Happy Earth Day

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Here we are in the middle of April, at the height of spring wildflower season, and everywhere you look you can find reasons to celebrate the Earth.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate all the beauty of April by taking a few walks…

The sunshine urged me forward though the temperature was still in the 30s.

The earliest Mayapple peeking through the leaf litter.

As I descend into the valley, I am greeted by some old friends - dutchman’s breeches, Solomon’s seal, large flowered trillium, trout lily, blue cohosh, and squirrel corn not yet blooming.

From the Trillium Trail I head over to the Spangler Trail to visit Rathburn Run and see how it fared with all the rains we had.

The water levels had receded and the crystal clear waters ran across the beautiful stone bottom.

By the time I left, the temperature had risen and the flowers perked up.

Large flowered Trillium, Two-leaf toothwort, Bloodroot, and the lovely view

A beautiful, warm morning with so much to see.

The woods are awake and spring is well on its way.

1. Azure Bluets

2. Kidney-leaved buttercup

3. Mayapples

4. Cut-leaf toothwort

5. Wild Geranium Leaves

6. Mayapples that will produce flowers in a few weeks

7. Mayapples that will produce flowers in a few weeks - can you see the buds

8. Coltsfoot still blooming, the green leaves have finally emerged

9. Delicate Rue Anemone

So many beautiful flowers even before reaching the pond.

1. Common Blue Violets

2. Virginia Bluebells

3. The Bunnies of Barnes

4. Greek Valerian

5. Pussytoes

A chilly morning, but again, the sun makes such a difference.

A treasure trove of spring wildflowers welcomed me to this wet forest.

1. Wild Geranium

2. Wood Anemone

3. Dwarf Ginseng

4. Dwarf Ginseng looking like a sparkler

5. Wood Anemone

6. Rough Avens

7. Swamp Buttercup

8. Wild Blue Phlox

9. Solomon’s Seal in bloom

A raccoon and I startled each other at a vernal pool, they found a hollow tree, I wandered on.

1. Jacob’s Ladder

2. Jacob’s Ladder

3. The last blooming Marsh Marigold

4. Bishop’s Cap

5. Bishop’s Cap

6. Large Flowered Trillium

7. Wild Geranium

A tree had fallen leaving an indentation where the roots had lifted. This had filled with water. I gaze into the water to see hundreds of tadpoles swimming around. Good luck little ones.

That all of these exist, that we can enjoy them every year, is truly a privilege.
These are just a few small reasons why we need to protect and care for our Earth.

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