Field of Flowers

The fields near me were planted in soy beans last summer but this summer it has been to wet in the fields for the farmers to work them, so far. For what ever reason these weeds or wild flowers, which ever you want to consider them as, have taken over the fields. Most of them are yellow, almost daisy-like flower. And mixed in are white flowers. The yellow ones are usually dominating the fields except for one where there is mostly white flowers with only a few of the yellow flowers. I dread the thought of the fields getting dry enough for the farmers to plant a crop.

There are lots of birds in these fields. This is a redwinged blackbird. I see robins, doves, and regular blackbirds. 

 Old tobacco barns in field.

This deer was right at the edge of the field just across the road from my house. 

This sunset was behind our house yesterday.

Dogwood Tree

I had always heard how pretty the dogwood trees are when they bloom but had never seen them. We walked back to the ramshakle barn that is just off of our property yesterday and found some dogwoods. Lee knew what they were as he had seen them lots when he was growing up in West Virginia. I had seen some thing blooming white out in the woods but didn't want to get off the trails to where they were. These were right on the trail so I was able to see them close up and take photos. I have yet to look them up and find out why they are called dogwood. I see nothing about them to remind me of a dog. The blossom is quite large about 4 to 5 inches across. The trees are on the small side as trees go around here. Maybe up to 12 feet tall and almost more of a shrub. 

 This is the old barn behind our place and you can just barely make out the dogwood in the trees on the left side. (if you know what you are looking for)

Here is what I have seen out in the woods. You would never guess this little tree had such large blossoms on it.

Fern that was under the dogwood tree.

Small yellow wildflower that was in the field by the barn.

This is looking from the barn back toward the back of our house. There are lots of large trees around our property line with wild roses and honeysuckle mixed into them. Honeysuckle is just starting to flower. 

May Apples

May apple wildflowers are an interesting plant but they are not an apple at all. Don't know why they are called an apple. And it is good to know that they are very poisonous if you tired to eat it. Handling it seems to be all right. Anyway I moved the leaves about while getting these photos with no ill effects. The leaves come out first and are about 6 to 12 inches across. the 1 inch, white flower is shelteed by the umbrella - like leaf.  From what I read about them a seed pod will develop from the flower that is sort of apple like, (and I haven't seen one yet).

These are the leaves as seen from the top. They grow about 1 foot to 18 inches tall. 

Azalea

More of my azalea. This time the camera got the color right. the photos I took before seemed to give the flowers a slight blue tint.

You can see the azalea at the corne of the porch,

Flowers

Some flowers I bought to put in flower pots for sitting on my porch.

Missing My Tan

    I noticed something recently that I didn't like. I have lost my tan. My skin is white white and more white. I don't think my skin has ever been this white. Now I don't tan as well as a lot of people do and I never tried to. But because I lived in New Mexico for the last 40 years and spent a lot of time outside I always had a sliht tan, even in the winter. But now it's gone. Of course I haven't spent as much time outside as I did in New Mexico but I have been out a good bit. But I did always wear a coat, with a hood on. Yes, I did that in New Mexcio, too as it gets colder there than it does here in Kentucky. I guess I have been lucky I haven't had any skin cancer problems. My parents had some and my sister has. So I guess I shouldn't complain about loosing my tan as it might help me from having skin cancer in the future but still ----- I miss having my tan. Just as I miss seeing the sun as much as I did in New Mexico.

Found in My Yard

I have found lots of little, and I mean little, wild flowers in and near my yard. Most of the ones I have found have been white. So far I haven't been able to find out names for them. 

Of course there is plenty of dandelions. 

And this wild, yellow weed that is growing in al the fields that had soy beans in them last year and haven't been planted this year as it has been to wet to get the tractor and equipment into the fields.

And then there was this guy or gal one morning. He was sitting on the railing on the four steps that lead up to the fornt porch. At first I thought it was a lump of mud that got up there some how. But when I looked closer I could see the eyes and gradually I made out the hind legs. As it was a cool morning he was to cold to move. I moved him or her into the little pile of leaves you can just see under the metal rail. It stayed there most of the day. When evening came I didn't figure that was the best place for him and moved him over beheath the trees along the edge of the yard where there were more, lots more of the old oak leaves for him to bury into. I looked him up on the internet and found he is called the gray tree toad.