Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)

Hey Cris!  The paperwhites are blooming.  They smell great and are awaiting your return.

Pink Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium acaule)

A few months ago I mentioned Pink Lady’s Slippers in a post and  I have been waiting for them to show up in the woods next to the house.  We have had so much rain lately and very little sun, so I wasn’t sure if we would have a good showing.  Each year they seem to spread a bit wider and this year is no exception.  There are at least fifty within a hundred feet of our deck.  / The US Forest Service has a good description here.

They will be around for another week or so and then disappear back into the forest floor.

crocuses

Every April these crocuses (I looked up the plural) come out through a pile of pine needles and leaves just out the kitchen window.  It seems so improbable that it could happen year after year.  After a long winter of burning wood in the stove, and darkness and cold, how this happens is a wonder to me.