First Flowers

Late April

Denton Wildlife Sanctuary, Greenwich, NY

and other places nearby

No matter what pains you take, probably –
undoubtedly –
an insect will have found the first flower
before you.
   HDT Journal, April 17, 1855

This year I am especially eager to see flowers again.
In the past few weeks, I’ve taken many walks –
on my own, and with Jackie – to places where I know what to look for.

It’s the when that is different this year.

Last year there was a heat wave in March, and that set the whole schedule off.

This year is off too, but in the other direction. Things are taking their time. 

(Except for the hepaticas, who come equipped with winter coats.)

It’s been cool and dry this spring. 

There wasn’t a lot of snow this winter, and we need rain, badly.
Many a recent walk has ended with – “well, maybe we’ll see it next week.”

We amuse ourselves with trying to guess what a certain green sprout, or pale tree bud, will turn out to be in the days to come.

Or with seeing signs of other forms of life.

At last it is getting warm again – and the ground blushes green.

Head for water, to see some of the tiniest blooms first.

Golden saxifrage

And check the dry leafy ground carefully, for other early starters.

Spring Beauty

All at once, it seems  like the flowers are tripping over themselves to get up and blooming, before leaves appear overhead and filter out the light these earliest flowers crave.

Plants that usually bloom weeks apart are now appearing all at once.

My attempts at record-keeping are a shambles. But I’m just going to relax and roll with it.

It’s an embarrassment of riches !