Will spring continue?

The air is wet with rain and heavy with the scent of vanilla from the pine trees. For two days we've had rain and temperatures in the 40s and 50s.

Last year we had lots of wet snow that left behind an abundance of wildflowers. This spring has been the typical dry you'd expect in a high desert region, but if the snow continues for a few more days perhaps the flowers will have another good year.

Here flowers are beautiful; looking as if they grow out of the rocks, from behind downed logs, and coming up through course pine needles. Flowers surprise us with a palette against all the greens and browns; mingling with lichen.

Elk and deer eat the new green of shrubs and grass but they avoid many of the flowers that protect themselves by tasting bad, and sometimes being poison.

Walking the boys to the bus the Pasqueflower, named for the Paschal season, is the first flower I see. The outside of the plant is covered in long gray hairs that give it an alien quality until it opens each day to reveal a bright white interior and yellow center.


Prairie Bluebells appear next. Less than a foot tall they are delicate and often peeking out of the debris left under the pines by winter. The leaves are light blue/gray and the stems often lean drawing me down to their level for a better view.


This month white flowers with 5 petals and bright yellow centers appeared on small plants dotting our slopes. Bringing my attention to the serrated leaves their identity, Wild Strawberry, was now obvious.


In the shade of trees, Heart-leaf Arrica, a large bright yellow aster spread around and through branches and logs on horizontal rhizomes. Unlike the long slender leaves of many asters this variety have large heart shaped leaves. Indians used the palnt as a love charm and to heal cuts and bruises.

Hopefully the rain will be enough to keep the flowers around longer. And when summer replaces spring a drive to 13,000 feet plus on Mount Evans is in order. There spring flowers can still be in view in July.