May Day

 I walked through these woods one week ago, and the seven-day changes were remarkable. The tops of the trees are greening, but there is still plenty of sunlight on the forest floor. None of the spring ephemerals seen last week were blooming except for Trout Lilies. Trilliums have taken over, but a few other plants are also taking advantage of the light. 

The hill that was covered in Hepatica last week is now covered in White Trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum). They had opened, but the flowers will continue to grow larger for a few more days.

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) flowers are hidden under the leaf litter and are pollinated by ground insects. I moved some leaves aside to see the small reddish-brown flowers under the heart-shaped leaves. The plant is toxic if eaten, even though it is similar aromatically to true ginger.

There were a few red trilliums (Trillium erectum) also known as wake robins, purple trillium, bethroot, or stinking benjamin.

The large-flowered bellwort or merrybells (Uvularia grandiflora) is native to our woodlands. 

Finally, I found one flowering Jack-in-the-pulpit (Uvularia grandiflora) in a protected area at the south end of the woods. Their distinctive flower will be widespread in a couple of weeks. 

"Forest bathing" is a Japanese practice that involves mindfully connecting with nature and engaging all senses. Nature is always instructive. I learn from observing how various spring ephemerals share space and bloom sequentially. Everything fits together and works together. I can take this lesson personally and work to unite rather than divide, to appreciate the needs of others as well as my own needs, to celebrate cultural diversity and human experience in the world, and to increase my understanding and compassion for those less fortunate than myself.