ASPEN CATKINS

You may remember I made a collage on Wednesday of the Aspen tree that was felled near to where we live.  We feel quite sad every time we drive by because it does look rather bare and we miss the tree - I guess we often don’t realise how much we miss something until it isn’t there. I have put a shot of the tree in as an extra. 

After I had taken the photographs, I picked up a branch with a few buds on it and brought it home where it has been on my windowsill in some water.  I never expected to see beautiful catkins, but here they are. Neither Mr. HCB nor I knew that Aspens produced catkins, and we have never noticed them over the last 30 years, but we had never walked that close to the tree - so we have watched these buds opening with interest.  

Apparently, Aspens have male and female catkins on different trees. Male catkins release pollen and female catkins produce the white fluffy seeds that carpet the floor in April and May.  I think that these are female catkins because they are fluffier!

At least we have something to remind us of the tree - although of course, the catkins will soon be consigned to the compost heap, we will at least have a Blip to look at and we know that Spring is definitely on the way when we see catkins on the trees.

I found this poem entitled “Little Things”, the first verse of which is:

Among the purple buds, like laden censers,
     Careless upon the wind the catkins swing;
They lay a golden spell upon the morning.
     From their soft glee how many trees will spring?
Mary Webb


P.S.  I went into the Oink Gallery yesterday and asked the price of the monkey in last Saturday's Blip - it was £230 - so if anyone is interested, just send me a cheque and I will go and buy it!