Ginkgo Lesson

Yes...my obsession continues. I learned a lot about ginkgo trees today....so read on only if you're interested.

"The ginkgo tree is from the era of dinosaurs, but while the dinosaur has been extinguished, the modern ginkgo has not changed. After the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, the ginkgo was the first tree that came back up. It's amazing."
Koji Nakanishi

I have been spelling ginkgo wrong in most of my posts...but I've got it straight now and I went back and fixed them all. And this seems like a good chance to say that I'm a terrible editor of my own writing. I know I make errors...it's just the way it is.


I came home from Maine yesterday to find my ginkgo status quo. The leaves a very deep yellow and a few have dropped...but most remain on the tree.

On a walk this morning Anita mentioned that a hard frost is related to leaves dropping....which probably explains why these leaves are taking so long to drop....it's been so warm.  It also got me wondering, why unlike other trees, the ginkgo tends to drop their leaves all at once...so I googled it. You gotta' love the internet at times like this. 

Most deciduous trees, like maples, loose their leaves over a few weeks for a good reason. A protective scar slowly develops at the base of the stem keeping the tree safe from disease. The outer, more exposed leaves develop the scar first so they fall first. Then the next layer does the same and so on...the process taking a few weeks.

The ginkgo tree forms protective scars all at the same time on the whole tree. Then, usually triggered by a hard frost the leaves can fall all in one day. So I'm wondering unless we get a a cold snap....they may just trickle down at their leisure. It was in the 60's today...and there are a few cooler nights coming...but not a hard frost. We haven't even had one at all yet. This is also what probably happened last year...they just turned brown on the tree.  hmmmmm 

  I gathered up a few leaves from the lawn and was 

fascinated with all the different shapes and sizes.

Ginkgo Puzzle

I got an early birthday box from my sister Nancy which included an assortment of yummy chocolate and what appeared to be a puzzle in a lovely box.  I'm intrigued with the puzzle....but also with the chilies and cherries and dark chocolate combo.

Turns out...it's a wooden puzzle she and Craig found when they were in Germany visiting family....and low and behold it's a ginkgo leaf!  How cool is that!  If anyone is new to the blog...I have quite a personal with ginkgo trees and everyone should know at this point how much I love puzzles.  

The pieces are tiny....and it's going to be a challenge....but fun to pick away at over time.  I did match up a few.   

There are many many posts on the blog about my ginkgo tree but here are a couple of links if you don't know my story. Ginkgo day is one of my favorite days of the year!

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2018/11/ginkgo-day.html

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-big-day.html

Day 11 of Another 100 Days.

Dragon Flies....

....ginkgo leaves....and a smile. The last and final ginkgo post.  (probably)

My good friend Linda has been celebrating my ginkgo tree right along with me.  As a matter of fact she stopped by today and picked up some leaves.  She told me a few days ago that two of her favorite things are ginkgo leaves and dragon flies...so here you go Linda...this is for you! This little guy sits in the garden by my front door...and is quite content surrounded by a yellow blanket.

I could stretch my ginkgo stories and photos out for weeks....but it might be time to move on.  But here are a few "day after" photos and a few more thoughts.

It snowed a little last night....so the carpet of yellow took on a whole new glow this morning.  The fact that they fell yesterday...and there was snow today was a clear sign that the season has turned.

There are still a few stragglers left on the tree....but with the temperature drop I'm sure not for long.

And the leaves are everywhere....on every side of my house....down the street....on the roof out every window and nested in every bush.  It's a mess....but oddly comforting.

"Nothing dies as beautifully as autumn." 

Ashlee Willis 

Ginkgo Day

When Paul I lived in Lexington there was a large ginkgo tree in the front yard of the church parsonage which was our home. Unlike other deciduous trees the stems of ginkgo trees harden off at the same time so they almost always drop their yellow leaves all on one day after a hard frost. If you've been following for a while you will know I used celebrate Gingko Day every year....it was one of my favorite days.

