Wildflower Watch!

This has been such a long winter. I've been feeling so weary of winter's landscapes. It has been interesting to look back at my photos from last year at this time, and see how green it was.


But, there is hope. Yesterday, it snowed, but the day before, I found this at Fontenelle Forest:

Dutchmen's Breeches. Spring wildflowers!!!


Last year, I saw these flowering about three weeks earlier. I am so glad to see them again. I was also looking for Bloodroot and Spring Beauty, but didn't see them on the trails I checked.


We also saw Ruby-Crowned Kinglets flitting through some bare branches, and saw a duel between a Red Admiral and a Comma butterfly. They flew at each other and tumbled about.


I've always had a special love for wildflowers. My parents have a photo of me from when I was five years old, sitting in a fig tree, holding a handful of Oxalis violacea. Not much has changed, except that I now take photos or paint the flowers instead of picking them.


Do you have a favorite spring wildflower where you live?

Butterflies!

Weather in Nebraska is always interesting. Last weekend, we had record cold temperatures. Midweek, they are predicting almost 80 degrees. And next weekend, snow is predicted again.


But it is trying to be spring! And on my hike yesterday at Fontenelle Forest, I saw leaves of Dutchmen's Breeches wildflowers coming up. I was searching for Bloodroot, but they were not up yet in my usual spot.


But we saw three butterflies! I think they were commas, because I have seen them in this area of the forest before. The adults can overwinter. I wonder if these are overwintering ones? We had such a harsh winter, it would be absolutely incredible if that is the case. But nature always fills me with wonder.

The butterfly is almost in the center of this photo, basking in the sun in the middle of the fallen leaves. I took the picture with a cell phone, because I did not have a better camera with me, so I apologize that the picture is terrible. I was not expecting to see butterflies this early.


Whether they were overwintering ones, or not, they definitely brought a sign of hope for the spring.