Monday, April 7, 2008

First flowers of the woods

I always look forward to the "firsts" of the season--the first calling frog, the first hungry hummingbird, the first sunning turtle.
And when the winter has cast the woods in brown for so long, I eagerly search for the first wildflowers of spring.
Those bright, joyful faces peeking through with such pure color. Yet unmuddied by rain. Their tender freshness lovely against the weathered leaves of the forest floor. The new life born of old.
It helps me mark time.

We lingered along the trail at Lake Katharine, finding ourselves in the midst of them--and wondered how it was that we alone enjoyed them there.
A man hurried past and called back over his shoulder to ask why I carried a camera.
Perhaps it is his habit to walk these trails each day. The lovely faces looking back at him now so commonplace that he does not need to pause to take them in.
Or maybe it is that he hurries past, never knowing they watch from beside the trail.

Virginia Spring Beauties




Round-lobed Hepatica




Bloodroot




Dutchmen's-breeches

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15 comments:

KGMom said...

Nina--such lovely photos of lovely flowers. As for the man hurrying by, he misses what is right in front of him.
Thankfully, you captured the beauty.

Anonymous said...

I am a first person also! Love yoru flowers for sure! Thanks for sharing!

Tom said...

What a sight that must hve been. I love the aptly named Dutchmen's Breeches...

Beth said...

lovely, delicate little flowers, I'll be watching for them here.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

These pictures could have been taken in our woods. At least the woods we walk through at the park. It is an exciting time watching the firsts of the warm season.

Carolyn H said...

Nina,

Your spring is ahead of mine. I'm still waiting for the spring beauties, hepatica, bloodroot, etc. Coltsfoot only so far here!

Carolyn H.

Anonymous said...

Oh! Thanks for the pretty flowers. You must be about 2-3 weeks ahead of us, I'd say...

Cathy said...

Oh my gosh! Thank you! I do believe, I do believe.

Larry D said...

Great wildflowers, the bloodroot photos especially.

Texas Travelers said...

Great photos and story. I feel the need to get out with my camera.

I always love your posts and try to visit every day, though I don't alway comment.

I don't think I have ever said, but I like your Rachael Carson quote.

NCmountainwoman said...

Your post describes the two distinct types of folks who walk the woods. Some of them have a destination...the top of the hill, or the waterfall, etc. Some have a journey, enjoying all the wildlife and wildflowers and soaking up the signs of life along the way.

I'm not being critical of those who want to move onward and upward. Their power hikes are as much fun to them as my stops to see if the Trillium has started to come up are to me.

We all love nature and the outdoors and that's the important thing.

Lovely pictures. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Great flower shots!

Arlene,
Puyallup florist

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Yes--I realize my southern position relative to so many others.
Although I think Ohio is not normally thought of as a southern state, the warm breezes out of Texas float through the Ohio River Valley and stay south of the Appalachians in the eastern part of the state, especially.
Many times it's easier to imagine me in Kentucky or West Virginia!

Mel said...

Lovely and delicate flowers, thanks for making me smile :)

Marvin said...

Watching spring progress northward via wildflower photos is fun ... and seeing which flowers are the same and which are different is interesting.

(My bet is that the man rushing along the trail never really notices what surrounds him. There's a lot of that going on.)