Flowers and Warm Weather for a Day!!! The high was 83 degrees today. So now, we finally have some flowers.

We also had 40 MPH wind; which caused everything from the tree branches to the tiny blossom petals to wildly wave & quiver. These high winds obviously made photography difficult. However with a Tornado Watch in effect and severe thunderstorms predicted in late afternoon/evening (plus more cold weather & snow also being predicted AGAIN within another 24 hour hours) I had to go out today and shoot "something" while the flowers were still on the tree. Experience from years past has taught me that stormy weather can quickly knock all of the flowers off this tree in the blink of an eye.

This Bradford Pear is currently 10 years older than the species' normal maximum lifespan. The tree has also seen more than its share of weather damage over the years and has long ago lost its symmetrical shape. Two enormous branches (about half the tree) have been removed, and one more (now resting on the ground) probably needs to be removed. But I still like the tree. We have a lot of fond memories connected to it "always" being in our yard.

In the Spring, our Bradford Pear reliably puts on an annual show of flashy white flowers In Summer, it is home to several bird nests. In the Fall, it puts on a pretty display of red leaves that can last into December after all other trees have lost their leaves. And it's just always been "there" where I can see it from my backdoor and deck.