• Thursday-What'sUP June 4 - 06:59 pm

When Donna MacIntosh sent me today's first three photos, she explained that her backyard in Baraga, is an old overgrown orchard/garden planted by her landlady's parents. There are a number of apple trees in the mix and now that they're covered in blooms, Donna says they're like huge bouquets of flowers from God. These bright beauties do more than look pretty in the backyard, though, as she also tells of the way they perfume the air, saying, "You can't be in my yard without smelling the sweetness of these apple blossoms. It is absolutely divine!"

I had the previous three photos and notes all done and set to go, when along came two more emails with related photos. I just had to add these others too, so now we have a plethora of photographs to enjoy today. The fourth shot, although it looks like an apple blossom, is actually a Wild Strawberry blossom that John Manninen spotted and his wife Barbara sent to me. They actually sent several apple blossom photos, too, but this one was unique and Barb pointed out why:

"The wild strawberry blossom has such gauzy, white petals that you can see through them, to the little points of the green cap that will eventually form around the berry."

Awesome pics today!

Gorgeous pics and I can just smell the flowers.
One on the nice things about riding the motorcycle in the spring are all of the different fragrances from the various flowers and plants that are blooming this time of year. It's like a road trip for the nose.

Those apple blossoms are beautiful! I wonder if Donna has a hammock out in her yard among those apple trees!?!?

Alex you're so right! Even driving with the car windows open as much as tolerable in spring. You can soak up the bridle weaths, lilac and flowers' joy of spring. Glad I have a good sense of smell!

Absolutely beautiful! I am homesick for the UP! Thanks for sharing!!

Stunning pictures! Thanks to all of you!

Is it just me, or are some of the trees in the aerial shots brown -- almost like early fall? Is that because it's so dry up there?

Mary says: Actually Lisa (Sisugirl), I thought the same thing about it looking a bit like fall, but my hubby pointed out that several varieties of trees come out with reddish leaves in the spring...darned if I can remember which ones he said, though. :->

Beautiful photos!

Lisa R. -- Mary's note jogged a memory for me: Many species of maple, especially red maples, and to a lesser degree, silver maples, have red or reddish flowers that can give the tree an overall reddish look in the spring.

That's Keweenaw Bay in the background of Aura, isn't it? I grew up on the Bay Shore Drive now called Pequaming Road. A beautiful place in the spring.

No Hammock! And it truly is a beautiful place U.P. here.

It is absolutely divine outside...warm days, bright sun, full blossoms, and just totally perfumed air...it is fabulous!

And honestly...just yesterday was thinking "I hope Pasty has some Neil pics coming...those will be gorgeous"...TA DA!!!

The greenup is late this year due to the cold weather. It was also really dry so the trees have not fully flushed.
That is why the maples and oak still look red.
Some areas in UP look green but there are a lot of dry swamps. We were just under Red Flag fire conditions today. That is very unusual for the first week of June.

I know....all those apple blossoms, ONE bee. Folks say it's cause of the cold. I hope they are right!