Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I left dirty dishes in the sink, clothes strewn across the unmade bed, and a mess of papers tossed on the table next to a half filled cup of coffee I abandoned.
Why?
Spring Ephemerals. You know the flowers that come up in the spring for a few days and then disappear until next year.
If I miss them, I am sad to have to wait for another chance at it again in the spring.
My friend Pat wanted to come along and see these flowers for herself. She has caught the bug of finding flowers, native plants, and of course mushrooms. Great minds think alike.
We decided to meet in town at 7AM and head out.
I haven't had anyone else like my early morning hikes [I do them a lot in the warmer months to avoid the heat]. So I jumped at the chance.
Here is a shot of Pat taking a shot of a trillium. We seem to enjoy shots of each other from behind...
Here is her shot of me and Hannah...
Charlie stayed home. He was informed that he needed a rest day.
[He was not impressed and held a grudge against both myself and Hannah when we got home! A pouting dog!]
[He was not impressed and held a grudge against both myself and Hannah when we got home! A pouting dog!]
Below are Bishops Caps
I know, I should link to the scientific name
but I like the common names better.
They are easier to remember.
Another favorite one of mine.
Ginger
The flowers are under the foliage
like they are hiding!
Mayflowers. Mayapples.
As a kid I called them Umbrella Plants.
I think that describes them well.
They have not flowered yet.
I'm not very good at telling different ferns apart.
These were ferns unfurling.
Yellow Rocket.
I've always
seen this as just a weed but found
out it is edible. Not that I have
tried it.
We found this flower too, but it was hard
to figure it out.
Swamp Buttercup
I think years ago I just called it a buttercup and
Swamp Buttercup
I think years ago I just called it a buttercup and
left it at that.
This plant is easy to overlook.
It is tiny and grows in very shaded areas.
I believe it is a False or Wild Lily of
the Valley.
the Valley.
The green in the middle will have tiny white flowers.
Oh... last but not least...
There was this wild Thing we had with us. Her energy was boundless and she showed off by leaping up on logs and diving off from them with wild abandon.
We applauded her achievements and laughed. She handled the hike like it was second nature to her.
I was surprised when I got home that the Dirty Dishes were still there, as was the other messes I'd left. Apparently the Dish Faery and the Housekeeping Faery had also taken the morning off.
LD...Some days the important things in life are a priority. I like seeing all of your new blooms. It reminds me of when I was a kid and walked our timber seeing all of the wild blooms. I wasn't familiar with some of them and others I remember.
ReplyDeleteI didn't start to learn about all of them until much later in life.
DeleteI approve of your priorities! Glad you got some great photos of the Spring Ephemerals!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! The house can be a mess if something beautiful is happening in the forest!
DeleteHannah is growing up! Gorgeous photos....so nice that you had company so early in the morning. Lori
ReplyDeleteShe is growing! She still is a slender little thing. I wonder how big she will get!
DeleteDarn those Faeries! What a wonderful walk and a taste of spring! The flowers are lovely, thank you for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteI know, right? Those Faeries need to start to show up! Maybe the Elf on the Shelf frightened them off!
DeleteTo place the world on hold for spring ephemerals seems perfectly reasonable to me.
ReplyDeleteI thought so too! :)
DeleteI like and approve of how you did the Yellow Rocket but focusing on the far thing and blurring the closer things. At least I think that is what ya dun did. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are finding lots. I see less, probably out of ignorance, but we did go back to the bloodroot and found it open and looking pretty. Post to come.
I did shoot through another yellow rocket plant to get that affect.
DeleteFinding the plants isn't easy, they are so fleeting and in just a week the tiny pink spring beauties disappear under the rapid growth of the next spring flower. Then the underbrush takes over.
I have access to a lot of woodland too which helps.
Fun hiking with a like-minded friend, complete with fotos & forest finds!! Poor Charlie :(
ReplyDeleteKeep this to yourself, but this sounds very much like I often leave my house. 😉
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had great time in the woodland with all these botanical marvels! Where are the days when me and my four-legged canine friend scoured woods together? There, too, was a kind of wild thing in us, as he would jump over logs etc.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to be the wild thing as long as I can! Ohhh, and I do want to see the Secrets of Bees, they have such a fantastic bunch of series!
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