I Spy With My Eye – Crepe Myrtles in Bloom
Remember playing that game during the endless driving of family vacations?
As I drove down to Atlanta to see my daughter, I eagerly looked for the summer flowers along the side of the road, similar to what I noted a year ago last July. Surprisingly, all I saw were some small clumps of blue chicory.
But there were crepe myrtles in bloom everywhere, from North Carolina to South Carolina to Georgia. Rows of them were along the roadsides, in the rest areas where I pulled off, and of course, by my daughter’s house.
Here’s a row of them from last year. It was the closest I could come in showing you what I saw as I drove. And yes, it felt like an endless drive. I got hung up waiting for an accident to clear and my drive time increased nearly 2 hours. She waited for me for supper, but we went to bed shortly after.
Today was spent juicing apples from her two trees. We’ve juiced a wagon full of apples so far – a child’s small red wagon with sides on it – and there’s more to do. It was nice visiting with her as we worked and then going out for supper afterwards.
Enjoy your weekend!
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I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.
Living The Seasons 
I look forward to hearing about the Mansker vacations! Your kids have such wonderful imaginations it should be some funny blog reading later.
Yes, we play eye spy in the car. My kids make it interesting because they don’t pick the normal stuff, they pick things that are more obscure. Then they will say something like “it sounds like” barbage truck— of course, then they get it..(garbage truck) – We have a trip coming up soon. I can’t wait to see all the things they give me to write about while on vacation.
Crepe myrtles are like chorus girls waving along the road. Glad you arrived safe (don’t work too hard!)
They are like chorus girls kicking up their legs and showing off their stuff. I worked harder than I expected. I wasn’t too happy about it, but it was nice to use up her apples and not waste them.
One doesn’t know how many crepe myrtles surround them until they bloom–then there are flowers everywhere! The city used them to line the roads and some neighborhoods, and they’re popular as a yard tree, too. That’s rough, adding a couple hours to drive like that.
I totally agree with you that until the crepe myrtles bloom, you have no idea how many are there. It surprises me every year and we have a ton of them in town and around Short Pump Mall. The drive home went better, but due to heavy rain I lost time. I didn’t have to stop but I had to slow down quite a bit.
How I miss those big crepe myrtles in the South – we are just that too much too cold to sustain the tree shaped big ones. Here we just make do with the shrub variety. They always look like big full bouquets to me. Enjoy your time together! K
They do look like bouquets, don’t they. We will have fun. It’s always nice to see her.
Have a wonderful time with your daughter!
Thanks! I come every August before I start filing the state income tax returns. There won’t be time to go away for a few days until after October 15, at which time it’s too close to Thanksgiving. Other than the apples, we’re having a low key weekend.