Lady's Slipper Orchids

"Suddenly I realize
That if I stepped out of my body I would break
Into blossom."
- James Wright

Sunday morning dawned bright and clear and sunny, a perfect day for a long walk through the gamelands that are about a 15-minute hike from our house.

We saw tadpoles floating about in several of the gamelands' many ponds, as well as big, white masses of eggs (either frog or salamander, who knows which).

And in a quiet, shady spot just a few feet from the trail, I came across this wonderful gift: a lovely pair of pale pink lady's slipper orchids!

Wild orchids weren't the only gift of the day, however; when we returned to the house in late afternoon, I spied a flash of bright green: my first hummingbird of the season, snacking at the feeder we had hung on the deck.

Was it the famed Lady Greensleeves, the lovely little green hummingbird who has spent the past few summers enjoying my hummingbird feeder and my butterfly garden with its bright, red monarda blooms? (Well, they're not in bloom yet, but - keep growing, little monarda, keep growing! - for a tiny, hungry bird awaits!)

How I have longed for the Lady's return, these many days and nights she's been gone, and how I have fretted over her safety.

I wasn't close enough, though, to verify that it was indeed the much-awaited Lady, or fast enough with the camera to get a shot of the little bird, but I promise I'll keep the camera ready and maybe one of these days I'll get to introduce you to my tiny, beloved friend.

So for now, enjoy with me these wild flowers: gifts of this beautiful, perfect, spring day, when every living thing (and maybe even a thing or two that is not!) seems to want to break into blossom.