Rainy day updates

The coreopsis is going to be spectacular here and in front yard once these numerous buds bloom!
Three colors of iris are now blooming.
A close up of the newest color, a very nice red-purple.

Backyard baby plant update

The purple lady bok choy grows quite nicely when earwigs are not swarming it.

It grows bigger, too!

The wildflower seeds are doing better than I had hoped!

The green milkweeds are starting to have adult leaves.
There are actually pale coneflowers (Echinacea pallida) growing!
A single adult leaf is emerging on the Liatris mucronata. I have a second one in a smaller pot too.
I mistook the leaf of this seedling for a clover and pulled it yesterday, but quickly realized my mistake. I put it back in the dirt and watered it and it seems okay so far?? I hope so as it’s the only columbine seedling I’ve found so far in the sprouting trays or on the ground where I put seeds in the fall. The package said best sown outdoors in the fall.

Funnel-lily on weekend expedition

Hiking with Paula and Briar today. We saw several cool early spring plants, as well as first of season for us on Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Black-and-white Warbler.

Thanks to Mom for identification of carrot-leaf lomatium!
A common spring favorite! Fringed puccoon!
As we were about to leave, I saw a little hill that looked like it might have interesting lichen rocks or something else good there. Sure enough!! Paula found blue funnel-lilies! Two plants. The other had two buds.

Post-thunderstorm quick check

Parnsips up in a few clumps.
Based on location I believe a few moss curled parsley seedlings are up.  Cilantro was up too in other spots.
Green milkweed opening the seed leaves. Previously they were mostly rooting only.
Top soil for Rudbeckia fulgida washed away.
Top soil for evening primrose also washed away.  Both this and Rudbeckia were under rain barrel stands so I think that doesn’t provide enough shelter in a big rain like last night.  I think the blue flax seedlings all washed away sadly. Hopefully the ones I put in ground will make it. Hard to find those though once i planted them. The green milkweed were under the patio table and still got lots of good rain water.

Lexington WMA

A bit more cast iron forest this afternoon, not just the garden!

Probably a Common Buckeye butterfly caterpillar.
Neat shelf fungi on a blackjack oak that has been burned in the past.
Spring Beauty flower. Saw just a few!
Moss with undeveloped capsules (thanks Jeanne!)
Mexican Plums blooming had just a few bees on them. It was windy.
Briar helped look for frogs.
A round bit of moss.
Close up of Mexican Plum flowers.
Cardamine sp. (Thanks for ID, Abby!) You can see the leaves/rosette here.
Flower of Cardamine sp. There were lots in this damp area. You can see in both pictures some nearby sedges.