spring patchwork

Spray-painted leaves, seeds and gravel.

Well Ma, within this rather scrappy collection of sightings from recent wanderings, there seems to be no story, no rhyme or reason in their relation to one another - so I'll just lay them out for you like the yet-to-be-stitched pieces of some crazy patchwork quilt. I love the way my real patchwork came together and gave it to August for her birthday last week.

The first flower to really catch my fancy this year was Claytonia virginica. I'd never before found it, maybe because in wetter times I was unable to walk across the riverbed to that part of the floodplain where they flourished. I was quite taken by their sugary pink stamens - and the tiny yellow bugs which I didn't even see 'til the pictures were enlarged back at the computer.

Claytonia virginica, spring beauty

Remember, if you double-click a photo, it will enlarge
Press "ESC" to return to regular view.

Berberis vulgaris, the barberry that crowds out our native woodland plants, harbors hoards of deerticks, and pricks at your legs, has an interesting flower and edible berry. I've seen wild turkeys nibbling on them.

Is this an Antennaria plantaginifolia pussytoes growing in the woods?
 What are the white bracts?
 Below are its basal leaves.

I walk and walk sometimes in the woods without seeing a single flower
 so it's such a pleasure to cross one's path now and then,
a delightful break in the grays and browns.
The Erigeron was nearly hidden between two rocks. 

pretty unopened buds

An exception to the above observation
 of not seeing many blooms in the deep woods
 are the Canada  mayflowers which are prolific
 - though many are without inflorescences.

Nipmuck Trail  runs along Basset Bridge Road before cutting back in by Mansfield Hollow Lake.

The Solomon's seal, Polygonatum,  in black & white.

I call these "bones" - old washed out tree roots beside the lake.

She's TRYING to get her ducks in a row.

Trientalis borealis - gotta love that name.

In the bog-waters at Natchaug are lots of Chamaedaphne, leatherleaf.

and along the edges I find the black (I think) chokeberry, Photinia melanocarpa. 

I never get tired of looking at them.

Maggie spotted this lonesome-looking rhodora, Rhododendron canadense,
on the far side of Willington's quaking bog.
I rarely come across this twiggy, still-leafless gem.

In the moat surrounding the bog lives our gorgeous native Calla palustris.

And the ladyslippers seem to like the outer edges 

as do the young wild cherries, Prunus serotina,  below.

Back in the neighborhood with Flora Jo, I got to smell the wistaria.
We don't see it much in these parts but then you don't have our lilacs.

The hickory leaf-bud looks like a flower. From a distance I thought I was seeing a tree full of red blossoms!

Sassafras is a very cool tree in my humble opinion.

I hope you've enjoyed these snippets of wild New England -
 for me, they could only be improved upon by your company.
Oh - Flora just wanted me to remind you
and anyone else that might be listening that
 dogs are people too.