The theme of this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is FUTURE.
When you see these eerily crafted seed balls that fall from the ubiquitous sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), what do you see in your future?
- An excruciating pain in your bare foot?
- A host of seedlings to pull?
- A big tree in your back garden?
- A variety of fall color?
- A lot of leaves to rake?
- A personal collection of eerily crafted seed balls?
- A neat craft idea?
- A call to your friendly local lumberjack to take it down?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/future/
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About johnvic8
John Viccellio retired after 24 years in the U. S. Navy and began to dig into gardening when he could finally land in one place. He completed the Master Gardener course in 1992 and has since designed and constructed two of his own gardens. He wrote a monthly garden column for ten years and was a regular contributor to Carolina Gardener magazine. John published his first book, Guess What's in My Garden!, in 2014.
He lives in a retirement community in Matthews, NC.
Just glad I don’t have to mow those in my yard. Apples are bad enough.(slick when over-ripe)
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They are a real fact of life here.
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You are so right. The future is what we make of it just like the past and the present. We cannot, could not, will not stop it from happening but we can determine how we will see it when it does.
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Thanks for your visit and your insight.
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Very thought-provoking. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you, Cathy. I may have given a level of optimism test.
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Very neat idea! I’ve no idea what the tree looks like so will now have to Google. I take it the seed ball is hard?
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Hard, indeed. You do NOT want to step on one.
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Hello from Finland! I’ve never seen one of those – great idea for the photo challenge 🙂
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Thank you, Suvi. And a big hello from North Carolina. Hope to see you again.
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That tree is also called sour gum tree, a more fitting name because of those awful fruit they scatter everywhere. 🙂
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Thanks. I had not heard of that name.
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Makes a great photo, no matter how you look at it, John.
janet
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Thank you, Janet. These little ones are everywhere.
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a different take as compared to other blogs….great entry for WPC- Future!
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Thanks. I’m glad you liked it.
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🙂
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Great post. Luckily we don’t have too many of those trees in the UK. But there are a number of other plants and trees that need quick action, which reminds me – must clear the garden shed.
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Thank you. Be careful in the shed not to step on a rake.
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Thanks for liking my post “Dinnertime”. I enjoyed this one of yours too – the questions are funny. However, what tree is this scary looking thing from?? I’ve never seen one before.
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It is a Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua). They are quite invasive here.
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That may be a demon seed but your picture alone would make me want to buy it. Of course I am a impulse buyer. Great Picture
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Very kind of you, Ron,to say so. I would still recommend that you avoid stepping on one.
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Love the gum tree seed John – and the options for the future!
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Thanks. Just keep your shoes on.
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“Paw paws” is what we called them as children. They are an excellent design and I love the color of the trees in the late fall. So thankful I don’t have one in my yard though.
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Thanks for visiting.
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