Wildflowers

Spring is wildflower season in Middle Tennessee, and throughout April, took some rambles at Fall Creek Falls, Cedars of Lebanon, and a couple trips to Beaman Park in Ashland City during April (half an hour from Nash, for the out of towners here).

First Beaman trek was a guided tour, thank you Gloria, strolling along the Creekside Trail. Nice small group, personable folks, including a new-to-Nashville resident and his girlfriend, here to pursue…you guessed it…music. Gloria was knowledgeable, and I didn’t have to look at I-Naturalist once. I went back a week later to do the Henry Hollow Loop on my own, mostly for the Mountain Laurel, though it, too, was speckled with color of many kinds. Two-Flower Cynthia, Wild Geranium, Mountain Laurel, Larkspur, Shooting Stars, and more – I’m getting to know the names, but I also think it’s kind of interesting how, as humans, we like to name and categorize everything. A week later yet, at Cedars of Lebanon, it was Sunny Bellflower, Widows Cross, Skull Cap, Yellow Milkweed, Nashville red root, and as you can see, cactus. I like taking my good camera and zeroing in, because somehow I notice even more detail that way.

And, ultimately, the best part of taking these hikes really, is just spotting the wildflowers among the green, making a beautiful landscape even more beautiful, as they do every year. Just doing their thing and yes, we are truly lucky to be able to bear witness, stopping for a moment to forget about everything except how amazing nature really is. Truly.