Reggie and I took a walk, off trail through the forest canopy across from the RedRock RV Park this morning. There were large sections still covered with snow, but the snow melt has been considerable in the last few days, uncovering a lot of forest floor. I was looking for evidence of wildflowers preparing to bloom or just starting to grow. I've always thought it would be an interesting project to photograph several of the common wildflowers in their complete life cycle. Whether I do that or not, it's interesting (to me) to see the precursor of many of the flowers. The problem is keeping track of them in their various stages. I'll keep working on that idea.




I recognized a couple, including the Meadow Rue. It has a distinctive leaf and is actually very beautiful with a dark green fringed with magenta. It often forms a sheath around a central set of round globules. (That's not technical talk, just a descriptive phrase.)

A couple solid red plants were poking through the debris. I assume they were non-chlorophyll plants, but not sure.

Some of the shrubs were getting their leaves also. Many of the shrubs bloom later with attractive flowers.

One of the best things about looking for these premature plants is finding them in such perfect condition, uneaten by insects, untorn by winds or other forest stresses. They are as nature intended them fresh with their intended colors and shapes.

The only blooming plants under this forest canopy today was the Glacier Lily. In fact both blooming and yet to bloom plants of this species seemed to dominate the forest floor everywhere. There were sections that were covered in their bright yellow colors.