April 13, 2012

A Walk in the Woods: Small Happenings



There are small bright announcements of spring in the woods, but you have to keep your eyes to the ground to see them. Most brilliant are the yellow rays of coltsfoot, growing on dry banks alongside the path, their frilly heads atop scaly red stems.




The cheerful tiny, 1/2 inch, flowers of Spring Beauty spot the duff with white and shocking pink.




I'm surprised I spotted this demure 1/4 inch flower.  Its little pom-pom like white stamens(?) add a touch of whimsy.




There are a few yellow violets blooming, but they'll become more profuse as the days pass.




I think this might be a maple seedling, trying its best in the dry earth of the path.




Along with the cheer of spring flowers, I can see the stress of plants as they deal with the dry weather. We had very little snow this winter, and barely any rain this spring. The mosses, which are usually emerald green at this time of year after soaking in the moisture of covering snows, are dull and parched looking. But nature is very resilient, so when rains come, the greens will be vivid again. 

9 comments:

  1. the parched conditions in Spring are unlike anything I have ever seen....

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  2. Happily saw coltsfoot today on our river walk and blood root. Made me happy as I know these flowers have made you. Thanks for your postings, Altoon.

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  3. is that little violet flower Bloodroot? I must look it up, charming! I do hope we get some rain soon. Thank you for the lovely post.

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  4. Thanks for all the comments, and thanks for the ID of the violet flower, John.

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  5. Spring is creeping in in a beautiful fashion.

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  6. It is horribly dry here in Chicago as well. Except weird due to a week of 80 degrees in March. Some things will revive, yes, but others: who knows?

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  7. We had almost an inch of rain over the weekend which has revived everything. They just ended the no-burn rule in our county. Hard it imagine it would be so dry there would be brush fires in April! Hepaticas (the blue one) are among my favorites. I grow the natives but am searching farther afield for more varieties.

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