The Joys of Spring

Yesterday was the end of May.  The month's been busy.  It is time for a recap of some highlights.

First was the joy of finding some favorites seen in a new way.  Always love the Trillium grandiflorum.  I came away with muddy knees.  It was worthwhile.

Another striking wildflower that I seem to have difficulty finding in full bloom is the Virginia Bluebells, also called Virginia Cowslip.  (Mertensia virginica)

Spring is a conflicted time with the natural world so active.  Emerging flowers and returning birds compete for my attention with spring green landscapes.  The Common Yellowthroat is a familiar friend that I found singing strongly his familiar song.

 Another friend is the Tree Swallow.  They compete with Eastern Bluebirds for nest boxes.  Not quite as musical, they are a bit more approachable and are brilliant  when the sun plays on their feathers.

The Eastern Bluebirds will take up a defensive position on a favored nest box and scan the sky for their adversary, the Tree Swallow.

The flora keeps calling with some subjects beyond the common. The most notable are the Pink Lady's Slippers that are found infrequently.  They are simply glorious.

With luck or patience, one can see what pollinates them.  It is a race to get to a bloom before the Bumblebee races off to another distant target.  In the mix of sun and shadow, getting the bee on a sunny bloom is near to impossible.

But sometimes the sun does align with some flowers for a spectacular display.

The result justifies the pain of awaking at 5 am to arrive when the light is perfect.

It's been a good spring.

Paul Schmitt

Blooming Highlights

The rush of migrating birds has ended, and it's time to catch up with the highlights of the spring wildflower blooms. I find myself pulled between the elusive birds and ephemeral blooms.  Here is the best of the spring blooms.

At the entrance to Cornell Plantation's Mundy Wildflower Garden, I found Celandine Poppies and Virginia Bluebells in wonderful colors.  I had to get very low on the ground to get this view.

Nearby was one of my favorites each year, May Apple. Another chance to lie on the ground.

The Trillium grandiflorum were a bit higher and less difficult to photograph.  They are always grand.

An easily overlooked wildflower is the Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum).  Oddly, the garden geraniums we plant in our gardens are not members of the Geranium genum.   The Wild Geraniums are so prolific that the deer must not be eating them.  Hope it stays that way!

Now, all of these are fairly common, and while beautiful, they do not excite the passions like a wild orchid. These Pink Lady's Slippers were in a cluster of 185 plants that I visited for the first time this spring.

That is an extraordinary cluster of blooms.  I also like to portray the charming arrangements that the blooms sometime present.  This one is, for me, a portrait, .....perhaps of two sisters?

 

So, those are my highlights of spring.  In only a week or maybe two, the later blooming orchids will appear, and I'll get excited once again.  The one difference is that I will have to endure the mosquitoes that frequent the bogs and fens in June.

You can understand how I am torn between choosing blooms or birds on any given day.

Kind regards,

Paul