We happen to know the couple that lives in the parsonage...and David and Adam celebrated too and sent us this photo. 

Today was Gingko Day!

These next photos are from the years we lived there...

sometimes the leaves were a yellow green....sometimes a golden yellow...sometimes lemon yellow.

I tried to make a gingko angel one year...it didn't really work.

I was always fascinated with the variety of shapes and sizes of the leaves.

Happy Ginkgo Day!

Ginkgo Day!

Today was one of my favorite days of the year.....ginkgo day!  The large ginkgo tree in my front yard in Lexington dropped almost all of it's leaves this morning in just a few hours...and I loved every minute of it!

 

The leaves glowed in the afternoon light. 

I love ginkgo day!

News From Home

I'm exactly where I need to be....but I do miss Paul...and I'm a little homesick....so it's good to get some news from home. I've gotten notes and updates from friends, a photo of fresh picked late garden flowers that made me feel like I got flowers myself, and even a recipe to try from a friend. Thank you!

This first photo is of last night's western sky.....perfect for Halloween I thought!

Paul sent this photo from the condo a few days ago...the tree on the left was still partially green last I saw it. By the time I see it again all the leaves will be down.

I'm so happy he's doing his homework and being my eyes as the season changes.  I love this layered view a little ways into our backyard woods.

Lexington got some heavy wet snow....and I got a text today from Joan this morning saying: "It's ginkgo day!" I love this shadow of Joan in the leaves.  Thank you Joan!

A ginkgo tree in her neighborhood dropped all its leaves today...and most of them were green.  Paul was due back at the house today so I wondered what was happening in our yard.

Sure enough....it was ginkgo day at our house too.  This is what Paul came home to this afternoon.  

Paul took this photo this past Monday.

This one was taken today. There are still some leaves on the tree....I think they're a little confused this year. 2020 has been that kind of year.

I'm on day 11....and am going to be here a little bit longer.  10 days is usually my limit on being away from home and I got to thinking that one of the only other times I've been away longer than 10 days was helping Angie 3 years ago when she had her initial injury that started her downward turn. She's totally worth it....but I'm grateful for the news and images from home.

Happy Ginkgo Day!

My Town...

...and my tree.

Paul and I voted today and I'm grateful my town makes it easy to vote by mail...I just wish that were true everywhere.

It was a beautiful day around town....the fall colors are still going strong.

I've always loved the layers of color in the front corner of my yard...notice the long branches of my ginkgo tree are still very green....

....not even a hint of yellow.  

I wonder what this year will bring....will I have a magnificent ginkgo day? For anyone who is new to the blog....you can read about ginkgo day here in this post: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2018/11/ginkgo-day.html

Angie's trees.....and her bright red car.

"Winter Tree"

Remember the limited pallett of papers that I talked about a week or so ago?  

http://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2022/09/limited-pallette.html

Following along with a class by Rebecca Sower, I made my own "Winter Tree" collage using this limited pallett.

https://www.rebeccasowerart.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccasower/ 

This is one of Rebecca's hand drawn birds she made available for the class.  

She also made a tree image available...but I used my own.

The winter tree I used was the large ginkgo tree that was in our yard in Lexington. I loved that tree....and I loved "ginkgo day"....when all the leaves fell in one day. Although the photo was very neutral when I started....I did print it with a filter that had some of the blue tones that bled into the image when I adhered it to the panel. I did use Rebecca's sealing technique....but it wasn't enough. This blue tone around the tree was not what I was going for....but it is what it is. Since there other tones of blue in the piece....I'm making peace with it.  It's also looks better person.

This is the original photo.

In all its glory!

What the yard looked like after the leaves fell.

Did I mention I loved ginkgo day?

All the sides have pieces of the painted papers. I enjoy Rebecca's teaching style...and her short easy to understand lessons gave me all kinds of tips for painting papers and collage. I'm excited to use more of these papers in my art....and of course I'm going to make more!