pull your pants up

so, i’m all about spring ephemerals this week. spring ephemerals don’t die, but they go dormant and disappear from view shortly after they stop flowering. the first hint of warm weather triggers spring ephemerals to grow. but once the warm weather takes hold, ephemerals usually die back on top while their roots continue growing under the soil, conserving energy for the following year. the natural habitat for most spring ephemerals is a woodland, particularly damp areas like stream banks. we live on the edge of a lake and have left our land mostly undisturbed for 15 years. so, it was only recently that i started finding these shy and fleeting little early spring delights: hepatica, rue anemone, bloodroot, trout lily, marsh marigold, periwinkle, and dutchman’s breeches. probably here all along, but gone in the blink of an april week. nice to get to know you. i’ve got my eye on you.

dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullari)