you can’t find this in Minnesota

I finally got a chance to dump my bag of California goodies onto the floor. And these two caught my attention first. Barnacles are exclusively marine invertebrates. Which means they don’t grow here in Minnesota in our fresh water.  I have gathered a lot of driftwood over the years. Like sea-glass, I love its rubbed smooth quality. But in all my years of beach combing, I have never found driftwood with barnacles. I keep very few of my specimens, most of them end up back outside after I have photograph them. But these might just get to stick around for a while.

driftwood with barnacles

intermission

We will taking a little intermission from our spring line-up, as Minnesota gets blanketed in 6 inches of heavy, wet snow.  In a pinch–or a snow storm–I can always count on tendrils. Always fascinating. Always ready to pose.

We need the water. I’d prefer rain. But snow that will soon melt will do just fine too.

wild grape vine tendrils

One more…

I got home from California late last night. And I think I must have left a few molecules behind. I have been good for nothing all day today. My suitcase it still taking up space by the front door, unpacked. It doesn’t help that I was welcomed home with three inches of fresh snow. Which hurt all the more because northern California has had a wet spring, and everything was so green it looked like Ireland.  So, I am phoning it in today…one more classic STILL image from a couple years ago.  On the other hand, I did bring home a bag of left over NorCal foraged bits from my workshop I taught while I was out there. I’ll dump it out tomorrow, and hopefully find some fun new-to-me specimens to photograph.

signs of spring (6 of 6)

Some years, depending on the rains, all the leaves seem to burst their buds in the same week. Other times, it seems spread over several weeks. Waxy and transparent, baby leaves are so different from their mature form, that it is worth taking a moment to drink them it.

early spring linden leaves

signs of spring (5 of 6)

Delicate bloodroot is the very first of the woodland spring ephemerals to bloom every year. Sometime hepatica gets there first. Together they announce the season of spring ephemerals: The short window of spring wildflowers that take advantage of the leafless trees for the sunshine they need to bloom. It’s a fleeting season, and all the more precious for it.

bloodroot: spring woodland flower (Sanguinaria canadensis)