Take that, Polar Vortex, the Trout Lilies are taking over!

troutlilyPeople who live in warmer climes than the Great Lake State are posting all kinds of exotic fleur photos. Here things are just beginning to get a wee bit green. I was walking through “my” woods (it belongs to either the city or the school district (and I should know which) but it happens to abut my little bit of land) Saturday afternoon. Leaves were sprouting and I knew it was too early for Trillium or JITP but I was looking around for those beasties anyway. And then I saw Trout Lily!!! One cute little flower at first and then big patches of it. I do not remember ever seeing Trout Lily in “my” little woods before. Is it new this year or did I somehow miss it before?

How could I have missed it? Maybe it’s because I am not really the best at retaining plant / aminal identification stuff in my head. I know the difference between the Red and White Pines of the Great Lake State because when I was a small child, my grandfather took me and a few of my cuzzints on a walk down the old road at the moominbeach. He very carefully and kindly explained the difference in a way that very young children could understand and I will never forget it. I also know poison ivy oh boy oh boy!!! Learned that one the hard way. As much as I love to be outside rambling around *in* nature, I tend to bask in the big picture, only focusing on the details to get a photo or two or ten. Somehow, in the last decade or so, I am slowly learning some of the wildflowers that inhabit the northwoods in the spring. I credit Radical Betty and our beloved North Country Trail friends.

Amber and her owner were in the woods when I was looking at the Trout Lilies. Amber is a baaaaad doggie who has been known to keep her “mom” in the woods for a long period of time trying to get her to part with thedead squirrel in her mouth. But that’s a whole ‘nother story. On this day, Amber’s “mom” admitted to digging up a couple of wildflower plants from the woods over the years. Which is illegal. I just laughed. I am the daughter of the Trillium Bandit (aka The Commander). I once aided and abetted the Trillium Bandit in a wildflower heist on a back road off M129 south of Pickford. Doing the dirty deed, my mother was anxiously watching for traffic as if she were about to rob a bank. The Trillium Heist was successful. I think that one dirty old pickup truck drove by. They weren’t interested in anything we were doing and nobody from the Michigan DNR came along. The Comm would’ve been totally embarrassed if she had been caught by someone from the DNR, being that her long-dead brother once headed the DNR. I am thinking that if my uncle Austin had been alive and with us on that expotition, he may have helped his sister steal that Trillium plant.

Okay, Maple Bacon potato chips anyone? I am not a huge fan of flavored potato chips. I will go for the original Lays every time. I do like Salt & Vinegar and I will *occasionally* go for barbecued or sour cream. But not usually. Yesterday I sent The GG and his daughter over to the Plum Market for some hors d’oeuvres. They came back with a variety of things including Maple Bacon potato chips. What can I say? It wasn’t a family sized bag but it is gone today.

One Response to “Take that, Polar Vortex, the Trout Lilies are taking over!”

  1. Margaret Says:

    I love salt and vinegar chips; I’m not too sure what I would think about maple and bacon together. I’ve been posting lots of tulip pictures which aren’t super exotic. We grow them well here in WA. 🙂