Thanks to my Sister!

 Ten years ago at this time of year I would have been out in the woods, walking whatever trails I could with my camera and looking for wildflowers to photograph.  The first three weeks in May are a special season in the woods, after temperatures have risen above freezing but before the leaves come out.  For those few weeks the sun can reach the forest floor, and that's when you can find the wildflowers in bloom.

Of course I can't do that anymore, but my sister can, so today she's given me permission to use some of her recent photos.  Thanks sis!

It's the season of leaves emerging, and soon the forest will be a different place.

But for now the woods looks like this, sunlight filtering through the branches to the forest floor.  Quite simply it is the most beautiful time of year in the woods.

And here in Ontario it is the time to look for Trillium, here a beautiful large patch.

I have always loved Trillium, and my sister did a great job of capturing these.

You probably would not recognize this field of small white flowers, because they are very rare here.

These are the white form of the Trout Lily or Dog-tooth Violet.  I have only seen these in one location myself.

This is the much more common version of the plant, with a yellow flower.  These are very common here, carpeting the forest floor.

And a great swath of bright yellow Marsh Marigolds.

A small clump, up close.

Thanks to my sister for getting these great photos and sharing them.  The two smaller ones are my own.