Raspberry Plants

Raspberry plants.

They have jaggedy leaves.  Sometimes people mistake them for poison ivy.  There is a passing resemblance - both plants have leaflets in bunches of three, with basically the same shape.

And at times, both plants can have red stems or stalks.  However, only the raspberry is thorned.

When we see the springtime raspberry canes, we are reminded of the promise of fresh berries in June.  Yum!

Virginia Creeper

This is Virginia creeper.

People sometimes mistake this plant for poison ivy, but a key difference is that Virginia creeper always has five leaves, and poison ivy only has three.

This plant is native to North America and is most often seen climbing trees.  It can grow along the ground as well.  It turns red in the fall, adding to the beautiful colorscape of the autumn woods and fields.

Wild Phlox

Phlox is a native plant we can delight in.  There are many forms and colors, including red, and they can be found from the woodlands to the prairies to the alpine tundra.

Beloved of groundhogs, rabbits, and deer, their leaves also provide food for moths.

These were so pretty that I took dozens of photos of them.  The blue and purple ones were my favorite.  And I loved the little star shape in the center of each flower.

The word phlox comes from the Greek indicating a flame-colored plant.  It literally means "flame".

Spring Beauties

These are Spring Beauties.

If you see this little wild flower, than you know that spring has definitely arrived.  They like the dappled sunlight and the rich soil to be found in undisturbed woodlands.

Believe it or not, these tiny little flowers have edible tubers that can be cooked just like potatoes.  They are sometimes called "fairy spuds".  They are quite small.

I love their beautiful starry shape, and gorgeous, delicate stripes.

Euell Gibbons, author of Stalking the Wild Asparagus, wrote, "The tubers are good food for the body, but after a long winter, the pale-rose flowers in early spring are food for the soul."  Indeed.

Friends

Sometimes it is good to be alone in the woods, and contemplate the beauty of the world, and our purpose in being here.  There is time and space for quiet reflection and soul searching.

Other times it is good to have a friend with us.  Nothing can replace a good friend, who will sit and listen when we need to talk.  They help us process the perplexities of the world, and our experiences in it.

I'm thankful for all the "trail buddies" in life.

"Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel."  Proverbs 27:9