Tree and Clouds

Along the road on our afternoon walk.

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Tree and Clouds

Clouds Moved In

Clear sky most of the day, but clouds moved in quickly late afternoon.  South wind increased to gusty too.  (Neighbor's pasture and newest stock pond taken on our afternoon walk.)

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Clouds Moved In

Skywatch: Upper Pasture

Oak on our neighbors upper pasture.

Join the fun at Skywatch Friday.

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Skywatch: Upper Pasture

Blackhaw Viburnum

Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)

We have a couple of specimens growing along the edge of the woods north of the house.

Black haw is usually grown as a large, upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an irregular crown, but it also may be grown as a small, single trunk tree. As a shrub, it typically grows 12-15' tall with a spread of 6-12', but as a tree may reach a height of 30'. Commonly occurs in moist woods, thickets and on streambanks. Non-fragrant white flowers in flat-topped cymes (to 4.5" diameter) appear in spring. Flowers give way in autumn to blue-black, berry-like drupes which often persist into winter and are quite attractive to birds and wildlife. Ovate, finely toothed, glossy dark green leaves (to 4" long) turn attractive shades of red and purple in fall. Fruits are edible and may be eaten off the bush when ripe or used in jams and preserves. Common name refers to the purported similarity of this plant to hawthorns (sometimes commonly called red haws), though hawthorns are in a different family.

Source: Missouri Botanical Gardens
Also: Missouri Plants

Blackhaw Viburnum

Oaks

Photo by Marvin March 29, 2007

The oaks on Jerry Joe's pasture north of our place at the end of March. And below, the same trees about a week later as spring progresses.

Photo by Marvin April 5, 2007

Oaks

Stormy Monday

From March, 2007

It was overcast with occasional periods of light mist most all day on Monday. When the time for our afternoon walk rolled around, the skies looked less threatening than they had all day, so we decided to go ahead and go for the full walk instead of sticking closer to the house. I even took the camera, and didn't bother bringing along a plastic bag to protect it should we get caught out in a shower. By the time we got up to the pasture, we began hearing thunder. I only took time to take a couple of photos. Aside from those we continued around our routine loop at a pretty good pace -- no stopping to smell the roses (or look at the wildflowers) on this trip. We made it back to the house before the rain started. Several small, weak squall lines moved through over the next couple of hours. We didn't have any severe weather, and only received .3" of rain.

Stormy Monday

Jerry Joe's Horses

	From March, 2007

Jerry Joe's horses up on the pasture north of our place. He usually keeps the horses closer to his house.

Jerry has had the mare for several years. A year or so ago she had a colt. (We tried to get some photos of the colt when it was younger, but the mare wouldn't allow it. She always took the colt so far away from us that getting a shot was impossible.) I don't know when Jerry Joe got the other two horses.

When we first walked up onto the pasture, the colt wanted to come over for a visit, but our dogs didn't want to be friendly. They barked and raise a ruckus until it left.

Jerry Joe's Horses