Wildflowers

Mindful photography was a pleasant occupation during the month.  I enjoyed looking for wildflowers and then identifying them from a sort of homemade guide book that was in the cottage.  I've already uploaded a few mixed in with the other posts, but there were many more.

I laughed a few times when I was thinking of "wildflowers" that I might have called "weeds" had they been in my Norfolk yard. The elusive "catch" - I wanted to find a "Jack-in-the-Pulpit" to photograph, but never did.

Here are some little lovelies I did find, along with their common names and location.

There were so many "little purple flowers"!  I think this is a form of phlox, growing on the hill behind the house.

I think this is wild geranium and creeping phlox - at the house.

Umbrella Leaf - growing profusely on the banks at the house.

Trillium - there are many varieties!  This one at the Arboretum.

Fire Pink - Arboretum

Not sure what this is called, but it grew so thickly along the gravel road and creek at the house that sometimes it made me think of the "yellow brick road"!

Another form of creeping phlox, growing by the creek at the house.

I couldn't identify these, but they also grew well at the house.

I believe this is called Pinxter Flower - at the Asheville Botanical Gardens.

Phlox again, I think - or just little purple flowers!  Asheville Botanical Gardens

Another type of Trillium, also at the Botanical Gardens

Silver Bells, growing over the creek at the Botanical Gardens

Flame Azalea, which I understand is prolific along some of the popular hiking trails.  This is in bloom at the Botanical Gardens.

Couldn't find the exact name, but I believe it is a type of Cinquefoil, growing at the house.

Stonecrop - Botanical Gardens - but I also saw it growing around the house.

I believe this is Wild Geranium, growing near the house.

Perhaps this is Dolls Eyes or Toothwort, never was sure.  It covered the bank in front of the house for a few days.

Yellow Buckeye Tree - the butterflies LOVED this.  There were several in the area around the house.

One of my favorites - Daisy Flea Bane - at the house

Could not identify, but it sure was pretty at the house!

Common Cinquefoil, house

Erect Trillium, Arboretum

Purple Toad Shade, Arboretum

Golden Ragwort, at the house

Arriving and Departing

The last couple of days in the mountains I tried to take shots that were very similar to the shots I took on my first full day at the cottage. I thought it would be fun to compare the gray with the green and to remind myself of the changes that occurred while I was there.

(More posts to follow: wildflowers, wildlife, towns, and the Blue Ridge Parkway)

View off front porch "before"

View off front porch "after"

Hill behind house "before"

Hill behind house "after"

The long view "before"

The long view "after"

The driveway 'before"

The driveway "after"

Re-Entry

Yes, it's true...I did have to leave paradise and return to the real world.  Re-entry is a bit challenging - maybe it's the decrease in altitude?!? I'm pacing myself and wondering how soon this will all feel "normal" again.

I do have more photos to post from my retreat and will try to get to them in the next few days. 

Last photo of the trip - from a tree at Moses Cone Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway