Wow, great DOF on the 2nd one!
It's starting to get warm here too... nice sunshine and the grass is growing like crazy...

I really like these - but they don't quite grab me. I think it is the foreground (background is perfect). Either more visible so you can see the detail of the fronds or less detail - pure black silouhette (never could spell that word)...
I love the tones in this shot gueritto, very warm, I can almost smell it myself. The composition doesn't really work for me on the 1st shot, I prefer the portrait orientation of the second.