Good-bye Winter, Hello Spring

Although the creative blogging event hosted by Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning is over, I have one belated contribution. I have been sickly for the past month and unable to participate in some of the weekly events of Wildflowers in Winter. For the last week of the inspiring series, Elizabeth Joy asked us to post a picture of an early wildflower in our area. This picture taken last year at a local park is usually the first flower that I see each spring.

If are not observant, you might miss this tiny harbinger of spring, Whitlow's Grass.

Wildflowers in Winter - Week Four

For the week of February 6th through the 12th, the assignment for Wildflowers in the Winter is to show how wildflowers are featured in various decorations in our home. Elizabeth Joy of Wildflower Morning has created this eight week event to have some fun with wildflowers until spring arrives. To sign-up, visit Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning.

I have inherited my mother's china, which is Franciscan Desert Rose. The plates themselves are lovely, but I especially like some of the special pieces such as the rosebud salt and pepper shakers, the butter dish with the bud-shaped handle, and the creamer with the twisted-stem handle.

When my sisters and I were young, my parents started collecting pieces of silver flatware for our hope chest. A hope chest is similar to a dowry, something of financial worth that a young girl might bring to a marriage. Pictured is my silverware. The pattern is Woodlily by Frank Smith. Perhaps, the artist has actually portrayed Lily-of-the-Valley instead of a Wood Lily.

I have a few items with pressed flowers. Shown here is a place mat that was also my mother's. There are two unknown flowers, some milkweed seeds, money plant seed pods, and other plant items.

Another treasure from my parents is an antique lamp with this hand-painted shade. In addition to the artist's interpretation of a swallowtail butterfly, the idyllic scene includes some variety of morning glory.


To see how other participants decorate with wildflowers visit Wildflower Morning.

Wildflowers in Winter - Part Three

For the week of January 30 to February 5, the assignment from Wildflower Morning is to share stories or poetry about wildflowers. My choice is a childhood favorite lyric of song from the Hansel and Gretel opera by Engelbert Humperdinck. In this song at the start of Act Two, Gretel is singing about the unusual wildflower, the Jack-in-the-Pulpit. I have not had the pleasure of actually seeing this unique flower with the descriptive name. My good friend, Gawilli, has one growing in her yard, and she blogged about her treasure here.

There Stands a Little Man

There stands a little man in the wood alone.
He wears a little mantle of velvet brown.
Say, who can the man there be,
Standing underneath the tree
With a mantle of velvet brown?
His hair is all of gold, and his cheeks are red.
He wears a little black cap upon his head
Say, who can the man there be,
Standing, oh so silently,
With a little black cap upon his head?
With a little black cap upon his head?





The photo of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit is from National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wilderflowers, Eastern Region, Revised Edition, published by Alfred Knopf:New York, 2001

Wildflowers in Winter - Part Two

For the week of January 23 to January 29, the assignment from Wildflower Morning is to show a winter image of a flower in your area. For more information, check my sidebar or visit the Wildflowers in Winter hostess , Elizabeth Joy of Wildflower Morning

This picture of the Dandelion and the green Ground Ivy leaves was taken on January 12, 2005. We had several inches of snow the next day.

I believe the flower in the following picture was some species of Aster that graced an old sandbox in our backyard this past autumn.

This specimen might be a remnant of a Motherwort plant, Leonurus cardiaca.



To join this winter festivity or simply view other winter blossoms, visit Wildflower Morning; she has a convenient list of participants.

Wildflowers in Winter

Wildflower Morning is proposing some wildflower fun this winter to take us into the first days of spring. She is suggesting the following to help pass time until the spring wildflowers actually appear.

I will have a different theme each week through the middle of March. Join right
in by making a post on your blog fitting the theme. You may copy the theme image
for Wildflowers in Winter onto your blog entry, and link back to this blog so
others will know where to look for more information. Then come back to my blog
and enter your information in the Mister Linky at the bottom of the page, so we
can all see your post. Late entries will be accepted up to March 12. My daughter
wants me to make sure and let you know that children can participate not only in
the children's art contest, but in all aspects of the Wildflowers in Winter
Theme, if they have the photographs or skill to do so, and thus be entered in
the drawing.

I have several favorite wildflower pictures. But here are two of my favorites.

Hoary Puccoon grows on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. I like the cheery yellow-gold flower and dark green leaves.

The unusual Goat's Rue grows at Hoosier Prairie, a national nature preserve in northwest Indiana.