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Monday, April 26, 2010

Too Tired

 
Believe it or not, I leave for NY and begin the hiking season leading to my completion of the North Country Trail in (YIKES) 6 days. I spent the day working on food, and various other projects that need to be completed before I leave. I'm really tired tonight, and hoping that's just an anomaly, or it's going to be a really long summer.

I'm just going to share a few more pretty spring pictures. First is the always-lovely Marsh Marigold (incidentally, also called the king cup, as in the poem from yesterday). Caltha palustris

marsh marigold

Next is a cousin, another member of the Ranunculaceae Family (Buttercups). There are over 300 members of this family. This is the swamp buttercup Ranunculus septentrionalis.

swamp buttercup

Last... just some lovely red maple leaves. They will be green in another week.

red maple




12 comments:

betchai said...

wow, you are accomplishing many things sharkbytes, wish you the best in your hike.

Julia said...

Those in the Ranunculaceae may be numerous but they sure are obvious from a mile away! Glad to see there is some floral similarity between east of Rockies and west of Rockies. And someone told me there was little synonomy from East to West! Ha!

Also excellent spot on the Lycium (Solanaceae)! Folks who can tell are far and few between.

Duxbury Ramblers said...

Shark that could almost be the patch of Marsh Marigold (king cup) I watch every year for flowering times, we don't get the swamp buttercup but yesterday I found my first Meadow Buttercup - Ranunculus acris in flower soon there will be millions.
Hope the trip goes well.

Secondary Roads said...

Enjoy the hike. I hope it goes well for you. Looking forward to the photos and verbal accounts of your adventures.

rainfield61 said...

The leaves of a maple tree are beautiful. Still remember the time I collected maple leaves at oversea and gave to my wife.
We dried them and kept as bookmarks.

VanillaSeven said...

Hope you will be refreshed after your rest and ready for action! Gorgeous flowers!

Anne said...

Those flowers are so pretty. I am so happy that spring has finally arrived. Good luck with the hike. What an amazing goal.

Ann said...

I had no idea there were so many varieties of buttercups. Rest up and have a grand time on your hike

Jen said...

I bet you are so excited about your adventures. My maple looked like that last week, now it's all green.

Sharkbytes said...

Hi betchai- Yes, I really am getting quite a few things finished this week. Way too many more that aren't getting done!

Hi Julia- Well, there seem to be major differences in the plants. I think I'd be lost near you. But those flowers just had to be Solanaceae.

Carol- Thanks so much. we have acris everywhere here too, although it's alien but naturalized.

Chuck- This will be an interesting hike. Marie's brother is going to day hike part with us. I'll be telling more soon.

rainfield- the maple leaves dry so nicely. I have books full of them between the pages, my friend!

Vanilla- I tend to see the flowers botanically, while you see them as art. I wonder what picture you would have shot.

Anne- I'm pretty amazed myself. But it looks like it will really happen.

Ann- Well, they don't all look exactly like these two, but they have features in common.

Jen- Thanks for stopping by. I was excited, and will be again in a few days. Right now, I'm just scrambling to get organized!

Rick (Ratty) said...

I'm beginning to see little flowers out here too. I thought maybe I had pictures of some of these too, but I went back and checked to see that mine are different.

Sharkbytes said...

Hi Ratty- Don't be shy to show us your flowers!