Monday, June 21, 2010

I Promised Mimosa And A Bad Hair Photo…

Not of me, of course, I never have a bad hair day since I started cutting it way short and falling into the bleach bottle.  I don’t much like my mousey brown hair… Makes me feel like a plain, OLD, Helen and I am fighting that feeling tooth and nail.

 Misc.  cows, jacks and jennys and flowers 001

Mimosaaas are GORGEOUS…  I love the flowers and I especially love them when the tree grows out in the back forty because while being very beautiful when in bloom the nasty messiness come after the blooms but I’ll address that in a bit.  For now let’s enjoy the beauty part…

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 014 The blooms are so light and airy looking and they do have a sweet but light scent to them.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 015

mimosa blooms The small green bundles of b-b sized balls are the flowers to come yet so the trees are just getting into the full flowering phase.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 001 This is an older mimosa that greets people as they drive up the drive.  Normally, at least in Oklahoma, 20-30 years is way old for mimosas because they are a more brittle tree and tend to break in our higher storm winds.  Plus a lot of folks think they are a nuisance tree and take them out if they are too close to the house or where they park their cars or trucks.  This tree is a venerable elder around in these parts.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 017 Another photo from a different angle.  You can see how the trunk is bent towards the drive… That whole large limb was broken in a storm and was cut off but the wound healed and the tree hung in there and has continues to share it’s beauty each spring.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 044 This tree is on the backside of the house.  I took this photo just to show how tall they can get when they survive the storms without getting broken.  The house as you can see from the previous photo is just a single story home with a normally pitched roof so that gives you a sight reference and we all know how I like to give you something to compare size-wise.  Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 045 Part of the tree’s umbrella of branches that shade the back deck and side of the house.

mimosa 4 I like the texture on the bark of the tree also.  This one is the one in the back of the house.  It is younger than the one along the drive and the bark is much smoother with the lighter spots all through it.

mimosa blooms

Now about the bad hair…

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 006 This is the little jenny that is in the pasture with the cows.  They are very good at protecting the cows and calves and will fight off and even kill coyotes and the occasional cougar that gets a yen for beef.  Yes we do have cougars in Oklahoma but they are smaller than the mountain lions that you generally see on the National Geographic Channel or in the movies. 

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 008 She is very sweet but also shy because she hasn’t been handled much.  So naturally I’ve been trying to make friends with her.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 009 Here’s where the bad hair comes into the story.  Her hair looks like it’s been fried on the ends.  Every time I’m able to scratch her head and ears I want to get some really good conditioner and put on it.  Feel free to copy this photo and print it for when you think you are having a bad hair day.

Jackass and garden photos 6.8.2010 010  But it doesn’t seem to bother this little guy what her hair looks like.  He still tries to make whoopee whenever she doesn’t give him a good swift kick.  Although he is shorter than she is he still gives it the good old college try and we are hoping in about 10 months there will be a little one for me to photograph.

I think that just about covers everything for this post…  oh, wait. The messy part of  mimosas…

mimosas leavins 001 I’ll start small…

mimosas leavins 004 One of the chairs on the back deck…

mimosas leavins 002 More and more mess.

mimosas leavins 003 This deck was all swept and cleaned up three days before I took these photos…  but I much prefer to leave you with the ahhh in mimosahhhs so here is my favorite photo that I’ve taken with this batch of shots…

mimosa blooms 2

Have a great week, y’all.  I’ll be posting another farm report on the good day/bad day squash and other garden news  in the next day or two.

11 comments:

Tatersmama said...

The Mimosa's are gorgeous! I don't think I've ever seen one in bloom before, but I think I would be more than happy to put up with the mess!

Now I have to admit I was a little let down after the "bad hair day" lead-up, but then again, I couldn't figure how your hair could actually ever be "bad". (Yeah.. I'm envious, but my hairdresser won't cooperate!)

But the little jenny is just gorgeous - bad-hair-day or not! I had to laugh at her potential boyfriend though... because I'm sure it isn't her hair he's interested in anyway. ;) When it comes to makin' whoopee, most men are pretty much alike, eh?

Lonicera said...

Helen, what a revelation!!! I'm pea green with envy because I've only ever seen the yellow variety of mimosa. This one is absolutely spectacular. The flowers and the foliage are both so beautiful.

And then you go on to another favourite subject of mine - horses, donkeys... I'd stand there all day stroking their noses and murmuring sweet nothings.

