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.