Maple Tree Flowers

Something that one would normally overlook.
However, the pretty golden, back lighting attracted me to the general subject.

Although they flower every year, Maple Trees produce flowers that are not noteworthy from an esthetic POV. Because their flowering process is so mundane, I don't think I've ever thought about the annal flowering of our Maple Trees before - not until later when the "helicopter" seed pods mature & start to fall. The actual flowers are so small that they usually get missed. Despite vaguely noticing debris from the fading flowers on the ground, I didn't pay much attention to our naked Maple trees until today when I finally took a closer look. Flowers appear at the tips of branches in small clusters.

The seed pods - that follow the flowers - are now just starting to form.
In other lighting, I probably wouldn't have noticed them at this point.

Here are some others; later in the season http://www.pbase.com/britestar/image/159752541