How I miss it...

Thanks so much for that - and for the lovely comment on my blog. I'm going to carry on hammering home the 'fat photo' issue over the next few weeks, I've got it all written out... (yawn).

Caroline

The Wildwood said...

Hey Helen! oh my gosh I am so glad not to have a Mimosa tree any longer!
They are so pretty and remind me of my childhood, but I hate the mess of those pretty flowers! I pulled one up by the roots as a young girl on Dick Kane's place and my cousin broke its top off....it was hotter than it is now and so when I got the stick home dad said I could plant it anywhere I wanted (thinking it would be dead by morning). I picked right in the middle of the yard in a horrible location....guess what....yep it lived to be a big ol' tree till Dad cut it down 30 years later!

Hope you get a baby donkey to photograph!!!

farmlady said...

That Mimosa tree is beautiful but I know what you mean about messy. Lovely photos.
Bad hair or not. I want a little donkey. They are so sweet. I also love the handsome boy. He's look kind of "punk" and I'm sure he appeals to the ladies.
Now.... next time we get to see your hair. Right? Haven't seen ya for a while.

Reddirt Woman said...

Katie I'll have someone take a bad hair photo of me when I come in all hot and sweaty from working outside because I don't want to let anyone down...

She is a sweetie, a shy one. And you're right... he doesn't have to look at her hair anyway so who cares? All he cares about is the smile on his face...

I didn't know there was a yellow variety of mimosa! Do they also have a light, pleasent sweet scent?

The little Jenny has lived on the ranch since she was young. The jack, however, wandered up the road from God knows where and he is a sweetheart except when he's being a horny jack and bites the jenny to get her attention. Merri, my cousin's son's live in, caught him up and led him to where she could put him in the pasture. He's been here a good month and we've seen no ads on him, either in the paper or on Craig's list. So he's living here now. They'd like to breed him to the other jenny they have but she is quite a bit taller than he is and I'm not sure but what she'd have to be a stump broke jenny for him to be able to take care of business.

Hi K T! It's sure easy to get mimosas to grow but as we all find out, usually the hard way, there are places that you don't want them to grow. I know that I'm pulling miimosa starts out of flower beds when there is no mimosa in sight for miles. There must be something the birds like about them because it seems that I've pulled them out of gardens all over Oklahoma and even when I lived in Ft. Worth but as I said I love them out in the back forty where I don't have to worry about the mess.

Okay Connie... I'll let you see my hair. My cousin took my photo today because I want to do a tomato post but I had my working hat on covering up my hair, but I'll catch myself when I come in hot and sweaty and post it for a bad hair picture.

The little guy we could tell had been handled because he is really gentle and leads well... I just figured he's good at getting out and going to hunt the ladies, the old horndog or I guess hornjack would be the better term but he is a cutie and I think they'd make a cute baby. The markets down right now and you have room so why don't you and the Prospector go find you a donkey? There are several in the animal shelter ads around here from donkey size to mule size... Let me know if you want to see more pics of him... and did the Bean have fun with the guinea feathers and do you want some more?

Laura ~Peach~ said...

I LOVE my mymosas and they are lovely CLEAN trees LOL.. ok they are out away from the house so mess does nto bother me... and I LOVE the smell of them!

darsden said...

Our mimosa's are just beautiful this year too. I referred to this one as a canopy. Lovely and one of my favorites...but are Messy!

Love the pictures especially the little donkey. :)

Reddirt Woman said...

Laura I like the lightness of the scent and when the air is still in the morning and I walk out on the back deck to feed Fluffy the cat I just want to stand and take in a big whiff of the fresh air and mimosa scent. Almost worth sweeping the deck but generally we figure the wind will pick up and blow most of it off for us.

Dar... dang it! Canopy is the correct term but my addled brain couldn't come up with it when I was writing this post so I used the term umbrella. I figured some one would catch that one and at least I was right on that. I'll get some more pictures of the donkeys and put them up one of these days when I get a-"round-toit". Hope the oil mess isn't too bad down your way. What a tragedy.

Nola said...

Hi Helen...I'm back. I love your photos...as always:) I love the mimosas and the donkeys. You will have him as your best friend in no time....it wont stay shy with you around for long!

hetty said...

I love your Mimosa's! Can't grow them here. We are in zone 5. I love the last photo too! Hope your little jenny will give you a new subject to photograph. Wonder what kind of hair it will have.

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