Sunday, October 26, 2008

Today's Flowers # 12

My friends Luiz and Denise have a Today's Flowers Meme, check it out. Come and join with your flower photos. Sunday at 7GMT is the post time. I thank them both for allowing me to share my Ohio Buckeye tree with the Flower's Today group.

I have shown on the opening page flowers from the tree that is in my front yard. It is the focal point of the yard and I planted it myself 36 years ago as a 5 foot tree. I did this when we moved into our new house. It is now over 30 foot high. Ohio Buckeyes Trees are a sturdy tree and slow growing. It will definitely still be growing long after I'm gone from this earth. Here is the tree in the this years Spring season in full flower. Here are the buds as they emerge from the tree.

They start to open and you can see the little flowers as they get ready to pop.
The flowers come out as yellow blooms and are a real attracted to the bees. The bees are so busy that they are easy to capture. I shot this one with it's wings blurred as it sipped the nectar. Please note all the yellow pollen on the leg that is helping the tree produce the buckeyes in their symbiotic relationship.
The tree produces a buckeye that helps to feed the local squirrels and chipmunks of the area. buckeyes are poisonous to humans but are truly beneficial to the wildlife.
Here is one of our famous Black Squirrels as he feast on a Buckeye treat. He is a cute little bugger. Yesterday, around the Maple Tree in the back yard, I had 4 Black Squirrels and 2 Grey Squirrels all playing a version of a game of tag.

I would like to share with you an interview I did with David McMohon who is an Australian based writer. I really enjoy David's site and participated in his Sunday Roast. If you click on the link you can read the post. This is another time I am happy I have friends around the world because of the Internet.

70 comments:

Shelley said...

Very nice photos! love that black squirrel - they are so mischievous looking!

Pappy said...

Hey FG. How's fishing? Been gone for about a week and just checked in to see how you've been doing. Congratulations on being featured by David. That should increase you readership. Pappy

Reader Wil said...

Informative and interesting post. It's wonderful to see how the flowers of the buckeye tree develop.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for share shots and report.
Tree, flower and black squirrel are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

This is a great tree! Really enjoyed your photos of the beauty.

Quiet Paths said...

Super post. I love those yellow blossoms. I just went out into our yard and picked up a whole bowl full of buckeyes.... too bad you can't roast 'em.

abb said...

Love those black squirrels! Wish we had them here in CT.
Nice bunch of photos.

Anonymous said...

Hello!! I,m away, but I had to come here just to thank you for this lovely Meme I have joined today for the first time (I post it automatically).

Love, from Sailor Girl

Gill - That British Woman said...

a nice set of photos I love them...

Gill in Canada

Anonymous said...

Ohio Buckeye Tree?
This tree is very rare in Ontario Canada.
Thank you for your pictures, very nice.

Luiz Santilli Jr said...

Fishing

Thanks one more time for your paticipation in TODAY`S FLOWERS.
Great post, perfect captures!

Have a nice days, my friend!

Luiz

Carletta said...

Congrats Fishing Guy on the spotlight at Today's Flowers! I read your interview at David's last night. You've certainly been getting around blogworld lately!
Nice shots of the Buckeye Tree and the famous black squirrel.

Leora said...

Thanks for teaching about the buckeye (not to be confused with that team that makes a lot of ruckus in Columbus).

I'll check out the interview next.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Love all these photos. The black squirrel is such a cutie!

And love your photo of the bee on Today's Flowers too. The detail of the bee is amazing!

Anonymous said...

Great post and beautiful flowers. Love the squirrel too!

Lilli & Nevada said...

Oh i have never seen these before and i really love that black squirrel

Kahshe Cottager said...

Lovely photos! That looks like a very healthy tree! The flowers are such a pretty yellow.

david mcmahon said...

Ohio buckeye? Beautiful.

ChrissyM said...

As always very nice shots. I love the black squirrel in the tree. Congrats on being featured this week. Your photos are always stunning!

Twisted Fencepost said...

It's been so long since I've seen a buckeye in bloom, I had forgotten.
Now I know what to look forward to when mine starts. Thanks, FG!
Love that black squirrel. I just can't get used to that.
Hey could you ship a couple of them to me, too? tee hee

judi/Gmj said...

bee-utiful!

Rambling Woods said...

I learned something today and I had never seen a black squirrel...
Rambling Woods

Pat - Arkansas said...

Fascinating information about the Buckeye, Fishing Guy (and great photos.) Thanks. I had no idea they were poisonous to humans.

We have only red and gray squirrels here. That black one is a beauty.

Congratulations on being The Sunday Roast at David's authorblog.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shots. It's great to see all the transitions of growth and that black squirrel is very cute!
Have a nice week.

Só- Poesias e outros itens said...

Hello!!!
Very interesting post. I enjoyed it.

Ju gioli

Inkivääri said...

What a beautiful tree you have in your garden - and its more valuable that you yourself has planted it:) It is beatiful all the time.

marLou said...

Nice pics! I've never seen a black squirrel before. That's a first for me.

Arija said...

A beautiful tree indeed and very slow growing as you say. Adorable black squirrel. It is a joy to grow older with a tree we have planted ourselves, there is great companionship in that.

Rune Eide said...

