I Bluet...again.

The beautiful little flowers I posted as bluettes in the previous post are neither bluettes nor bluets, the correct spelling of their common name.  They are, as Zhoen noted in her comment, a form of Veronica spp; according to various sites on the Internet, this plant occurs wild, but is sold in nurseries as a ground cover.  From photos I found, it seems my Veronica is the variety ‘Waterperry Blue.’

The true bluet, (Houstonia caerulea) pictured below, also a wild flower, is a different plant all together; another name is Quaker Ladies.  Bluets are found in undisturbed fields, in wooded areas (I've seen them growing in clumps of moss)and in urban backyards...though not in mine, more's the pity.

Both appear in blue forms, both are tiny, both are beautiful.

(Thanks, Z, for piquing my curiosity which made me search for the facts.)

 

Photo (c) 2000, Janet Novak

SPRING!

 

For all my grousing about the unexpected snowfall two weeks ago, I'll try to redeem myself by posting photos of the changes over the last seven days.  I am such a happy camper today.  Spring has finally arrived, though with temps in the high 80F degrees during the beginning of this week, I was afraid we were going straight into summer.  Not so.  It rained a little during the night and today was much cooler, the air softer on the skin.  Lovely, just absolutely gorgeous!

 

 

 

I call these bluebells, but I think they're English wood hyacinths.

 

 

 

Tiny bluettes, a favorite weed flower.

(Correction: Veronica spp, likely Waterperry Blue.)

 

 

 

Fat budded tulip, yellow ones, I think.  These are in the herb garden at work.

 

 

 

Forsythia at work, three days ago.

 

 

Same branch, today!

 

 

 

Looks like a spring shower is on its way.  Good.

 

 

 

Hydrangea at work, three days ago.

 

 

Same hydrangea today.  The unfurling leaves make me think of young cabbages, or green cabbage roses.

 

 

 

Muscaria, last Friday, side of my house.

 

 

 

Spring crocuses, near the muscaria.

 

 

Pom-pom daffodil, herb garden at work.  I've never seen these before. 

 

 

 

This is Spot, a wild rabbit that lives in my yard.  It's markings are unusual, to me - it has a dark chin strap above a buff-colored collar or ruff.  Its bigger than the ones that usually live here, and very pretty.  I like its white socks and red spats.

 

 

 

Here you see Spot's spot.  At first I thought that was a spot of dark brown fur, but today I realized it is a wound that's healing.  I suspect Spot was attacked by one of the Cooper's hawks that live behind my barn.  Spot likes to sit under the picnic table, has a shallow bed made in the grass there.  I hope it lives to a ripe old age and then dies quietly in its sleep.

 

 

So that's what's happening in my town, as far as Spring goes.  What's new with you?