Black Poplar (Populus nigra) Fluffy Seeds and Fluffy Clouds

These days black poplar (Populus nigra) trees' fluffy seeds float in the air, wrapping everything in a kind of cotton like down (hence the name cottonwood).

Black poplar (Populus nigra) fluffy seeds.
(© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

Spring Colours. Pink and Red European Redbud, Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum), and Red Poppy Field

More spring postcards.
Cercis siliquastrum, commonly known as Judas Tree (probably from Arbre de Judée meaning tree of Judea), is a small deciduous tree from Southern Europe and Western Asia.
It grows up to 12 metres in height and 10 metres in width. The deep pink flowers are produced on year-old or older growth, including the trunk in late spring (cauliflory). The heart-shaped leaves with a blunt apex, which occasionally has a shallow notch at the tip, appear shortly after the first flowers emerge. The tree produces long flat pods that hang vertically.

European Redbud, Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) flowering twig
(© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

Beach on a cloudy day

Even on a cold cloudy day there's always something on the beach that will catch your eye — like the reflection of a lonely water motorcyclist in the wet sand,

Water motorcyclist on the beach on a cloudy day
(© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

Flowering Trees. Tamarix, Bottlebrush tree, Pōhutukawa, Silky oak and Goldenrain tree.

A flowering tree is always a feast for the eyes, and springtime is when most trees come into blossom.
The genus Tamarix (tamarisk, salt cedar) comprises about 50-60 species of flowering plants in the family Tamaricaceae, native to drier areas of Eurasia and Africa. The largest, Tamarix aphylla, is an evergreen tree that can grow to 18 m tall. They usually grow on saline soils, and also tolerate alkali conditions.
I ran into this beauty by chance while strolling in the pine forest.

Tamarix aphylla tree in full blossom
(© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

Medieval Castle

Yet another walk around the ancient fortress. I love its air of shabbiness — such places always make me feel at ease. Now think what kind of emotions shabby modern builidngs call forth.

Ancient castle prison. (© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

Spring Colours: Red. Poppies (Papaver rhoeas and Papaverum somniferum)

Spring is the best time to gather wildflowers. They pop out on every patch of soil, and so did a few tussocks of poppies in the nearby field. Unfortunately they wither too fast.
Common poppy or Papaver rhoeas (aka corn poppy, corn rose, field poppy, Flanders poppy, red poppy, red weed, coquelicot) is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family, Papaveraceae. This poppy, native to Europe, is sometimes considered an agricultural weed (hence the "corn" and "field") and a symbol of fallen soldiers.

Poppy flower (Papaver rhoeas) and glass. Red and Black.
(© 2012 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)