Tulip Poplar

The trees are God's great alphabet:
With them He writes in shining green
Across the world His thoughts serene.
~Leonora Speyer

Friday In My Backyard

If you look closely through the willow tree branches, you can see a Robin sitting on her nest. This is the first time we've had a bird nesting there. She is very protective and if you get within a few feet she will let you know that she isn't happy.

Daddy Tree Swallow keeps watch from his perch near our back porch. I moved our shepherd's hook closer to their bird house so they can better protect them selves from predators. We had a female Tree Swallow killed on her nest by a House Sparrow a few weeks back.

Mama Tree Swallow peeking out from her nest. She is incubating eggs right now and is spending more and more time inside the bird house. I peeked inside earlier today and there were 3 very small, white eggs. Tree Swallows are known to lay 4 to 7 eggs. They lay an egg a day. Hopefully we will have some babies here in the next week or two.

Our Tulip Poplar tree is in bloom. It bloomed a bit late this spring. I guess because of the unseasonably cool temps we had early on. They are so beautiful! It's the Tennessee state tree as well.

Our hedge row is teaming with honeysuckle. They smell so good! Brings back great childhood memories. I love this time of year and hope your Friday has been awesome! Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Tulip Poplar macro.

Tulip Poplar

Our Tulip Poplar tree is in bloom.


The Tulip Poplar is Tennessee's state tree.


The tulip poplar was chosen 'because it grows from one end of the
state to the other' and 'was extensively used by the pioneers of the
state to construct houses, barns, and other necessary farm buildings.'"

A friend of ours fed our cats and collected our mail while we were
at the beach last week. We called her to check on things and she
told us that we had lost one of our Tulip Poplar trees in a storm
that came through on Sunday, June 5th. There was a Bluebird
family nesting in a birdhouse in this same tree. You can probably
see it in this picture.

Tulip Poplar fruit

Full Moon Rising

Moonrise behind our Tulip Poplar tree.

Snow Covered Stuff

Tulip Poplar Gone to Seed

Reminds me of a dried flower :)

Tulip Poplar Blooms

Our Tulip Poplar trees are in full bloom and they are gorgeous!


The Tulip Poplar is Tennessee's state tree.


Tulip Poplar bud getting ready to open.


Double blooms.

Tulip Poplar

I took this picture of a Tulip Poplar pod with the close up
setting on my camera.

Just Can't Get Enough of these Fall Colors!

The Maple trees in our front yard have taken
their own sweet time changing.




You can see that little tinge of yellow and orange
on the outer leaves. It's funny because we planted
these two trees at the same time, but one changes
earlier than the other. Our Tulip Poplars in the
backyard do that as well.

Backyard Shots

A yellow leaf on our Tulip Poplar signals the arrival of
Fall. The Tulip Poplar is the state tree of Tennessee.

"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the
way to winter."
- Nova Bair


Tulip Poplar fruit.


Pears on our neighbor's tree. Yum!

Don't shake the tree when the pears fall off
themselves.
- Slovakian Proverb