There is a spring bubbling up in the privacy of a wooded area on our property. Except for a path through the woods that makes it possible to walk all the way around the pond created by the spring, we leave the woods to be wild. Sometimes we find evidence of creatures who likely come there to drink.
Last July I was walking on the path back there and saw a flower, two of them, that I had never seen before. They were blooming in the shade among the ferns, and prickly vines that made it hard for me to get close. I took some pictures with my phone, and when I went back there about a week later, the flowers were gone.
They were fleeting and beautiful, and now in the middle of winter, sitting by the fireplace, I’m wondering if I will see them again next July. I will certainly be looking for them.
In the meantime, I am going to try to find out what flower it is. I’m thinking that someone at Clemson might be able to help me, or if I’m lucky, someone will see the picture and just tell me what it is. While you’re at it, you could tell me what kind of forest mushroom this is…
Please participate. Say something about this and be heard.