Late afternoon walk, or: what I did instead of writing

I had the evening off so I went for a walk at the local state park. Flowers everywhere! Carpets of forget-me-nots like mirages of a clear summer sky,

   

Trilliums...Trillia...(or is it just Trillium, like sheep and sheep, deer and deer?),

     

 pink bleeding heart, lacy leaved,

  

flowering ginger,

(At least that's what we call it...but I can't find a pictured of it. I guess I will have to remember my camera next time.)

redwood sorrel carpeting the forest floor beneath, well, the redwoods,



and several more that I am forgetting or don't know the names of.

Something to note: redwood sorrel appears to grow only under redwoods. The forget-me-nots grow under the bay laurels, sycamores, and what I've always called cottonwoods but that isn't really what they are.

The early poison oak is very soft and friendly looking. Only later will its true nature be revealed in oily, bumpy leaves trying to look like blackberry leaves. And almost succeeding.

In a month or so, all the subtlety of spring will have passed, and very much earlier this year than any previous year due to the unseasonably warm March. If there is still any moisture in the soil, I expect to see brilliant purple vetch and bright yellow mustard and deep orange poppies in the meadows by the end of April.

I can't take credit for any of these pictures. I don't know who shot them, but thank you all for posting them.