When you get a perfect spring day in April on a Saturday or a Sunday, you need to take advantage of the gift if you can. And when the whole weekend feels like a perfect June day, it’s time to be outside. We did go to church which was inside. I have remembered times when it was suggested we carry a few chairs out in the yard for worship, but we stayed inside today and listened to the Patriot Quartet and then had a fellowship dinner. But to top off the afternoon, my son and a couple of my granddaughters came out to go wildflower hunting with me. My son loves seeing wildflowers almost as much as I do.
But he likes dogs too and he took the picture of Frankie and said “Now there’s a happy dog.” Frankie does love going down to the creek. Of course he wasn’t the only one to jump in. The youngest granddaughter said the water was fine. If Frankie could talk, he would have said it was more than fine.
Marley went with us, picking his way around the rocks but he did sit down every chance he got. I think if he could talk he would have said, “I think this is far enough.” But of course we went farther. We had to hunt down some wildflowers.
I even got to spot one of the jack-in-the-pulpits. Spring just doesn’t seem to feel right if I don’t see one of those. We found quite a few more too. The ones pictured are trilliums and a wood poppy. They dotted the cliffsides with yellow. Bent trilliums are some of my favorites too. I took the picture of the white one from underneath the leaves. The blooms try to hide out on those flowers. Unfortunately, we had to have our tick radar on. You can’t go anywhere in the bushes without ticks deciding you might taste good. Frankly, I wouldn’t care if ticks died of hunger, but taking the chance of carrying a tick home is the price you have to pay to go wildflower hunting.
With my new release about to come out and a story titled When the Meadow Blooms, you know I have to be celebrating flowers.
COUNTING DOWN TO RELEASE DAY FOR WHEN THE MEADOW BLOOMS – 8 DAYS TO GO
I’ll be doing my first book signing at Tastefully Delicious, a great little store with many food items and gifts in the middle of Lawrenceburg on Saturday, April 30th from 11. a.m. to 2 p.m. I hope if you’re in the area, you’ll drop by and say hello and maybe carry a book or two home with you. But you can pre-order it anywhere, including still get that great pre-order deal of 40% off and free shipping from Baker Book House. There’s a Goodreads giveaway going on right now till the end of the week. You might be the lucky winner of one of five copies. Also keep your eye out and check your emails next week. I’ll be sending out a newsletter next week with some giveaway chances.
As always, thanks for reading.
Comments 23
Hello! I tried to reply to your email, but my message was returned, saying that was blocked. I don’t pretend to even begin to understand this technology. Your pictures are great! Looks like everyone had a nice time. The picture of you is missing, though. I love spring flowers. I agree with Robin Ann, God’s flowers are beautiful, and most of them are much hardier than th e ones we plant.
Author
I’m sorry you had trouble responding to my email, Barb. I’m guessing you got my newsletter and were trying to enter the giveaway. I’ll throw your name in my giveaway drawing hat. 🙂
Just as well that my picture was missing. It wasn’t that great a picture of me, but it did show the cliff nicely behind me and my granddaughter. I’m glad you enjoyed the flower pictures. God’s flowers are beautiful. He made our world beautiful in so many ways.
What fun you must have on your walks! The wildflowers are beautiful! The dogs seem happy. And how wonderful it is that you have a son that shares your love of the outdoors! You are truly blessed! 😊
The 4th picture down of a flower looks like an angel. (Replying to myself seemed the fastest way to add that tidbit. 😊
Author
You’re right, Karen. I can see that angel thought for that flower. The dogs were very happy. Well, Frankie happier than Marley who is getting old like me. That climb out from the creek is a rough one for an old dog. I had to help him up some of the high rocks. But he loves being with us when we walk.
I am blessed with my son who loves finding the wildflowers. He sometimes has to make business trips to China and he’s always taking pictures of flowers there too and wherever he goes on vacation. We like to compare flowers. 🙂
That’s one of the things I miss most about my childhood. Spotting the first trillium or jack-in-the-pulpit in the spring was such a thrill. Thanks for the memories.
