Around here, April is what I call "cotton-candy season" for the simple reason that the wild plum trees explode with blossoms, making the hillsides look like they're covered with bits of cotton candy.
Get the sun involved (either early in the morning or late in the afternoon), and the effect is magical.
Closer up, the trees are no less enchanting.
I took some shots of the blossoms on the plum tree in our driveway.
Then we had one day of brisk wind, and that was the end of that. Without the wind, normally the falling petals coat the roadways. This year, they were mostly whisked away in shimmering showers of white. The petals were too small to photograph during this process (I tried), so all that was left was bits of petals caught in road ruts.
Cotton-candy season doesn't last long, a week or two max (which reminds me of the line "Gather ye rose-buds while ye may" from the poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time").
Because everything is early this year due to our freaky-mild winter, I'm hoping it wasn't too early for the insect pollinators to do their job.
Springtime came early in CA, too! March was warm, pollens were high. Now rain for days and it's like late Winter again. We're glad to see the pollen wash away into yellow puddles.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! Our cotton candy petals have washed away, but they were fabulous this year!
Looks like you could do well as beekeepers!
ReplyDeleteThe weird winter threw my chickens off and they were laying eggs big time in Feb, and many apparently thought they were broody and between them laid on about 100 eggs. The the cold comes back, then more warm weather and they just did not know what to do. Poor girls!
ReplyDeleteI call this the most feminine time of the year. Here in northern New England, it happens in May when the apple orchards are in full bloom.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! I'd love to have that many wild plums around--I really, really like wild plum jam!
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