Spring in Hamburg

[t00fri]

This is how the "Hamburg spring explosion" covers up my house door (as of this evening after a short rain). I can only enter the house on my knees for now



Rhododentron is Hamburg's "national" plant which grows and blooms exceedingly well in our wet climate with somewhat sour soil...There are about 1000 species and most have showy flower displays!

Enjoy,
Fridger

[cartrite]

Still winter time here in Ohio.

Wow. You know we are at 53 degrees northern latitude! Yet it's still a bit cool, but this morning was the first day in the year we had breakfast in the garden (with coats ON though)

On this continent, one would have to go up to the Hudson Bay to experience life at that latitude. I doubt spring has arrived there yet but who knows? Lots of polar bears around there.

I like the rhododendrons. They grow wild along the the hills around here. Down south, I remember walking though a forest of those plants. They were at least 20 to 30 feet high. The leaves also contain some kind of natural herbicide so walking though them is a lot easier than other parts of the forests. It is like walking though a dark room. I don't think they bloomed here yet. It's pretty cool when they do.
cartrite

[t00fri]

This is how the "Hamburg spring explosion" covers up my house door (as of this evening after a short rain). I can only enter the house on my knees for now

Here I am on my knees...it's really hard to get in


I am a worried that the color of my T-shirt doesn't match well with the color of the rhododentron...

Fridger

[t00fri]

Ah! Now it's a bit easier to find my way home

[Reiko]

Ah! Now it's a bit easier to find my way home

Hahaha that's cute!

[LordFerret]

Beautiful garden Fridger! I like! The rhododendron are just starting here, budding as I see in some of those purple ones in your picture. The azaleas (related) are already open however, quite nice, I'll grab a few shots if I can. I live in the Pinelands (the Pine Barrens of NJ, Ocean county), and the pines here are just about ready to cut loose with their pollen... it's quite a sight, everything ends up covered in green dust (pine pollen).

[t00fri]

Beautiful garden Fridger! I like! The rhododendron are just starting here, budding as I see in some of those purple ones in your picture. The azaleas (related) are already open however, quite nice, I'll grab a few shots if I can. I live in the Pinelands (the Pine Barrens of NJ, Ocean county), and the pines here are just about ready to cut loose with their pollen... it's quite a sight, everything ends up covered in green dust (pine pollen).

Yeah, Nature is doing pretty well over here... Actually, the colors in that rhododentron shot of mine was particularly intensive, since the sun was low and a shower had just ended. In the lower right of the picture there are also some pink azaleas in overboarding flowers.

Fridger

[cartrite]

The N.J. Pine Barrens. Brings back memories. Spent most of my younger days there. In Burlington County though. The trail from Lake Atsion to Batsto Village via the Quaker Bridge was my favorite. In my old 80 cutlass, I loved to travel the trail at night, without lights except the light of the moon.
cartrite

[LordFerret]

I loved to travel the trail at night, without lights except the light of the moon.

I guess years back you could do that. I don't know about now. That whole area makes for a nice bicycle ride though!

For Reiko -

...is she related somehow???

[Chuft-Captain]

Then of course there's this guy:



and... no, that's NOT body paint.
This is the world's most tattooed man.
Although you can't really tell, he's actually caucasian, but he's tattooed every inch of his body.
(If you don't believe me, google: "Lucky Diamond Rich")

[LordFerret]

The teeth alone were enough for me.

[cartrite]

I loved to travel the trail at night, without lights except the light of the moon.

I guess years back you could do that. I don't know about now. That whole area makes for a nice bicycle ride though!

From what I remember, there was a lot of areas where the trails were loose beach sand especially beyond Quaker Bridge. Maybe after a hard rain a bicycle could be used. Place must have changed a lot. Used to be a wilderness.
cartrite

[t00fri]

Evening sun...



Fridger

[Reiko]

Evening sun...



Fridger

Love the colors.

[LordFerret]

Yes, agreed! The light passing through the petals produces really striking color there.

[t00fri]

Spring is still gorgeous, while slowly merging into early summer.

Next in the pipeline is our purple red "kingsize" poppy. Here it is:
(as usual 3.2 Mpix handy)





Enjoy,
Fridger