Woodland Emergence

I think I've mentioned before that my front yard is not actually a yard, but the edge of an Oak-Hickory Woodland. I've let it be, for the most part, to the chagrin of my husband, who likes the suburban look to his lawns. He gets the back yard, and the woods are mine. The woods, the wild flowers and the wild life are the best part of living here, even if our house has a bit of a white trash or hillbilly vibe to it. It suits me. And every Spring I run around the woods and the yard like a kid in a candy store, excited to see all my friends again.

The brambles are budding out. Wild Rose, Gooseberry and Wild Black Raspberry all have leaves now.

Mayapples have poked their heads from the ground. I love how they seem to offer their flower seed up like a treasure, or a baby for blessing from the sun.

Trilliums are up everywhere, almost overnight.

Interestingly, as mild as this Spring has been, we are a week to two weeks behind last year's emergence. I have only the tiniest hint of the trout lilies up, and they were in full bloom a week ago last year. The wild phlox have plenty of leaves up and I hope they don't get frostbit before April is done with us. Thankfully the cherry shrub is waiting longer to bloom this year, since last year's hard frost destroyed all the fruit. I'm really looking forward to some tart jelly this year. I can only wait and hope. Nature has her own plan and schedules, and they remain a mystery to me, as I watch every day, humbled, amazed and grateful.

And so it begins...

Lightning came down the east and west side of this oak, spraying one foot chunks of bark fifteen paces away in a huge arc. The tree is split vertically down the middle at least 8 feet up, I suppose as the water vapor exploded into steam, and a small piece of bark is impaled into the wood as though from a tornado. An awesome display of instantaneuos, benign destruction. I will miss this tree. It was the oldest offspring of the three dying old ones.




But the forest floor is wakening, despite the cold and wind. Trilliums and Mayapples popped while I was away, and the large colonies of dogtooth violets. I'm partial to purple mottled leaves and shy blossoms.


The nanking cherry I bought as a twig is full of blossoms. Early bulbs are everywhere. Tulips that were small sprouts when I left are heavy and glorious now. I've filled vases.




It is all good, except for the dead tree, and that's just the way it is.