In the heart of Minneapolis is a hidden garden gem — the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. With fifteen acres of woodland, wetland, and prairie, it is the oldest public wildflower garden in the nation. The garden was established in 1907 by botanist Eloise Butler and the Minneapolis Parks Board. We spent a delightful early Saturday morning at the garden. These purple trilliums were blooming profusely, along with marsh marigolds, hepatica, anemones, two-leaved toothwart, and trout lilies.
Photography
Fishing success
The ice is out, spring has sprung, and fishing season has begun once again in Minnesota. And this year I’ve joined the ranks of Minnesotans with a fishing license! To be honest, the last time I was fishing was when I was about 13 years old. But, like riding a bike, it’s something that comes back to you (along with some good coaching too!). Paddling against wind gusts up to 30 mph and battling the whitecaps, we put our canoe into Peltier Lake and proceeded to the calmer shore and threw in our fishing lines. After awhile without any bites, we moved to where a small river enters the lake. The water was pretty shallow, the sun was nearly ready to set, and the fish were biting! Within about ten minutes we had caught 6 crappies! Now that’s an exciting way to fish, and with that success I’m excited to try it again. Yes, I know fishing isn’t always that rewarding, but it’s a delightful way to spend a warm evening outside. (And the crappies were delicious the following night for dinner!)
Spring blooms
I found the first bloom of spring in my backyard yesterday. Those of you in the upper Midwest know this has been a long and drawn out winter. But we had a delightfully warm & sunny day yesterday, allowing me to clear the marsh grass from the garden beds and do some general cleanup. It was a delight to find the tulip bulbs had emerged about an inch and half above the soil. That was reason to celebrate. But when I uncovered these beautiful little squill blooms I was delighted — our first glimpse of color since last fall. These are tiny flowers, only about two inches tall, so I didn’t see them at first. But for being so small they are certainly mighty; surviving the summer and bringing springtime joy and the promise of warmth and a renewed growing season!
Bougainvillea red & white
My exhibit of photographs titled “Paths and Portals” ends today at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Thanks to all the people who came to the receptions (the opening and the closing) and to those who left comments for me at the Center. This image “Bougainvillea red and white” was one of the more popular photographs. Perhaps the colors speak of warmth and summer, while we’re still battling winter’s grip here in Minnesota. This scene is from Tucson, Arizona and caught my eye with its contrasting colors as well as the details that were so artistically painted over the door.
Arrival of spring
I was out early this morning on a short run through my neighborhood. Last week’s cold and stillness of winter has been replaced by the activity and cacophony of spring. My breathing was accompanied by the songs of robins and cardinals and the tapping of a woodpecker, and my running was in synch with the scurrying of squirrels and the neighbors walking their dogs in the early light. Everything comes to life with the promise of spring, including the blowing of white clothes freshened by the spring breeze and warmed in the heat of the sun on the clothesline.
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