A Shindagin Love Note

 What's a Shindagin?  Actually, it is a New York State Forest in the Finger Lakes.  I love it!

At 7:30 am today, it was alive with migrating birds, and the steep hillsides were rich with spring wildflowers.  Above is a gang of Trillium grandiflorum. Mixed with the glorious white trillium were also  purple Trillium erectum like these.

 

Let's have another look at a single purple example.  The deep veins on the petals appear to me to be slightly deeper in tone.

As I explored a rough trail that zig-zagged up the steep slope, my eyes came upon a trillium missing either the white or the deep purple of either trillium.  I had come upon a special "straw-colored" trillium.  The veins in the petals suggest to me it is a variant of T. erectum.  Surely, a beautiful surprise.

 

There were a few other surprises. Today is April 28, and Sharp-lobed Hepatica is generally past bloom.  Furthermore, Hepatica typically blooms before sending up this year's leaves.  Usually, it's flowers reside in a bed of withered leaves from the year before. These plants were different.

With both a flower and fresh leavcs, I will treasure this photo.

Shindagin is a very steep and sheltered valley. Perhaps the location is a factor in the late blooming?  Will have to see if this repeats next year.

The climb up the steep hill yielded a final surprise,  Trout Lily!

Photography is chancy for these because the flowers only open on bright sunny days and that usually coincides with wind.  Usually impossible to stop the flower stalk's waving in the slight breeze.  Today was different.  It was briefly calm in the morning.  Such luck.

 

All considered, it was worth rising at 5:10 am to meet the rising sun at 6:09 as I pulled out of the garage.

Feeling so fortunate to live in the Finger Lakes today.

Hope you find some joy in the photo adventure.

 Paul