first flowers!

      
Just for the record, today I noticed the first blooming wildflowers I've seen on our property this year. I swear I was mid-sentence with the man who was drywalling near our back door, saying "Wow, it really feels like spr-" and I stopped short 'cause I saw blooming flowers!

They've gone to bed for the day, so I'll take a pic tomorrow, but they were, oh, heck, learned them (again) last year... red maids? Yes, Calandrinia ciliata.

Very interesting info on same at http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/calandrinia_ciliata.shtml. Apparently, the plants are edible (in moderation), and the black, oily seeds were very important in the diets of some Native Americans.

Stunning, intense hot pink/red. LOVE those little things. And, they were kind enough to decorate my new flagstone "staircase" which ascends to the new coop--making my work look MUCH more planned out and clever than it was. =)

Apparently, they don't mind a little disturbance, bless them. "I never did mind about the little things..."

the biobabbler