What do you think this could be a picture of? Here's a hint - when I was a kid we called them "helicopters".
They are maple tree seeds. We called them helicopters because of the way they spin when they drop off the tree. The seed part lands down into the dirt or grass, in just the right position to take root and grow.
This is our little maple tree in our back yard. It is just loaded with seeds this year.
I am surprised by how far these are spread. Most are still hanging on the tree, waiting to fall and yet the lawn is filled with them. They have made their way over our entire back yard. God has created so many plants, each unique and with their own way of spreading seeds. Isn't He amazing?
22 comments:
That is a lot of seeds for one tree to produce! Does it produce that many every year?
Our neighbor has a maple tree and those little helicopters fly all over the neighborhood.
It is interesting to note all the ways that God has designed seeds to travel. Take the dandelion, for instance. Then the other trees with their flowers in the early spring. One day when I looked outside, it looked like it was snowing.
There are a lot of helicopters this year. I noticed that too. Wonder if it is because we had a cooler spring????
When those things are really green we would pick them off the tree and pull apart the seed end and stick it on our nose.
Hi Mari!
I sure have missed you and everyone else. :)
Oh my! Bob's head looked like that hurt----I'm so glad he didn't let that accident deter him. And I am glad that he wasn't hurt worse.
I am sorry that I missed your giveaway! I didn't know he had a book coming out. I bet it's just as motivational and encouraging as his speech on Oprah! By the way, congratulations on your Blogiversary. I am so glad that we became friends through this medium!
Please e-mail me on my Facebook account. Since we are in Japan, I can mail things to Andy free via the military postal system. So, send me his address! :) (we have more things here too than they do in Korea)
The lilacs are gorgeous. I bet they smell good too.
Funny thing is, we used to call those helicopters too. (only I didn't know they came from maple trees)
Oh, I have missed you and had so much to catch up on. (thanks for the yummy recipes too!) I liked the chocolate ones the most!
That is so cool! This is the first year our tree has these, love it!!
God is funny yes?
Familiar sight! We have 2 big maples in the front and side of our house and one more in the back. We get bombarded with these every spring too! Tori swept the sidewalk a few weeks ago and we had to take a dustpan to get them all out of the way - probably about 7 pans of them!! Even though they're kinda a pain for us to sweep up all the time, they are still God's creation and His plan is perfect. I don't think there will be a shortage of maple trees in the near future with all those seeds twirling down every year! :)
Wow- that really does have a lot of seeds on it.
Our trees on the side yard are dropping seeds by the ton too. I went outside to shake out the rug and when I came in I had 3 of them on my head.
I always loved those helicopters too. They were so much fun to throw in the air. There are a ton around!
great photo, and wow the seeds....
that's fun - i have never seen that before - i thought they were bug wings!
I love maple trees! We always had a ton of baby trees we had to pull out (so sad) at our last home. They produce a ton of seeds!
(I miss them so much. We only have 2 trees - both have needles 1 is dead. Of course, deciduous trees are my fave's.)
I'm always struck come planting time how diverse this creation is. The seeds are so varied, it's amazing that the blueprint for a carrot for instance, is contained in a mere speck!
Chance? I think not!
Mari,
You should see our yard. We have helicopters by the billions (I'm sure that is not an exaggeration!) We have 8 large to huge maple trees. It sure is a bumper crop of them this year. I think it is because there were no helicopters last year at all. Theay are fun when you are a kid, but they are a pain when they fill up your flower beds that you just put mulch on!
Jan
We always called them helicopters too. My Mom's (now my daughters) yard is full of them. My daugher was just asking me the other day when she can expect them to stop dropping already! They sound like rain when the hit her patio roof.
It seems like there are more then ever this year.
We call them whirly birds over here. I do remember helicopters from my childhood though.
We have so many of them that I'm sick of them. I will try to see God's hand in nature like you do instead of the mess they make when they track in my house.
Cool post! We have a good size maple tree in our back yard that actually planted itself the first year we lived in our house (11 yrs ago!).
I hope you are all well (and Andy too). We have just gotten over a stomach bug here. Hopefully my little guys don't get it.
I remember spending hours as a kid playing with those seeds! I still love watching them twirl down from the trees!
Enjoy your tea with a friend! It's the best way to have tea!!
great pics ... we called them helicopters too!
I should have recognized them, Mari. I have 2 giant maples in my front yard. The squirrels love them.
Funny that you posted this. Gracie discovered "helicopters" a few days ago. I enjoyed watching her toss each one up, watching it spin to the ground.
He is amazing in more ways than one
I used to call them helicopters too. Too bad we don't have maple trees down here. Mostly pines and palms. I do have a dwarf japanese maple in my yard, though.
We have a lot of helicopters too - I've been picking them out of my flower beds.
Today it also started "snowing" too. On the way to work I thought the world might be ending because it was snowing in June in 80 degree weather. But then I realized it was just the fluffy seeds from trees - I'm not sure which kind, but the grass was just blanketed with them!
Mari,
We have a tree like this as well and because of all the little helicopters, we often find maple trees sprouting up where we don't want them. However, it is amazing that a tree can come from these tiny seedpods.
Blessings,
Mary
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