The actual theme for this month is your month, your choice. I look forward more than usual to blog hopping this month, since each post is going to be a surprise.

My choice? Our ornamental crab apple tree, which usually reaches peak blossom over the Victoria Day (May) long weekend each year. This year’s full bloom was about 10 days late, on May 30th.

1. Blowin’ in the wind

Why fight the wind? When strong wind gusts started blowing petals off the tree, I knew I had only a short window of time to photograph our front yard crab apple tree in its 2019 full blossom glory. Rather than fight the wind, I set up my tripod, mounted an 8-stop ND filter to my lens and took several half-second exposures. Then I composited 5 images using the “lighter” blending option. I hope the final result conveys a sense of blossom-laden branches blowin’ in the wind.

2. Motherlode

A little later in the day, the wind died down. I worked my way in towards the trunk of the tree and looked up, aiming to fill the entire frame with blossoms.

3. Past and present

A few of last year’s crab apples still hang from the tree. They look wrinkled and rotten – a stark contrast to this year’s blooms.

4. Pollinators at work

I spotted only a few bumblebees. Other pollinators were at work, too, including tiny wasps and bee-flies, like this one.

5. One blossom

The wind blew spray from the lawn sprinklers onto the blossoms.

And here’s a bonus, showing how quickly petals were accumulating on the driveway by the end of the day…

That’s it from me this month. Head on over to PJ’s blog to view his photos for the month. At the bottom of his post you’ll find the link up to all the other participants in May.

While you’re there, please consider joining us in June – the more, the merrier! I treat the PBC like a low-pressure photography assignment. The theme will be posted on A ‘lil HooHaa at the beginning of the month, so there’s lots of time to get five photos. The amount of accompanying text is up to you. What do you say? Are you in?