The weather has been different this year. After a relatively mild winter with little snow, the spring has been rainy and cooler. Our sump pump worked overtime and prevented a flood in the basement. Heavy rains made the Pawtuxet River rise, flood low areas around it, and rushed over the boulders in the river bed. But signs of spring are showing in our yard and the neighborhood.
Click on the images to see them larger, uncropped, and read their titles.
Our Front and Back Yards This Spring
Last year, we had about 650 bulbs planted, tulips, daffodils, allium, and muscari. They put on a show when they first bloomed. This year, the show has been a little weaker. Daffodils and muscari put on a good show but fewer tulips came up. We are waiting to see what the allium will do in another month or so. The prolific Coreopsis is still very low, and the tall liatris is waiting for the weather to warm up a little more.
And the backyard is waking up too! The two tree peonies are budding, one with over a dozen and the other, with only one! The honeysuckle looks promising and the two clematis are already climbing their supports. Monarda has been spreading and now covers a larger part of the flower bed. This year, we will put a hummingbird feeder in the backyard and they will enjoy visiting the monarda too. The bearded and Siberian irises are coming up strong, but we have to wait for their flowers. In the far back, the yellow lilies have their mound of foliage but no flowers yet. Behind them, Solomon’s seal looks like it will have a strong show for us.
In the Neighborhood
There are many spring-blooming trees in the neighborhood. The blooming cherry a little further down from us is quite showy, and forsythia grabs attention all around. On the other side of our house, the flowering quince with its red flowers is quite attractive too. The wild protected area with many trees and ivies climbing them, is peppered with daffodils by the owners.
And, I will close with a few infrared photographs I took recently as I took a short walk. In addition to our house, you will also see ivy trying to climb on the trunk of a tree, several trees pretending to listen to a tree talker, and the false colors of the spring sky and a tree branch.
I will keep you informed about nature’s progress on Spring Green!
LensCulture Review 4, The Last One
Haluk Atamal
If there was a questionnaire about who were aware of the spring with respect to flowers..
..all the positive ones would be my deep friends. Probably a feeble percentage, though.
My favourites are not the blurry ones but the sharp ones – but especially the IR catches. I liked the false colours!
Thanks for sharing these nice photos, Cemal.
Take care and kindest regards,
Haluk
A. Cemal Ekin
These photographs and the articles keep me busy, my eyes keen, and my pencil sharp! I am sure you are well beyond “spring” in Antalya. Enjoy!! Greetings to you all,
Cemal
Tom Banckman
Beautiful Cemal. At last Spring is here. I hope you did not get too much water in your basement. Our basement got flooded 3 times. Say hi to Jan.
A. Cemal Ekin
Thanks, Tom. We did not get flooded this time because we have a generator. The pump was able to keep up with the inflow. Back in 2010, our basement got flooded because they cut the power to keep the industrial sites safe and sound!
Hi to you both from us both!
Cemal
Julie Norman Sousa
Lovely photos Cemal! Glad to see you’re doing well- please say hi to Jan for me. Happy Spring!
Julie Norman Sousa
A. Cemal Ekin
Julie, good to hear from you. I have much improved since the beginning of the year, almost back to normal, thank you. Happy Spring, all around! We both send our greetings to you all.
Cemal
Paul
Spring is here and it is great seeing everything coming back to life. My morning walks with the dog is getting better with the birds singing and the flowers blooming
A. Cemal Ekin
Paul, good to hear from you. Yes, spring makes things look brighter. Have good walks with your dog. Take care,
Cemal
James Turner
Your neighborhood is picturesque.
A. Cemal Ekin
All neighborhoods are picturesque. It is a matter of seeing them that way. I suggest every photographer explore their neighborhood with an open mind. A crack on the road, a delicately spiraling ivy tendril, shadows, lights … are all waiting to be seen. And, there are a few here from your neighborhood too!
Take care,
Cemal