A lean year for trees. 1991: Martha's Vineyard, MA

Besides the devastation wrought by the high winds of Hurricane Bob, trees suffered another kind of onslaught. In atypical fashion this storm carried very little rain. Instead high winds stirred up the seas and carried sea foam quite a ways inland. It seemed most of the island was covered with this sticky salty brine. As in the days of Carthage, vegetation did not fare well. By the end of August most leaves browned up and fell off trees. It appeared much like late fall, but in fact we still had three full weeks of summer. Deciduous trees were fooled and prepared to do what they do in summer, they budded again.
Of course the annual plants that suffered this fate could not revive and died off. The Cape and Islands sported an odd looking landscape. Trees and bushes appeared as they do in early spring; annual growth looked as it does just before winter. By November when fall was ushered in by another large storm, the short spring was ended and trees entered their winter mode. Leaves again turned to autumn colors and blew off the trees. This was not the end of their odd year.
There was an unusual mild spell in February. Deciduous trees and bushes were tricked again and began putting on buds. Just as the buds were formed and beginning to flower, winter returned. The colorful look of spring froze off and trees returned to their winter appearance. Spring returned late. It was middle May before vegetation began its flowery show, Flower bulbs were well into their presentation, but deciduous tress and bushes were holding back. They had already expended their flowering juices three times the past year. They probably had little left to do it again. When I walked among them in June, they looked like they were saying, “No we’re not getting fooled again. We may put on a bud or two but that’s it.” And that is just what they did; put on a bud or two and gave up. That summer looked pretty bleak for trees that had an incredibly tough year blow by.

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