Meanwhile in the forest...

I took a short walk yesterday after mowing some patches of long shaggy grass.

I still haven't totally unpacked from our mini trip and put everything away. Since Spring waits for no one, I decided to get to the forest and see what was happening.

I found this Rue Anemone. However, looking at it closer, it may be a False Rue Anemone.

This was the first one I found in our woods. In other areas of our county they are already blanketing the floor of certain forest areas.

Because of our steep hills and valleys that face different directions, some areas warm up faster than others.

I found this in a cooler part of our forest. The hillside faces north east which gets a glimpse of morning light but that is it.

 

I walked over to the one spot in our forest that always seems to be ahead of other areas. For the past 20 years I've always found an early small Morel or two in this area.

I found two spots where Maidenhair Ferns were starting to come up. They were not emerging anywhere else.

This spot faces south and in the spring gets nearly all the sunlight and warmth for nearly the whole day. It is the one area that seems to always be slightly ahead of other areas of the forest.

I did not find any Morels or even any signs of them. This Fungi caught my eye though. Its common name is: False Morel. Scientific name: Gyromitra esculenta. 
This mushroom contains the neurotoxin called Gyromitrin. There are rumors that the neurotoxin can be cooked out of it, but I wouldn't take the chance.

I do find their odd and sometimes twisted shapes to be interesting looking though.

I headed home after striking out with any Grey Morels. I came up from the creek and found these Virginia Pinks flooding the top of the hill under the budding trees.

In the Spring, I try to get out and find every ephemeral flower I can. 

I still have Bloodroot, Dutchman's Breeches, Hepatica, and Trout Lilies to find.

Perhaps I need to get my laundry and grocery shopping done first? I don't know why those mundane tasks like to get in the way of all the fun I can have in the forest.

Charlie and Rich seem to be still recovering from our weekend trip.