Church in the Woods

This is post #200 on "This Is My Father's World."  It's been very enjoyable for me to share with you the things I've seen in 'my little place in His world' for almost 3 years now! (My first post was on April 28th, 2013).  

I'm not planning on stopping... at least not at the moment.  I read awhile ago that to have a 'good' blog, you should post on a regular schedule so your reader know when to look for something new.  Well, my feelings about that are that it's MY blog and I'll post when I have something I want to share!  Sometimes that happens as often as a couple of times a week, sometimes once a week.... sometimes less often than that.  (By the way, you can follow by email or subscribe to posts if you want to know when a new one is published).

While often I 'work hard' on a post (maybe I should say I put a lot of time into it) I wouldn't exactly call writing this blog 'hard work'!  However, this being my 200th post, I decided to 'take it easy' on this one!  I've previously written about the subject of hepaticas several times before, so if you want to read more about them, you can click here or here (which was way back on Post #2).  

But, now you can do what I did Sunday morning in our woods...  relax and enjoy the first Spring-blooming woodland ephemerals.

If you go to the woods to find some hepatica for yourself, be sure to wear old clothes and get down good and close to enjoy them!  The next photo is what you'll see if you only walk around!

My post is titled, "Church in the Woods" because since my husband wasn't feeling well on Sunday morning, we didn't go to church.  At least, we didn't go to our church building.  I, however, went to church in the woods... praising God for the absolutely beautiful April morning and thanking Him for making hepatica flowers.  I may have even suggested to Him that instead of the typical mansion in heaven, I'd be very happy with a little house in the woods surrounded by wildflowers.  Maybe they could be in bloom all the time, instead of just a week or so in April?

PS - My last post, "Swamp Things - Morning and Evening" was one that took more time to write... and I think maybe many of my regular readers missed it because they, too, were outside enjoying the nice weather! (It had only half as many 'hits' as usual).  So click here if you want to read it.  Thanks!

Hepatica

Blooming now, in a woods near you (at least, if you live near me*) -- Hepatica!

Hepatica are really the earliest woodland wildflower we have.   In my garden, Snowdrops and Crocus might be in bloom before them, and Coltsfoot is probably tied with them for early bloom along sunny roadsides, but if you are looking for delicate beauty in the woods, Hepatica are your plant.

 I love searching out Hepaticas not only because I'm longing for wildflowers after a long, cold winter, but because there is such variety of color in their flowers.  White, pink, and blue....

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I wrote about Hepaticas in my second-ever blog post last April and told about why they are called what they are.  (You can click on this link if you want to read it.)  Today, I've been thinking it's too bad they don't have a prettier-sounding name.  Although, since I've known them for years the connotation I personally have with the name "Hepatica" IS of something pretty.  Still, you wouldn't want to name your child that, I don't think.  Not like you could name a girl Violet or Fern.  

Anyway.... here are some more photos.

Taken on April 14th

Two colors side by side

This one was growing between two rocks.

On a nice, warm sunny day the flowers open up, on cooler, cloudy days they stay more like the ones in the following photos.

If you are going to go out looking for Hepatica, their favorite spot is in a damp but well-drained forest (think moist hillside).  You won't find them in every woods, but when you do, I think their beauty will be a great reward for your search!

*If you live in more southern climes, the Hepatica have probably already bloomed, but here in north-east PA, they are blooming now!

What's Happening

It's been a little longer than usual since I've written a blog post.  Why? I've been trying to settle on a topic.  It's that time of year when lots of things are happening outside my door.  

Should I tell you about my first butterfly sighting of the spring?  I was so excited to see this Mourning Cloak on April 6th and to be able to look it up and read about them in the Butterfly Field Guide I received as a Christmas gift.  I'm hoping to start learning to identify more butterflies this year.

Or should I tell you about the first snake that I almost stepped on while watching the Golden-crown Kinglets that are still hanging around in our woods?

