Soul Food to Go

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Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

~ Harriet Tubman

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@greenleafcynthia

✨ Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee. ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Absolutely. There’s a particular sweetness to every season worth savoring and celebrating as it flows past. I can walk the same path every day of the year and find something sweet to soothe away stress and give my soul a boost.

Spring is surely the sugar rush of the seasons though. And who doesn’t crave a little 🍯sweetness in their life?

It’s tough to choose a favorite dessert… Key Lime Pie, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Homemade Carrot Cake (with Cream Cheese Frosting of course), Fresh French Macarons with Bubbly, and Grandma’s Banana Pudding with Crispy Meringue on top are among my top contenders…. 🥧🧁🍨 Wow, just writing that’s a vicarious sugar rush.

Likewise, in this biodiverse region we’re spoilt for choice with sweet wildflowers this time of year. Here’s a tiny taster from hikes the past couple of weekends… Sweet and guilt-free spring indulgences. 🍰 Bon Appétit!

1) Robin’s Plantain

2) Longspur Violet, Halbert-Leaved Violet, Common Blue Violet, Sweet White Violet

3) Rue Anemone

4) Green and Gold

5) Dwarf Iris (Iris verna)

6) Thyme-Leaved Bluets

7) Sweet Betsy Trillium

8)Jack in the Pulpit

9) Rosebay Rhododendron (Soooo early!)

Wishing you a scrumptiously sweet#WildflowerWednesday !

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🌍 Cherish the natural world, because you’re p

🌍 Cherish the natural world, because you’re part of it and you depend on it. ~ Sir David Attenborough

A walk in the natural world yesterday yielded a treasure trove of beauty to sort, sift, and maybe get around to sharing one of these days.

In the meantime, Wishing you a very Happy Mini Monday and Spring Equinox! 🌿xx

#HoaryRosetteLichen #Physciaaipolia

#physcia #lichen #liquen #lychen #lichenphotography #lichenlove #noticepausetreasure #wondermore #joyful_macro #natures_area #NatureHippys_ #usa_naturehippys #yes_busa #GreenLeafCynthia

✨ I think that flowers in themselves are one of

✨ I think that flowers in themselves are one of the miracles of life. ~ Karen Blixen

Oconee Bells, #Shortiagalacifolia, one of the world’s rarest wildflowers, are a highlight of my Spring.

Most of their habitat was lost when rivers were dammed in the 70’s to provide cooling water for a nuclear power complex. 70-90% of known Oconee Bell populations are now under 300 ft (90m) of cold, mountain water.

The shady banks of higher elevation lake tributaries are home to the surviving Bells. These demure flowers always face the water, so wet feet are often necessary for a closer look at their delightful features – I prefer sloshing up a stream in water shoes vs. trampling their mossy habitat. Tingly toes are a small price to pay for the privilege.

Genetic research underway at Furman University is working to estimate how old Oconee Bells are, and whether they are clonal plants like the Pando Aspen tree that’s said to be one of the largest organisms in the world. “Clonal plants could be here for hundreds if not thousands of years so it’s not that far off to say it could be the same individual discovered in the 1700s.” ~ Ashley Morris, biology professor. Since Oconee Bells exist only in these watersheds and don’t leave their historic range, scientists worry lack of genetic diversity will make these treasured plants vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Establishing new colonies is difficult since #OconeeBells are extremely picky about where they thrive. Vulnerable (S3) in South Carolina and endangered in Georgia and North Carolina, let’s hope these little miracles hang in there.

Though usually white, pink blossoms are occasionally sighted. I love the variation of colors and patterns in Bell sepals – sometimes reddish, sometimes green – and their different style colors (hot pink ones are especially jaunty.) Glossy serrated evergreen leaves are the finishing touch.

I took these and a jillion more shots in my usual colonies March 5th & 11th, a bit earlier this year. Hopefully BellFest celebrants this coming weekend will still have some gorgeousness to admire.

🥾Please tread carefully! Have a wonder-filled day. xx

🤍Oconee Bell Post 2 of 2 🤍