend S gave me as a wedding shower gift, 13 years ago. It's a distractingly beautiful coral-flowered tree. And I am fascinated by the elegant, matte-gray reserve in which it attires itself while it prepares for its big debut. 

I do love me a flowering quince.