Monday, April 20, 2020

North Idaho spring

Here in North Idaho, we're still waiting for bushes and shrubs to leaf out.


Every bush and shrub is loaded with buds, but very few have put out their leaves.



Instead, what we have are a lot of early wildflowers. Most notable at the moment are avalanche lilies, which love shaded forest floors and brushy understories.


Oregon grape by the roadside.


The dramatically beautiful wake-robin.


Claytonia.



Yellowbells. I could. Not. Get. The. Camera. To. Focus.


Shooting stars.


At first I thought these were also shooting stars (I photographed them from a distance), but now I'm not so sure. Cusick's speedwell? It doesn't seem to match. Does anyone know? (Update: Reader "Unknown" correctly identified this as grass widow. Thank you!)


Soon -- a week or 10 days at most -- these bushes will be a wall of green.



But not yet. Right now it's time for early wildflowers.

3 comments:

  1. Your Oregon grape looks different than what Dad called them, they are blooming here, and we have been having other things bloom as well, the daffodils have bloomed and the tulips are now going, and so are what I call the Oregon grape, it would be neat to see if they look the same at later stages in your neck of the woods. I loved the yellow bells, even if the camera wouldn't focus, they are beautiful just the same, yellow always makes me smile.

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  2. Your mystery purple flower looks like grass widow. We have it all over our property in Eastern Washington- it's a bulb that produces like crazy in the spring. Our arrowleaf balsamroot just started to bloom, so we're seeing big splashes of bright yellow all over in the woods- it's wonderful to see spring on display!

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  3. I'm hoping a lot of you see this. I am in desperate need of people to pray.

    Please pray for Baby L. She was born yesterday. Half of her heart is not working correctly. She was flown to St. Louis where the specialists have done everything they can. They are letting the parents hold her and are waiting for her to pass. Please join me in asking for a miraculous healing of Baby L's heart.

    I am good friends with both sets of grandparents and taught Baby L's mom in kindergarten. L's mom and grandparents came here for Sunday dinner every week after church for years. We camped together and have shared the highs and lows of our lives with each other. I go to church with Baby L's other grandparents. Their 22 year old daughter was killed in a tornado several years ago. L is named after their daughter. I can't imagine what this family is going through.

    PLEASE PRAY!

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