Spring flowers and shooting stars

So off we went on our late afternoon walk.  I wanted to see if the trilliums had opened, and I wanted to take some pictures with the little old blind camera. In spite of its useless display, I am fond of that camera. There is something freeing about using the viewfinder to frame the shot and hoping for the best.

There was another frost last night, so they were a little the worse for wear, but sure enough some of the neighborhood Trillium grandiflorum had finally opened all the way. While I was looking it up to make sure I had the scientific name right I discovered something else. Trillium seeds, according to my beloved Stan Tekiela, “are dispersed by ants, which carry the seeds back to their underground homes, but don’t eat them.”

I love Stan, but he has these little quirks. He’s always throwing out little tidbits like that without ever thinking to answer the logical question. In this case that would be why would an ant do that??? I don’t see what’s in it for the ant. Do ants have religious rituals? Is there a trillium seed fragrance that fascinates them? Are trillium seeds collector’s items for ants, like works of art or salt and pepper shakers for humans? I digress. Here are the trilliums.

Down the road we spotted a little patch of trout lilies (Erythronium americanum). They were shivering too.

The moss phlox (Phlox subulata) down on the beach has spread, and looks very nice. (These particular photos were taken on Friday with the replacement camera.  It has its uses too.)

In among the tiny phlox blooms the snakegrass poked its snaky little head up.

I collected a little bundle of snakegrass (Equisetum) on the bluff overlooking the Bay and brought it home to photograph in highly artistic ways. Don’t worry, I didn’t pick an endangered species. There’s plenty more where that came from. In fact it threatens to choke out everything else.

Finally we have Miss Sadie, an excellent terrier who wishes that I would let her luxuriate in a patch of sun right in the middle of the road. (She has forgotten what it is like to be a City Dog, and is always surprised when a car ventures into the vicinity of the Writing Studio and Bait Shop.)

It looks like it’s going to be a nice clear night. I’m trying to stay awake long enough to watch the Lyrid meteor shower. There is, of course, no way at all I’m going to be able to take any pictures of that, but NASA hopes to make some 3-D images. Imagine that. I’ll let you know how it goes.