weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them. -- a.a. milne

Seems like the perfect devo for today

while walking at Bringle, I noticed that one of my favorite little wildflowers have opened up -- Blue-eyed Grass.

it isn't grass at all, but has foliage that looks like grass. this particular one is the Swordleaf Blue-Eyed Grass.

Field Mustard.  Mustards can be other colors besides yellow.  But they have 4 petals, 6 stamen.  The petals are either in the shape of an X or and H.  This one has both.  If you determine that a plant is truly a mustard, then all parts are edible.

Native Americans would make a poison with this plant to kill crows, hence the name, Crowpoison
Also called False Garlic.

Texas Toadflax.  Great nectar source for pollinators and important food source for caterpillars.  Native to southern US and naturalized to the northern parts of the country

One of the Daisy Fleabanes.  I think this one is Philadelphia Fleabane. It may be edible, but probably not palatable. Superstition has it that these dried flowers would rid a place of fleas.  Not so.

Reversed Clover

Pretty exciting to see the Monarchs arrive

This one is a male

Meanwhile, back in our own yard, I pulled some of these wild onions.

I think they look so cool!

The roots were tasty!  

This has popped up in one of my flower beds

I'm hoping it's Beebalm ..... time will tell

One of our native Spidorworts! I believe this one may be Bluejacket.
Any time "wort" is in the name of a plant, that indicates it has medicinal uses.  Want to guess one of them for this one?
(based on its name)

March 2020 - Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope -- Lady Bird Johnson

Common Blue Violet

I love these little flowers.  They are all throughout our backyard.  I'm on board with letting the yard be natural instead of fancy.  And since we're just coming out of winter, it's a little messy.  But the pollinators are happy.  And we're cool with it.

Azelias and Violets

I've transplanted some of the violets to another area of the yard.  They do choke out other plants, but they beautful.

I was excited to see a pretty large grove of Wysteria vines in the woods on my walk today

Reversed Clover

I've been admiring this vine for a couple of years, so today I pulled into the Red Springs Cemetery and got some pics so I could ID

This is Yellow Jessamine, aka Yellow Jasmine

and the tiniest little Southern Dewberry

Buttercups

One of the graves had some beautiful Grape Hyacinths planted around it

Bearded Iris

March Bouquets

I love flowers that grow as a bouquet!  Below are some of today's sightings at Bringle and a few in oby.

Last year  planted a little bit of Texas Betony

They've come back healthy and plentiful

Lindheimera Texana -- Texas Star

Pink Ladies are popping out

Beaked Cornsalad

Southern Dewberry

Red Buckeye is starting to bloom

poor pic, but I wanted a little reminder that the Mayapples are having a bumper crop this year

Prairie Groundsel  makes a sea of yellow in the area pastures

and makes for a nice bouquet

Dakota Mock Vervain

Spiderwort

Carry On, Spring!

During a time when much of the USA, and other parts of the world, is shutting down due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, one thing that is moving right along without being hindered, is SPRING!!
I've enjoyed my walks at Bringle for many years, even before they got University Rd. completed.
I've always claimed it as my happy place in Texarkana.  I don't believe I've ever loved it to the extent I'm loving it this year, 2020.  It gives me a sense of normalcy in a world of sudden life changes.
Carry on, Spring!

Bulbous Buttercup

Lesser Hop Trefoil

Pink Lady and a Large Crane Fly

probably a wet Dandelion

I can't get enough of the beautiful Pink Ladies that grow around the TAMUT pond

Spider web along the ground decorated with water droplets from last night's shower

White Clover

side view of the White Clover

a "DYC" (dang yellow composite), meaning it's hard to distinguish some of the yellow flowers in the Sunflower family

Henbit Deadnettle

Salsify or Dandelion.....all washed up

Hairy Vetch is starting to color the pastures and roadsides

this tiny purple flower is Reversed Clover

Southern Dewberry buds

the wetlands of Bringle Lake Park

Excited to see the beginnings of Crimson Clover

Springtime is for lovers!  Even if they're Large Crane Flies

the Redbuds are showing up --- which means the Dogwoods are right around the corner

this tree looks like it could a Fairy hideout

This is a stellar year for Mayapples!  I've never seen so many as what I'm seeing this year at Bringle.
They look like little umbrellas all over the floor of the woods! The "doubles" are the ones that produce flowers, which soon becomes a fruit. Typically, the flowers appear in May and the fruit ripens in the summer (which can then be turned into jams and such. With the climate changing, these have popped out pretty early. To get a good picture of the bloom/fruit, I have to practically stand on my head because they are under the "umbrellas".  The following are some of the pics I took today.  I could have spent the day out there just enjoying these beauties.

I believe I caught this flower in the act of closing up to become a fruit

my fave pic today

I only use my phone cam, but the woods were covered with the Mayapples as far as I could see