Pussy Willow

[Tindalos]

I love the watercolour-esque background in this one.

~Tin

[Mira]

1. I like the background too. And how the foreground intersects it and the areas

that are created by that. Perfect placement of the front vs. the back, and nice gentle colors.

[Tindalos]

6. Thanks

It doesn't look too bad for a roadside "weed" does it? I was pleasantly surprised.

[MissHoneychurch]

2. That is a beautiful picture

and I didn't know it was actually called that way in English. In German it is Weidenkätzchen, which means literally willow kitten.

[Mira]

3. Good morning MissHoneychurch, I had forgotten the German word. Are you still

all snowed in in Frankfurt?

[MissHoneychurch]

4. Remember this

Die kleinen Weidenkätzchen am großen Weidenbaum,
die strecken ihre Tätzchen im ersten Frühlingstraum.

Die Sonne hat geschienen, da blühten sie voll Kraft.
Es kamen all die Bienen und sogen süßen Saft.

Sie bauen goldne Waben in ihrem Bienenhaus
und können Honig haben aus jedem Kätzchenstrauß.

Weil wir gern Honig essen, ich grade so wie du,
drum lassen wir indessen die Kätzchen schön in Ruh`!


No more snow in Frankfurt. The snow pics I posted were taken in the Black Forest.

[Mira]

7. Thank you so very much. Ich habe das noch nie gehoert und

da kriege ich fast Heimweh!

[MissHoneychurch]

8. It's a children's song

not that I remember the melody but I always remember the first line "Die kleinen Weidenkätzchen" :)

[Tindalos]

5. I wonder if that's where "catkin" comes from

Catkin just refers to the furry reproductive structure and the same is used for other trees besides willow (alder, hazel, etc). I bet "catkin" derives from the German "Weidenkatzchen".

[MissHoneychurch]

9. I never heard of catkin

but it is very possible.

According to Wiktionary http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/catkin