WILDFLOWERS AT HOME ( part 6 )

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MAY APPLE

These plants begin to emerge in early May and as they grow tall in large groups they look majestic when lining the driveway on both sides before you come to the garage.  In early June they blossom and soon have “apples” hanging where the flowers once were.  If you are lucky enough to gather a ripe “apple” before the deer find them, you can eat them, but don’t eat the leaves.  

At the edges of farm fields May apple greens are sometimes eaten by cows and it is said they cause milk production to drop.    

                                              PINK LADY-SLIPPER

In the spring of 2013, our pink lady-slippers failed to bloom.  The photo above is from 2007.  I waited in vain for a photo opportunity this past spring; I am not sure why they did not bloom.  The leaves, two per plant, appeared healthy and lasted all summer. With a bit of luck we’ll see them bloom again in 2014.  

These lady-slippers have come up underneath a spruce tree near the pond for many years.  I believe they sprouted from bird droppings.  I have found no others on our property but they are quite numerous near Saddle Mound.

Yellow Hawkweed

This wild flower, or weed, appears about the same time as the Indian paint brush and is closely related.  It has the same hairy stem but fewer or smaller leaves at the base of the plant.  Yellow Hawkweed, stands much taller than the paintbrush and is also found on the dike.  It grows in full sunlight and lasts through June and July.  

                                              COMMON CINQUEFOIL

This yellow flower is widespread, weed-like, and grows on the dike and along the driveway.  It is low to the ground and spreads easily.  It appears in early June and lasts throughout the summer.

CANADA MAYFLOWER

This delicate little white flower appears in May and early June.  It shows up in the yard in the shady areas, on the shady side of the garage, and in the woods south of the barn.   It is a member of the lily family.

Another similar wild flower has a white “ball” of flowers and grows in similar places.

INDIAN PAINT BRUSH

The Indian paint brush is a very common flower of my childhood and can be found in the sunnier areas of the yard and especially on the dike and along the driveway edges.  It has a hairy stem, low leaves, and also has a strong, yet pleasant, odor.  The swallowtail butterfly loves the paintbrush.  I took this photo on the dike by the bulkhead.

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I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE

That’s what you said when you went away.

I cried a million tears that day.

I couldn’t believe you’d really go,

And when you left, I missed you so.

But here I am and you’re still gone.

Your memory never leaves me long.

I think of you each day and night

I miss you in the dark and light

Why you left I’ll never know

Or why you wanted to hurt me so.

So here I am and there you are,

And on we go, we’re miles apart.

Life’s not the same without you here,

I suffer through each a day, each year.

And still keep missing your smile, your face.

You’re one I know I’ll never replace.