Early Spring - Muted Pastels and The Eastern Redbud
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I woke up today mad at how it looked outside. I get one valid day a week to go out and do this hobby and today was a constant melancholic overcast suited for a Danny Boyle film, and here I am wanting to go take pretty pictures of the plants.

In some odd way, I feel like I made it work, but in the most... crowbar'd way. lol, I wanted some sun, but I'll make do with what I'm given so I went for trying to get the most out of the pastel look the entire day had, mute the contrast a bit, make it look dreamy and like someone's playing shoegaze in the background.

Also the area I went to, "High Point Lake" had a small spot with a bird feeder so... I wasted way more time on that than I thouThe Eastern Redbud, called red, like the onion, because they're purple. This is definitely a science Mastodon blog and you should always take me seriously.ght I would and felt like I could almost make an entire day out of sitting there aimed at birds. Every time I walked away something new showed up and I had to stop myself lol. It's EARLY spring. We will birdwatch... but not right now. Let it get a little greener.

I started this thing this year with the Bradford Pear where I want to photograph, if not native plants, then at least plants "that are here" and whether or not they're invasive or not invasive. In two of these photos I have here is an Eastern Redbud.

"The pink to reddish-purple flowers emerge in early spring on old branches and trunks, before the leaves. After blooming, the heart-shaped leaves emerge and mature to a dark green, turning yellow to yellowish orange by fall. The trees produce clusters of green seed pods that look similar to snow peas, but brown when mature."
https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/garden-detective-purple-flowering-trees-native-redbud-invasive-paulownia/

The Eastern Redbud is Native to the Eastern US and North Carolina. When I got up on it, I thought something was kinda alien about the purple flowers growing on it, but so far, considering my roster of... 2, this is my favorite tree thusfar this year.

My only real issue with this tree so far is that finding good examples of it that are planted on purpose seems to be a bit rare. They're every 70th tree on the highway, but I've yet to see one alone. This one I literally had to park 1/4 from and find. They're really pretty, I mean, I'd plant one. The entire tree has these little clusters of buds on it. Apparently they change color through to fall.

#photography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #landscapephotography #canon #mirrorless #bofipho #r8 #cameras #northcarolina #nc #winstonsalem #highpoint #trees #flowers #plants #birds #blueways #greenways

This photo was sent to me via text.
It's from my friend, Jeff, whom I originally met off of Mastodon, back in 2022. We met in person in 2023 & exchanged plants๐ŸชดWe've stayed friends over the years. We are working towards similar community building goals, in separate areas of the island. Ideally, would love to have a full food security, localized food systems 'spine', running West-East/South-North, across #VancouverIsland.
Jeff lives up island with his wife & kids. He also works in #nonprofit #FoodSecurity & #environmental #stewardship. He works for #Greenways #LandTrust in #CampbellRiver :
https://www.greenwaystrust.ca/projects/food-security

This shows some of the work they've done at Maple Park Community Garden in partnership with #Strathcona Regional District. They acquired that land to steward/grow, earlier this year ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐ŸŒพ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸŒพ๐Ÿ‘

#GrowFood #CommunityBuilding #CommunityGarden #CommunityPark #CommunitySpaces #Greenspaces #VanIsle #GrowFoodNotLawns #FoodEquity #Gardens #Nonprofits #ClimateAction #CommunityWork #BritishColumbia #Canada #GrowPlants #Grassroots

A great piece by Ella McSweeney on the campaign to make local rural roads into 'Rothar Roads,' accessible for all. โค๏ธ

"These roads are essentially natural greenways with hedgerows overflowing with wildflowers which we can see and experience in a different way."

https://web.archive.org/web/20250903073253/https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/2025/08/30/roads-arent-just-for-cars-the-dairy-farmer-reclaiming-boreens-for-everyone/

(Archived link to maintain the boycott of The Irish Times)

h/t @spillanemike

#Rothar #TotharRoads #Greenways #MastoDaoine #BikeTooter #StreetsAreForPeople #RoadViolence

Country roads can become safe and accessible for people who prefer alternatives to a car

The idea is simple: local rural roads are identified and marked with a Rothar Roads sign, indicating a default lower speed limit, and traffic calming measures help maintain it

The Irish Times
Farmers want a slice of agri-tourism. Build greenways along all road frontage, open cafes and B&Bs, welcome the active tourists https://www.independent.ie/farming/comment/hannah-quinn-mulligan-time-farmers-got-a-slice-of-the-agri-tourism-pie/a1471683616.html
#farmers #Greenways
Hannah Quinn-Mulligan: Time farmers got a slice of the agri-tourism pie

We were in a funny position a few months ago when two government ministers โ€“ one from Fianna Fรกil and one from Fine Gael โ€“ championed the fact our farm had received a relatively modest agri-tourism grant to help promote our farm shop and business.

Irish Independent

Excellent #rothar news for Dublin! The re-vamped Royal Canal Greenway between North Strand (Newcomen Bridge) and Phibsboro (Cross Guns Bridge) will be officially opened on 26 September! ๐Ÿฅณ

๐Ÿšฒ

#Dublin #MastoDaoine #BikeTooter #Greenways

@tillgrallert @cycling_on_rails @arnecc
@dh2025 @DanielAlvesFCSH @mariaromeiras @daniel @ted_h
Thanks to everybody who supported my #Interrail trip to the #DH2025 conference in #Lisbon, #Portugal.

I have good news: Yesterday, on the train to #Madrid I met #bicycle activists. Easily recognizable by t-shirts with #Pedallibre or similar. These guys really know about #trafficpolitics. They assured me that the fast speed #train #Madrid-#Lisbon will come 2030 for the football WC. #greenways

#Greenways are critical transportation infrastructure. When they're shut down, DOTs have to be ready to provide a safe, suitable detour. This greenway is going to be unusable for the foreseeable future. @ncdot.bsky.social what are your plans to keep North Carolinians safe in the meantime?
Most of the ride was on #greenways, #ProtectedBikeLanes, or neighborhood streets. In the few places we did have to interact with car #traffic, drivers seemed extra cautious and patient, with a new respect for stop bars and bike boxes. (2)
There won't be real active travel infrastructure until EU farm grants start being linked to green farming and green action - making it profitable for farmers to give a strip of roadside land to make greenways and pathways. Which in themselves will bring profit to landowners who are proactive about opening farm shops, cafes, etc
#Green #CAP #CommonAgriculturalPolicy #Farming #Greenways
Great day for a run! #running #raleigh #greenways