It must be nice to have followed your own tree - grow up together, as it were ;-)

Thank you for sharing a type of tree I have never seen!

ellen b. said...

These are beautiful photographs of the tree and blossoms,etc. Love the Buckeye education. The first time I even saw what a buckeye really was besides the name of a football team was when I was a chaperone for my son's 15 year old baseball team at the CABA baseball championships in Dublin, Ohio in the early 1990's :0)

CHIKAI ♥ said...

wooh! it's my first time to see a black squirrel! tfs!

check out my entries here:

BLOGSILOG
FAB FINDS, ETC.
WISHING AND HOPING

happy sunday! :)

Craver Vii said...

That's excellent to see stuff like that way up close. Congrats on the interview.

Anonymous said...

Love the tree, the squirrel, and my favorite a bee!

Mary said...

Great tree, and how fortuate you are to have it and know that you planted it and watched it grow. I've never seen buckeye flowers. Those black squirrels are great! I would LOVE to see thos! I did see white squirrels earlier this year, which were also strange. Wonderful post!

Sandi McBride said...

I am so glad that you posted the photo of the black squirrel. I've been telling Mac (hubby of 40 years and wanting to know why I'm talking to "the fishing guy") for several years that we have a few black squirrels. Only my neighbor and I have seen them...buckeyes do quite well here in South Carolina, too..well, so as not to lie to the man beside me, any good crappy fishing your way?
Enjoyed your Toast at David's...and I had read your tribute to your Grandpa...my Grandpa was pretty special too...so I'm sure everyone who had a special one connected with yours.
Sandi

arleena said...

Beaytiful green

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this very informative and beautiful shot on Buckeye tree.

Texas Travelers said...

No native buckeyes here in my locale.

I did get a couple of souvenirs when we were in Ohio several years ago. We treasure then for luck.

Great post and wonderful photos as usual.

Come visit anytime,
Troy and Martha

PS: Some Alaska Sunday photos are up today.

It's an exercise in HDR Photography.

.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

What a wonderful tree you have chosen. Thank you also for the info. Love Bumblebees, great shot with the beautiful flowers of the tree.

Anonymous said...

Really nice shots here!Mine is up HERE. Hope to see you there! Happy TF!~

Lizete Vicari said...

Linda postagem!
Escolha de belas imagens.
Um beijo. lili

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Very nice entry with great information given :)
Have a good week ahead!!

Dar's Foto Faze said...

Congratulations on being featured. The tree and story are awesome.

nonizamboni said...

Very interesting post and loved the bee and black squirrel. Great photos of each step. Thanks for sharing a bit of the beauty in your neck of the woods.
Happy week!

Anonymous said...

Love each and everyone of the photos. I saw a black squirrel here, today. I don't see black squirrels often. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. *sigh*

Paz

Maria's Space said...

Doubt anyone can compete with your animal photos. Amazing captures.

Anonymous said...

hello fishing guy, have a good day today!!

Rambling Woods said...

Thank you so much for taking the time to ID the (common white) butterfly on my flowers post which I now know is Salvia. I am so happy when I can put a name to something I see in the yard. Thanks again...

kjpweb said...

Nicely done, Mr. Fishing guy! Seems like it's going to be your Week! ;)
Cheers, Klaus

Anonymous said...

Wonderful shots Fishing Guy!

Day4plus said...

Beautiful flower--great picture--wonderful information. Thanks MB

Jan said...

What a wonderful informative post. I've never seen a black squirrel. Wow.

Unknown said...

I like that bee!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for some education about buckeyes. And some interesting flower photos as well. Happy Flower for Today! I've done a rose, today, from the archives.

Anonymous said...

hey, its been a few days since I visited. I have been catching up with your blog. You have some great post this past week.

PERBS said...

Your Buckeye tree is very interesting and informative but my heart was captured by the black squirrel! I never heard of such a thing. . . so cute!

I have a flower posted too. Drop by . . .

Anonymous said...

Cool! I like the visitors on this tree too. :-)

Pietro Brosio said...

Wonderful images, Fishing Guy!
The black squirrel is very nice and interesting!

MedaM said...

Beautiful photos, indeed! I like that black squirrel! Informative and interesting post!

Anonymous said...

another one interesting and well photographing post

The Birdlady said...

That's a beautiful tree! It has to be satisfying to see it so tall and remembering planting it.

Anonymous said...

This is a perfect lesson about how things happen in the magic kingdom of Nature.
And with a splendid black squirell too!

Taiska said...

You have great photos here. I love animals and flowers. The squirrel is so cute! =)

kbguy said...

Never sees a black squirrel around our area, but the small brwon one are plenty. Any please check out my flower today too at http://srikebakat.blogspot.com

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

How amazing to see the tree grow to that size - that seems like such a long time.

Louis la Vache said...

Nice series! "Louis" enjoyed this!

EG CameraGirl said...

Nice photos of the Ohio Buckeye, FG!

Rose said...

Does the blossoms give off a scent? I bet that tree is sure a sight to behold in full bloom.

Louise said...

Congrats on the Sunday Roast! I'm SOOOO far behind on David's blog!

I love it when you show the squirrels, and the cycle of the buckeye was quite interesting. I love sturdy trees!

Maria said...

Ha, a black squirrel, how cute! :)