The Seeds of Change

Now that spring has finally dug in its roots and taken hold, I've been wandering out into our rather bleak backyard more often than usual. And since this is the first spring I have spent here when I wasn't holding down a job, this is the first time I have started to notice the seeds dropping off our silver maple tree.



Aren't they wonderful? Look at how beautiful they are! They remind me of little fairy wings. In fact, I may use a few of the wings for some mixed media art along those lines.



Since I share a love of all things that grow, I've collected a bowl full of them to try and plant. I've seen a lot of discouragement on the internet about this, saying that there are much better maples to plant than these and silver maples tend to be a very "dirty" tree, forever dropping twigs, branches, leaves, and seeds, but I have dealt with all of these things, having one in my backyard, and they do not bother me tremendously. And it is really such a lovely tee with beautiful leaves; I would love to have a grove of them (away from the house) when we finally move out of the city. Besides, I already have thousands of these seeds raining down on me, and lord knows I enjoy using what the earth readily provides.

So for now, it is my little horticulture experiment. And who knows, if I end up with a bunch of little saplings that I don't want come winter or time to move, I can always give them away.

And so the cycle of seasons continues.

Showing Off the Niblets

These are my little niblets. They're both four weeks old and male. I can't keep them, of course, but I've certainly enjoyed having them here, particularly now that they are, in my opinion, in the cutest stage of puppyhood - they're tottering around quite well now, have started eating (face first) softened dogs food, they have the most adorable little barks, and they give sweet little kisses when you pick them up.

Oh, puppy love. <3 There isn't anything better.







That first picture is when the babies were just a week or two old. Sweet momma kisses! She's ready to be rid of the little leeches now, poor thing. ^.^