Author
I feel like my spring has missed something if I don’t get to see bent trilliums or spot a jack-in-the-pulpit. I did learn to look for the leaves of those because sometimes the bloom can be harder to spot than the leaves. I always enjoy seeing the ginger root blooms that hide out under those leaves too. So many fun flowers to see and such a variety. I’m glad my post brought up some good memories for you, Lee.
I enjoyed your pictures as well as the commentary of your search for wildflowers.
Author
Great, Edward. Thanks for stopping by to give my post a look. I hope you are enjoying imagining the flowers in my story When the Meadow Blooms although I might talk more about the birds and such on that farm than the flowers.
Sometimes the wildflowers are prettier than the ones we plant ourselves. God must have known how much we would enjoy their beauty. Wildflowers tend to pop up in the most unique spots too!
Author
I think I like wildflowers so much because I don’t have to plant them, Robin Ann. I just get to enjoy them and get some exercise out in the spring sunshine at the same time. The Lord created a beautiful world.
I have several C D’s by the Patroit Quartet, love their music. Wish they would come back to Central Park Church of Christ in Tilton IL. The wildflowers and all having a good time enjoyed the post.
Author
I’ll tell my husband that, Donna Jean. I’m sure they would enjoy coming back to sing for you at Central Park. They’ve had some slow years with the Covid and then their lead singer, who had many health issues, died early this year. They’ve found a singer filling in as lead singer right now, but not sure if he’s going to stay with them. I came up to Central Park with the guys at least once several years ago. I talked to the church about the book I wrote about Jerry Shepherd, Angels at the Crossroads. At least I think I’ve got the right church in mind. It was fun to be there.
Glad you enjoyed my wildflower post.
Ann, I love reading your posts of your woodsy travels with your grandchildren and your dogs. Your pictures and descriptions are always so refreshing. One of my favorite early spring wildflowers is the Bluet. Their tiny flowers are so delicate. I once heard that the Bluet is the only true blue flower in nature. It would be fun to research this. Am so looking forward to reading your newest book which I just received notification today that is has shipped. So excited to read Sienna’s story!
Author
So glad you enjoy taking a trek out into the fields and trees and down some creeks, Maria. I love that little flower too even though I wasn’t sure what the name of it was. So, thanks for giving me a name. I wrote a devotional about it once. “Color the World.” If you would be interested in reading it, it’s found in Devotional Thoughts that is under the Meet Ann tab. Here’s a link straight to it. https://www.annhgabhart.com/devotional/ It’s the second one there.
I’ll have to check into that about it being the only truly blue flower. There’s one that grows down in my wildflower area that blooms later in the year that has a very blue flower.
I hope you will enjoy meeting Sienna and her sister Calla and more when you read my story.
Ann, thank you for directing me to your devotional page. I loved reading those that were there.
Author
Wonderful, Maria. I’m glad you enjoyed my devotional thoughts. I’ve been doing some others on my blog, usually on the first Sunday of the month and calling them First Sunday Devotionals. You may have already read those. Thanks for checking out the others.
I love looking for wildflowers. They always seem like a surprise, even though I expect to find them. I’m looking forward to your new book.
Author
I love that way of thinking about wildflowers, Penny. A surprise even though expected. We can be surprised by their beauty and each time it’s a pleasant thing.
I hope you’ll enjoy visiting Meadowland and imagining some of those flowers blooming when you get a chance to read When the Meadow Blooms.
My Kindle edition of the book is ordered. Can’t wait to read it. Love all of your books.
Author
Wonderful, Sharon. I hope you will like the story and maybe leave a review if you do. Reviews are so helpful in this internet world of books these days.
I’m so glad you’ve liked my books. That makes me smile.
Thank you so much for sharing ! It brought such joy to see the wild flowers I’d hunted for each spring on my mom’s mountain. You are such a blessing!
Author
How neat to hear you talk about finding flowers on your mom’s mountains, Cindy Sue. Maybe someday, my grandkids will talk about finding flowers on their grammy’s cliffsides. 🙂
You probably found some I can’t on that mountain, but I’m glad this brought back good memories for you.