The Trillium Hunt....

First off...
we had these guys

visit !!!!

Indigo Buntings!

These blue beauties visited for a day and then...well, we haven't seen them again at the feeders. However blue was the theme of the day as Blue Birds flew through in groups. Hopefully some stayed again this year.

Friday morning I had to make a decision. Did I want to go look for Trillium and other Ephemeral flowers? Or did I want to go to the gym and work my butt off and then go shopping. 
Bleh.

Decisions, Decisions.

Shay, the Home Health Aide was curious. She doesn't have a background in nature, but she knows a lot about home health care. I explained I needed [was driven] to go find Ephemeral flowers that would only present themselves for a few weeks...and then...
I'd have to wait for another spring.

Charlie and I hit the ground running [okay walking fast] when we got to KVR. Years ago when I started my Trail Challenge, I'd randomly chosen the West Ridge Trail to start one of my mid May hikes. I recall seeing more Trillium that I'd ever seen in my life.

At that time I was hiking with my friend Bill and we were putting in 'mileage' and not concentrating on the wildflowers. Covid was ravaging the country and we were doing Distance Hiking.  

Anyway... I have never gotten back to that area in May. I've gone to other spots and have been overwhelmed by Virginia Bluebells and Spring Beauties. I decided to go see if I could get lucky with the Trillium.

I hit the Jackpot!

I hit the Jackpot in several ways.

We were surrounded by everything wild and flowering.

Here is a shot of Charlie On Guard. We were sitting on the forest floor when suddenly we heard something crashing through the forest. It literally sounded like an elephant. I saw it was a large doe running straight at us like a ninny.

I raised my hands and hollered, "Hey!" The doe never missed a step, but instead of running through us, she took a hard left and disappeared through the forest. 

Charlie growled and jumped into my lap. Brave dog that he is. I can't say that I've ever experienced that before.

It seems that finding spring forest flowers has become an obsession of mine.

Last year, I'd chosen a different trail to find Trillium. I found a few but the choices of light, position, and interesting-ness of shooting them was not very good.
This year I was so overwhelmed with choices and opportunities.

Even better?
Charlie and I were the only ones there. We spent two hours alongside this trail and never encountered another human or animal. We did hear a variety of birds and an owl.

I did wish I'd had ALL day. Charlie and I had a snack, watched our time and got home on schedule.

I may have satisfied my Trillium Itch for this year and will send myself a note to make sure I go back to this trail next year.

Trilliums....☑

Next wild flowers up will be the Wild Geraniums. 

 

Luck, Flowers, Trees

 Did you know that spotting a Hummingbird Moth is supposed to bring you good luck and prosperity?

Did you also know that they like Bee Balm, Verbena, and Phlox as their favorite flowers and food?

I didn't. However, by sheer luck I have all three types of flowers around my house. 

The Bee Balm below is next to my outhouse.

The Phlox is on the west side of the house, but next year I will be moving another group of them to the east side also.

I have verbena in pots on the porch in a couple of colors. I had no idea they were attractive to Hummingbird Moths until a year or so ago when I planted a bunch of them and saw my first Hummingbird moth! 

4 O'clocks are also a Hummingbird favorite along with Zinnias. The seeds I gathered last year for the Zinnias haven't done well this year. 

5 years ago I got two little patches of Creeping Thyme from one of the neighbors. She had a garden from the previous owner that she was just going to cover with plastic and river rock. I 'rescued' some plants and now I have large swaths of creeping thyme. Right now they are in bloom.

There is almost no maintenance to these delightful plants. They grow low. They spread, they smell wonderful and the flowers attract so many tiny bees and larger bees!

Okay. Enough about that. Remember that Dunnum fellow I talked to? He said he'd be out over the weekend. No show, no contact. 

I contacted him again and gave him some more time. After 7 days of waiting for an estimate, I have contacted two other companies. 

Now I'll wait and see who may come out and do the work.

I understand being busy, but if you have a potential customer wouldn't you at least message that customer to set up a definite date and time ... AND deal with it or message that customer with a reason for the no show? I assume that this person doesn't want my money. Cha-ching.

I'm determined to get this project done this summer. Last year was the driveway. This year, the trees that are dead and dying that will impact my sheds and house need to go.

However!!!!

Here is a guy that I can always depend on to show up for work daily. 

Little Richard:

And...I leave you with one last flower photo...

My wagon wheel of Morning Glories with Bee Balm and Milkweeds...

Wish me luck! 

The Hummingbird Clearwing Moth is supposed to bring me some!!!!

Spring Madness and fun

Nothing like feeling like a 'One Armed Wallpaper Hanger' in a rush to do a room!

That quote was something my Grandfather said when he felt busy and overwhelmed. Well, actually, he added a lot of cuss words to go along with that saying. I won't include any direct quotes here though.

Spring has been raging through the woods and it is fall in reverse. I try and find the trees leafing out and the blossoms that appear and disappear along with the urge to try and 'see' every ephemeral flower before it disappears.

Whew. The faster I go? The further behind-er I get?

Jacob's Ladder 
5 17 2023

Devil's Urn aka: 

Urnulacraterium

5 18 2023

Charlie with 'Wish Sticks'
aka Dandelion Seeds on him.

5 20 2023

Morning Dew
Garden Phlox

5 19 2023

 Wild Geraniums

5 20 2023

Sweet Cicely
5 20 2023

Trillium

5 20 2023

Trillium with Pink!

5 20 2023

Ajuga which gets such an ugly common

name:
Bugleweed

5 22 2023

I fenced off my meadow to try some rotational grazing. It may work or be an exercise in futility. However leaving the girls in one section at a time has so far made each section look a bit nicer. The draw back is that I have to walk them into the area and then late in the afternoon, bring them back to the front pasture for their minerals and water.

[That walk is about a quarter of a mile through some woods and gates to the meadow. But the girls understand this routine and follow until they hit the meadow.]

So far it is working. I get a lot of running, kicking, and farting from the girls in the morning as I lead them to their spot for the day.

But they quickly get down to business.

I had to make a list of to do's for each day this week as I have 'so' much going on. Don't laugh Miss Merry, you have a crazy busy life!

I crossed out the most of the work for Wednesday so Charlie and I can take a break and head out to KVR in the early morning to walk a trail known for its woodland flowers.

I have to be nice and sociable sometime this weekend too. So I need my down time. 

Apparently, so do the girls.

Update: :(
I have to put off the hike. Seems like once you make plans and look forward to them, things get messed up. Though it is no one's fault. I'll just go I 'hope' on Saturday??? 

Have a wonderful day...