the passing of the baton
i just learned that jack-in-the-pulpits are in the same sub-family as calla lilies. i don’t know how i didn’t notice the family resemblance before now. jack in the pulpits are shade-tolerant woodland plants, which also includes star flower, blue bead lily, baneberry, lily of the valley, and lady slippers. with the trees now fully leafed out, these late-comers mark the end of the woodland flowers. the woodland plants have done their job well, providing the pollinators with an important early source of pollen and nectar. soon the baton gets passed to the open field and roadside flowers who will color our world for the next four months and will so lavishly provide pollen (protein) and nectar (carbohydrates) that the bees can stash enough away to survive even our northern winters. nothing in nature is accidental.
jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
on the cusp
a week of sunshine and 80 degree temps was all that was needed to trigger an explosion of blooming plants. what is the seasonal event that says “summer is here” for you? meteorological summer begins june 1. astronomical summer begins on the solstice, june 21. my local naturalist guru i rely on heavily (larry weber) says that spring ends and summer begins, for him, when the open field flowers start to outnumber the woodland wildflowers. by that definition, i would say we are right on the cusp of summer here in minnesota.
columbine (Aquilegia)
-
Summer is here for me when all the screens in my townhouse have their own wee “screen spider”.
reply
square it up
inspired by artist avery gregory, i checked my first instinct to make a circle or an organic wandering line, and am trying rectilinear instead. i don’t know what it is, but sharp corners don’t feel STILL-like to me. i can’t explain it. they are too…too…too something. too intense? too unnatural? too self-conscious? what do you think? does this photo feel STILL-like? or like it is trying a little too hard to be STILL-like?
striped beach rocks from the mediterranean
-
I feel its totally STILL-like. And quite satisfying! Your ponderings didn’t even cross my mind.
reply -
It doesn’t feel like STILL to me. It makes me feel uncomfortable, like something is wrong. I can’t define what the problem may be.
reply
may bells
the loud chorus of lilacs has begun to fade, replaced by lily of the valley’s shy chiming.
lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
-
This is a splendid pic of this spring charmer!
reply -
These were in my childhood backyard and sadly, not in my current adult backyard. I think I need to remedy that! Probably my favorite flower, and that’s saying something.
reply
transitioning to summer
it feels like spring just arrived, and already we are in full transition to summer. you know how it is when one person in a house is really busy, and then the whole household feels busy, even when the others aren’t? that’s how i feel about this spring: it was so condensed, and so explosive, that even though i am personally having a fairly relaxed few weeks, i feel somewhat breathless nevertheless. i just want to throw my hands up in the air and shout “why are we all in such a hurry? can’t we all calm down a bit and relax?” then i remind myself…nature makes no mistakes.
bearded iris buds (Iris germanica)
