I can't stay out of the woods in May!

The woods are magical at this time of year before the canopy fills in, sunlight dappled and the ground thick with wild leeks and spring ephemerals. Notice the love affair of trillium and bellwort, loving woodland companions.

Trillium blooms are at their peak this week, the beautiful grandiflora species especially bountiful. A few weeks ago I was puzzled by something mysterious. What is this strange flower?

The mystery was revealed when I spied a trillium clearly infected with a parasitic mycoplasma or phytoplasma (latter is the newer nomenclature). Compare the photo below to the one above with its flower sporting bacterial green.

As for other wildflowers, Dutchman's breeches are just about finished blooming, with Solomon's seal yet to come. Violets are flowering both in the woods and the garden both, deep purple ones around my house and the lovely little yellow downy violets in the woods. But we never tire of trillium, do we? Its season is all too brief.

Look up through the tops of the trees, too, and see how much light comes in before the canopy fills with summer leaves. 

Back on the ground are beauties other than flowers, such as this charming group of mossy rocks hidden deep among the trees. 

And oh, those lovely, luscious ferns!

Spring a Dozen Ways

 

To make it a baker's dozen (13), see my April "Books Read" list here. 

Worth a second look

 

Come for a Walk with Snootus and Me!

  

Let's go to the Big Hill, Snootus!

Life at the edge

Closer

Closer still

Wild apples on the edge

Ridge periphery

Fallen I

Fallen II

Standing

Towering

There he is! Snootus, a.k.a. Peasy

Here he comes!

And back out again! That was fun!

Michigan Dreamin'

Preparing to depart Arizona, en route to Michigan, and thinking about spring wildflowers in the woods near home.

Can You See the Flowers for the Greens?

At first, when you look into the woods,

all you see is the green of wild leeks,

but down among the green are the mottled leaves

and graceful flowers of troutlily, 

also called dogtooth violet.

Spring beauties hide amid the leeks and troutlilies, too.

Then there are the mysterious beech buds unfurling --

New Year's Day -- OUTDOORS!

A beautiful day for trekking and tracking

Neighbors were out early

Sarah loves this kind of adventure

Ice is beginning to form on the creek

Thin ice, that is

Who but a squirrel would attempt this?

But the whole area is well travelled

Mystery clump surrounded by deer tracks

Probably not an elephant turd

Broken apart, clearly it's moss....

We were far from the road

where the scenes were lovely

and many dramas had taken place--

An invigorating start to a new year!