Monday, July 31, 2006

Stressed

We finally got rain over the weekend, but the water table is still well below normal. I can't remember seeing the trees so stressed.



It's not really fall yet.



The sycamores in particular seem to be adopting this strategy.

While walking in the woods, we came across these fruits that I thought at first were wild grapes.



But they're not. When I saw the caps I realized that they were actually persimmons! Really, really undersized persimmons.



When I broke one open, they were wormy inside too.

13 comments:

Kay Cooke said...

Sounds like there is a bit of a Shakesperian twist as the season begins to slowly turn ...aka 'the worm turns' At least I think it's Shakespeare ... maybe it's just Mother Nature ;)

meresy_g said...

Ohhhhh lucky. Definitely remember where the persimmon tree was and go back in the late fall. A very underutilized fruit.

robin andrea said...

I really like the composition in the top photograph. It's quite beautiful, even though it is depicting the stressed state of things there. I hope you get your much-needed rain there.

R.Powers said...

I'm seeing that stress too.

Rachel said...

We also are seeing some of that stress but not as bad. Persimmons! Ah, the ones that make you pucker if you try to eat them too soon!!

Rainypete said...

Three cheers for persimmons........and boo tot eh worms.

KFarmer said...

Things are the same here. I have dried leaves falling off trees everywhere. It starting to look like fall and time to get out the rake- blah!

sonia a. mascaro said...

Beautiful photos!
I like so much persimmon and I have in my garden two persimmon tree.

Unknown said...

Very pretty until you open them up. Is the worminess due to stress?

Steven Browne said...

Last summer we started a drought that lasted until this spring. The grass dried up, leaves browned and shrivled, and there was always dust in the air. I felt very tense too - a forboding of disaster - I was so on edge. But all during the worst of it the idiot news people sighed happy relief that their picnics would go off as planned when weatherperson said "No rain in the forecast."

Tanya said...

Have just discovered your blog. Have to say your photographs are something special. I'll certainly be back.

Sheila said...

As a new blogger from Alabama, I decided to see what others were up to and I have to say, I love your photos. Are you a professional?

Rurality said...

I'm afraid we won't have many ripe persimmons this year due to the dry weather. The raccoons usually beat me to most of them anyway. I've eaten more than a few in previous years, and have never found them wormy before.

The key to non-puckering, BTW, is to wait til after the first frost to eat them!

Thanks very much Tanya & Sheila! I'm just a hobbiest photographer, but thanks for the ego boost. :)