I'm sorry, but I don't have a snake field guide.  (or too much desire for one!) but maybe after I learn more about butterflies I'll have to learn about snakes.  He was a very brave little snake (eastern garter snake,  I think... anyone know?)  He was only about a foot long and was trying to scare me away by sticking out and waving his tiny tongue!  I tried to get a photo of him with it showing, but he was too quick for me and there was more to see in the woods, so I moved on.

Were any hepaticas blooming yet?  I found only one.

I'll be anxious to come back and check this patch of them in a few more days.

No flowers there yet, but aren't the leaves pretty?

I could tell you about how our Coltsfoot has started blooming, but I'd like to do a whole post about them sometime.  Anyway, here's a peek.  You know they aren't dandelions, right?!  (I have seen a couple of those blooming, too.)

Dandelions and Coltsfoot are easily mistaken, as they have similar yellow flowers if seen from a distance, but up close Coltsfoot look like this:

These are near our mailbox.  I enjoy their bright color this time of year!  

I could tell you about the tree swallows.  They're back, and they are starting to choose their territories.
These two are right over my head as I walk back from getting our mail.  They have chosen the bird house on the pole nearby.  One dive bombs me as they protect their home!  I'm used to it, as they do this every year.  Still, it's hard not to flinch as they come close!

This one is on a different box a little way up in the field, and doesn't seem to mind as much when Ruby and I walk by.

Ruby doesn't notice the swallow (she's too busy smelling something at her level over in the woods)  But she does like to watch the birds.

It was so nice on Thursday afternoon that Ruby spent quite a bit of time out on our deck.  The chickadees are not afraid of her - see one on the feeder?  Maybe they are friends, as they don't even scold her for being close-by, like they would if it was me.

I could give you an update on our bluebirds.  They still haven't seemed to have made up their minds about which box to use.  

 Mr. Bluebird was keeping an eye on the neighborhood for danger, while Mrs. Bluebird performed her morning preening.

As you can see, as I said... there is a lot going on.  There is one more thing I want to share with you.  There is nothing to see in the following video (it was dark outside when it was taken).  It's what you can hear that is exciting to me!

Yes, the Peepers down by the swamp started their spring chorus on Thursday night.  I want to tell you more about them sometime, too.... but that's it for now!

But wait, that's not all!

No, it really wasn’t!  Once I found the pretty Dog-tooth Violets that I showed you in my last post, more treasures started turning up all around the woods. 

Another kind of flower I was keeping an eye out for were Hepaticas.  Since they are one of the earliest bloomers of the springtime, I thought I might have missed them.  I was in luck though!

In this photo, you can see the front of one Hepatica flower, and if you look carefully, you can see the back of another one behind it. 

One of the neat things about Hepaticas is that they have so many variations.  First of all, there are two kinds - “Round-lobed Hepatica”- obviously with rounded leaves, and "Sharp-lobed Hepatica” - the kind we have.  Besides the shapes, their leaves can be green, purple, or brown - and the flowers can be white, pale blue or even pink!  This makes hunting for them fun, to see what you can find. 

Now, if you saw these blooming in the woods, would you think... “that might be good for my liver?”  That’s apparently what the folks long ago who named them thought.  The name Hepatica comes from the Greek word for “liver”  and another common name for them is “Liverleaf.”  In times long past (thankfully!), people had the idea that if a plant had the shape or likeness to a certain body part, it could be used to treat that organ.  No, I do not recommending next time you have a “liver ailment” you chew on a Hepatica leaf!  
 
Something (a deer maybe?) did chew on this next plant... notice the two stems with no leaves.  Also, notice how this one has a pinkish flower and purple leaves!

The next photo is interesting because it shows the Hepatica flower as well as seed heads on the same plant. 

Even the seed heads are pretty with their delicate fuzziness!

The Red Trillium were beginning to bloom nearby.

And the yellow violets were, too.  Sweet is the word for violets, don’t you think?

An hour and a half slipped quickly by while I walked slowly thru the woods delighting in these beautiful little treasures.  Then it was time to head home. 

On my way, I saw this cute cottontail and had some fun sneaking up to see how close I could get before he turned tail and ran...

                                         There he goes!