A Stroll in the Woods

As you can see, I managed to fix my blog yesterday. I was having problems with portions of it not loading correctly, or loading at all. It took me all day, with help from my computer savy daughter, but I finally figured out what was wrong. One of my widgets was causing the trouble. I eliminated it and voila! Everything started working right. I've also removed some of the things in my sidebar that I didn't want there anymore. I am relieved to have the problem fixed, but it sure was a frustrating day trying to find it.

On Memorial Day I spent some time out on my deck doing what I call "Research and Development" for Wool in the Wilde. I'm working on a pattern design for a new doll dress. This involves knitting swatches. That's what I was doing. But I did stop and take a walk with daughter Ruth, and Cable, to check out what wild flowers are blooming on the Parkarosa. This is what I found. Some of these have not been on my blog yet. Click on the pics to embiggen.

This is Starry False Solomon Seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

Maianthemum stellatum

It's a very small plant. About 5 to 6 inches tall with tiny little lacy flowers. (The yellow powder on the leaves is pine pollen.) We used to have tons of this around but after the big storm of 1995 that wiped out most of our forest, they disappeared. They prefer shade. I am so happy to see them again. The baby trees are getting big enough that things we lost in the storm are returning. I also saw a porcupine a few days ago, and heard an owl 2 nights ago. Haven't had either since the storm. I missed them.

This is all over the place right now and smells absolutely wonderful.

Prunus virginiana

It's Western Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana). Later all these flowers will become tiny little dark red cherries. They are tiny, sour, and have HUGE pits. But they make awesome jelly. Not that I ever get the chance to make it. The birds eat them all up.

Close up Prunus virginiana

This is called Wayside Gromwell (Lithospermum ruderale).

It's about 18 to 24 inches tall. The roots of this plant is supposed to make a beautiful purple dye. Some day I'm gonna try it.

Black Pine. The flowers of pine trees are kind of odd looking. This one, like all the others around here, is loaded with pollen. Everything outside is covered in it. My car looks yellow instead of dark grey there's so much of it. It's wreaking havoc with my asthma too.

Black Pine

This isn't a flower. It's a bunch of caterpillars on a small Snowberry bush. I took a pic cuz it was interesting. I don't know which of the many moths or butterflies that live around here these guys will turn into.

This is a Wild Sticky Geranium (Geranium Viscosissimum)

Geranium Viscosissimum

Every bit as pretty as the domestic ones you find in your local plant nursery, but they only have one or two flowers per stem instead of little bunches.

We have several wild Apple trees all over the Parkarosa. They are blooming right now.

Wild Apple

This is something new to the Parkarosa. It's called Clustered Elkweed (Frasera Fastigiata). It's a member of the Larkspur family.

Frasera Fastigiata

It's on a fairly large plant, and each flower has four pointed petals. We seem to have a lot of it in the area we found it.

Frasera Fastigiata

This is one of several wild Sweet Peas we have. Specifically Lathyrus latifolius. Such a pretty flower, it is very small and low to the ground. We've got it in three different colors.

Lathyrus latifolius

This is a Western Serviceberry bush (Amelanchier utahensis). They are gorgeous when blooming, but don't smell the flowers.

Amelanchier utahensis

They stink like crazy. I took a vase full in the house once. Had to take it back outside. Smells like rotting garbage. I admire them outside only. The berries are like a small dark purple blueberry. They don't actually have much flavor, though I've heard the jelly is very good. Again, the birds don't give us a chance to find out.

Amelanchier utahensis

This last one is an oddity. We have 2 of these out in the woods not far from the house. It's a lilac of the domestic variety. We don't know where it came from. It just appeared in the woods one year. I think it may have sprouted from a seed carried here by a bird, deer, moose, or other wild animal. Everyone around grows lilacs in their yard, including me (though mine aren't this shade of purple). So my hypothesis is possible.

I hope you've enjoyed my little Parkarosa wildflower tour.

Live long and prosper. \\//