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.

Visual Overload

When April hands you a sunny weekend with summer temperatures, you run with it. Well, I didn't run, but I did everything else. I traipsed through the nearby woods to look for more lovely fungus. Besides the joy of no people, no mosquitoes, no brambles and no ticks, there was the surprise of these bloodroot in their endless variation.

While I snapped photos, a pair of hawks shrieked overhead. I don't think they appreciated me wandering so close to their nest.

The lovely cecropia colored fungi had dried up, but I found much more to ooh and ahh over. I could fill a book with pictures of mosses, lichens and fungus from this few acres of woods, set aside as open space by the township.
This downed tree, one of dozens that kept me wondering what storms I had missed, mesmerized me with its abstract patterns.
As I was heading out of the woods, I happened upon this skull, deer I assume.

The weather was glorious, so I made the most of it. After my walk in the woods, I spent some time in my own yard. I weeded, cleared the garden, turned in the compost, and busted my knuckle on the wheelbarrow.
I took some pictures of the pretties in between chores. These are called glory of the snow, and they are described as blue or purple blue in my garden books, but they still look lavender to me. The striped squill have spread all over the front yard and the woods. They are a tiny, happy surprise every Spring. And I guess they are kindof blue, so much for my declaration of no blue flowers.

The tulips emerged and bloomed in a matter of days. I never cease to be amazed. If all this wasn't enough, I went for a long walk in a riverside forest preserve with the dog while the daughter volunteered at the animal shelter. I saw some things, oh yes, I did.

This little fox was wandering boldly along the side of the road, checking in every nook and cranny for something to eat. I snapped these from the car, and followed him for as long as I could. I even called to it, silly me, because I had dog biscuits and crackers and wanted to share them. I didn't realize until I saw the pictures that the eyes were closed in every shot. I hope it is squinting in the bright sun and not blind as it appears to be. I can't stop wondering about the little thing, wishing to keep it fed and safe. Oh, what to do in the face of such things.
Then, more mysteries. What the heck is going on here? This pole goes through this tree and out a branch, resting on the branch of a neighboring tree. It must have been done years ago, but by who, and how and why?
If that wasn't exciting enough, how about this old man in the tree? I laughed as I snapped these pictures.
Then there were the fossil rocks, strewn amid the glacial till and boulders, just waiting for me to find. Imagine, an ocean in Illinois, eons ago, its evidence carried here by a glacier and dumped in the prairie. And this strange growth on a tree whose name I've forgotten - cedar maybe? Then these tiny, lovely mosses. I was beside myself.


Yes, it was a very full day. April 10, 84 degrees, and I got to spend most of it outside. My eyes saw more than my brain could process, just like most days.

Now April is returning to its regularly scheduled programming, but I hear rumors of more unseasonably mild days ahead. I'll be ready for them. And I'll take anyone who wants to come along with me.

True Colors

These are not true to the eye, except for the whites. Photography is complicated!

The crocus I planted a few years ago are beginning to take off, and every Spring I love to see them poking in defiance through the barren brown ground. I've been trying to catch their color, with little success. I've spent some time Googling why purple shows up blue, and well, it's complicated. And my little camera and my little brain are not up to the task of correcting them either at the front or the back end of the process. Just trust me when I tell you there are no blue flowers in my yard, but there are a lot of lovely purples. And the pictures that look purple are a pale imitation of the purple my eyes see. Feel free to copy and photoshop or crayola the right color onto these lovely posies for your amusement.

I snagged a photo off the internet of the true purple of my tiny iris for comparison, and you can see how far off they are:
Anyway, no matter what colors you are seeing, or photographing, hope you have a Happy Friday!

Music Like No Other

When I was a child, I sang in choir, and the blending of voices into one always filled my soul with joy. I cried happy tears through every note of this TED video, and hope you enjoy it too. Get out a tissue, and hear the magic of the internet, youtube and connections through music across the globe. We here know very well the community and love that forms between people who have never met.


(If you don't have 14 minutes, the good stuff without the background starts at 2:45, 6:30 and especially 11:00)

Full video and more good stuff links here.

Sunshine and Citrus

I'm back. I didn't even mention I was leaving, but I was just too strung out trying to get ready to go away for Spring Break with the family to write. I became practically insane getting ready to leave: pissy, near tears, fretting over the details, worried about leaving my dog, angry at everyone for not helping me clean, plan and pack, my usual pre-vacation mess. I don't transition well, but I was desperate for some sunshine. Even taking 5000 IU's a day of vitamin D, I can't get my levels up near normal. So I picked Florida for the one vacation fits all spot- golf for the boys, theme parks for the girls, a mini visit with the mother in law to appease my 2 years of guilt, and it was all good. Despite crazy weather, crazy logistics, crazy crowds, we did it all, everybody was happy and nothing went wrong, except a few storms and a lot of wrong turns.

Once I got where I was going, I let it all go, all the tension and angst, and despite weird, crazy dream disrupted sleep in a strange bed, I went with the flow. Took it all in. Rode a few rides and roller coasters that scared the crap out of me, made me scream like a girl, laugh like a kid and feel very, very alive; watched people, soaked up the sun and green and flowers, watched lightning shows like none I've ever seen, walked for days until my bones ached, ate the best fish and citrus and honey of my life - and then came screeching back to normal. I think I can make it to better weather here now.

Sorry I've neglected this blog, and I'm so far behind on all my favorites it will be a while before I get caught up. But I will.

Hope all is well in your world.