rainbows in spring

the name iris comes from the greek word for rainbow.

iris buds

overlooked and ordinary

making this photo today reminded me of three STILL general principles: 1) just after a storm is a productive time to look for STILL subjects, 2) transition periods between seasons are often more interesting than peak season, and 3) sometimes it’s not the 1st, the 10th, or the 100th time you look at a familiar object. sometimes you have to wait until the 101st time before, suddenly, it bursts free of ordinariness and familiarity into a spectacular newness. case in point. these silver maple leaves.

silver maple leaves

the fairest of the fair

i love all my ferns the same, but i love maidenhair the most. that’s what my romanian immigrant grandmother used to say about her ten grandchildren…”i love all my grandchildren the same, but i love dee dee the best.” dee dee is my older sister, grandam eva’s favorite. i always understood you grandma eva, no hard feelings.

maidenhair fern (Adiantum aleuticum)

spurred

the genus name aquilegia comes from the Latin “aquilegus” meaning water-drawing or water-collecting. the common name “columbine” comes from the latin for “dove”, due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. in america, columbine will never more simply be a delicate springtime wildflower. it will the be the symbol for a period of darkness, that none of us knows how long will last.

columbine (Aquilegia)

hiding in plain sight

“Down in the shady woodland where fern-fronds are uncurled, A host of green umbrellas are swiftly now unfurled. Do they shelter fairy people from sudden pelting showers? Or are the leaves but sunshades to shield the waxen flowers?” (Minnie Curtis Wait -1901).

mayapples (Podophyllum)