Springing to Life

040209: Spring is springing! The recent warm weather has caused the cottonwoods to start blooming. We've experienced them blooming in early March to as late as the end of May. Cottonwoods, or populars, have multiple stages of bloom, (or debris) before we eventually see leaves. Our official names for each of these stages are: Sticky pods, Purple blooms, Cottonpods, Snow, and Pod-stems. Oh, and Leaves. Then Dead leaves. On the ground. Dead leaves stay the longest. But that is in the wintertime. And, if truths be told, I would include "Twigs" as part of the debris. New little growth has a high percentage of casualty against the harsh winter.

We love all of our trees. They serve many purposes for us: Shade (duh), beauty, definement of space, and a really good workout cleaning up after them. My dad, and before him, the original owner, Tommy, (both firemen) used to burn all the debris. And not in small piles! One day I'll tell you the story of the night my dad taught my husband how to burn real piles - the fireman way. Tease: it requires use of a tractor and power blower!

Those firemen - you guys are pyros!