Happy Birthday to Me and Rebirth to Spring!

Welcome and welcome back!
Every year on my birthday, I reflect through writing on the year and years past.  This year, I decided to take that writing right here, to the blog.  This also helps me continue on the mission I started last year, my life's purpose: to educate about nature.  This mission became more clear after reading "Last Child in the Woods."  In the book, the author shares the idea that people are not likely to protect what they cannot name.  Once people can name a plant or animal, they start to recognize it, see it's beauty and connect with it, and they are more likely to conserve it.
Last year was full of botanizing (or going hunting for new plants to id and learn about).  I make resolutions on my birthday instead of at the new year; one of this year's resolutions is to get out into the woods even more.  It's been working out pretty good so far and I've already seen some new-to-me plants.
Here's some spring ephemerals (flowering plants that are only around for a short time in the spring) and other goodies that I've seen recently and may be new to you.

A buckeye (Aesculus spp.) bud, these can get huge!

Chickweed (Stellaria spp.) can be a pest to gardeners, but doesn't have to. It's super nutritious and delicious!

So exciting, the first trillium of the year; can't wait to see them flower!

Woah, the first violet of the year, already!

Up close and personal with harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa). It's in the carrot family. Can you tell from the leaves? Yup, spring is here!

So cool, the paintbrush-like terminal bud of the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), that Audubon supposedly used for a paintbrush, and the round, fuzzy flower buds soon to turn a deep maroon when they open.

Amazing yellow spicebush flowers (Lindera benzoin). The bark smells like the spice it was substituted for by the pioneers, allspice.

The first toothwort (Dentaria laciniata/Cardamine concatenata) blossoms of 2012 with their jagged narrow leaves and horseradish-flavored, tooth-shaped root.

Okay, now that you know what they are, get outside and find your own!  Just make sure you tell me about them.  Happy hunting!

Today's Adventure

I have Spring Fever, bad!  I had the flu for the beginning of the week, but managed to ward off the majority of it with the help of herbs; I'm so grateful to the plants.  I was about to lose it, huddled up inside my stuffy apartment while the weather is so gorgeous with the first tinges of Spring.  

So today I finally got out for a hike with one of my besties, Dan.  Dan calls best friends, besties.  We can be super silly together.  We started this "Friday hikey hike" (as he calls it) about two years ago.  And almost every Friday since we have hiked in sun, rain, snow, wind, or whatever.  Others come and go, but we hold strong because we have this undying love of the woods (and somewhat flexible schedules).  Seriously, if I don't get out in the woods everyday, I start to get cranky. A little obsessive? Yes!

Sunday I saw the very first spring ephemeral wildflower, Harbinger of Spring!  I wait with as much patience as I can muster to see these amazing tiny beauties.  The sight of them gives me so much hope.  It's like an analogy for life: just like nature is reborn every spring over and over again, so we have the opportunity for rebirth over and over again, to make ourselves into who we dream to be.

Harbinger of Spring

Harbinger of Spring, or Erigenia bulbosa, is in the Apiaceae, or carrot, family.  It's also been called Pepper and Salt because it tastes like guess what.  I think it's pretty tasty myself.  It's native to this area and all of the midwest, spreading north to Canada and south almost to Florida, west to Kansas and east to New York.

Here's some other pics I'm excited about from today's hike.

Witch hazel in bloom

Look close and you can see the first tiny trout lily buds

Somebody has got to figure out how to make a bench or something out of this.  Wish I could lift it!

The coolest beech log in the world!

And then, when I got  home:

Garter snake sunning itself under the overcast sky

Hope you enjoyed our first adventure.  Let me know what you think.