Connecticut College Arboretum, New London, Connecticut
Yesterday we took an amazing walk at the arboretum! A long one, for an hour and a half. We concentrated on the wildflower garden and the bog, both bubbling with the delightful signs of springtime.
The person who practices this exercise of concentration sees the universe with new eyes, as if he were seeing it for the first and the last time. In his enjoyment of the present, he discovers the splendor and mystery of existence and of the world’s emergence; at the same time, he achieves serenity by experiencing how relative are the things which provoke anxiety and worry.
~ Pierre Hadot
(What is Ancient Philosophy?)
Edgerton & Stengel Memorial Wildflower Garden
Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring — that delicious commingling of the perfume of arbutus, the odor of pines, and the snow-soaked soil just warming into life?
~ Neltje Blanchan
(Wild Flowers: An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers & Their Insect Visitors)
Glenn Dreyer Bog
In the light shed by the best science and scientists, everything is fascinating, and the more so the more that is known of its reality. To science, not even the bark of a tree or a drop of pond water is dull or a handful of dirt banal. They all arouse awe and wonder.
~ Jane Jacobs
(Dark Age Ahead)
Wow Spring is bustung out all over. I love the geese and the maple tree blooms. What a wonderful walk.
There’s something magical about the arboretum in every season and spring is dazzling there! I’ve been very fond of the maples this year. 💕
Lovely photos of spring. We woke up here in central Ohio to 3 inches of snow and it’s still coming down. My bushes have collapsed from the heavy weight of the snow and we have a hard freeze warning on through tomorrow. I hope the plants won’t die!
Thank you, Timi. Yikes! Old man winter just won’t leave you guys alone! This morning we woke up to 34°F (with a wind chill/feels like of 26°F) and when we went out to do errands there were snow flurries everywhere. Nothing sticking like yours, though. But spring will be back tomorrow. 🙂 I hope your plants made it through all right.
It’s about paying attention with wonder not worry, isn’t it? Your photos are stunningly beautiful and the quotes inspire me to do better. I’d call this a perfect post. Thank you.
Paying attention is definitely “our endless and proper work” as Mary Oliver so famously observed. Thank you so much for appreciating this post, Ally. Taking pictures is my way of paying attention and the quotes help me, too.
so much beautiful details – I am soaking it in – yes, stunningly beautiful – these photos would be great in a big “coffetablebook” – is that what you call it in English?
Thank you so much, Leelah. Yes, we call them coffee table books. You made me think of my father who really enjoyed his big collection of them. I wonder if people self-publish them…
The earth is coming alive after your cold winter, and how beautiful it looks! I’m amazed you only spent an hour and a half at the arboretum . 😉
Ah, it would be wonderful to spend more time there but with Tim’s mobility problems I’m grateful for any amount of time he manages to last. 🙂 When it’s safe to socialize again and I can resume walking with my sister and my friend…
Wow, what beautiful pictures, Barbara! I recognize some of these wildflowers from time spent in the NC woods. Walking in the woods is a favorite thing to do. Florida has its beauty too but so different.
Thank you, Anna, and welcome to my blog! 🙂 It’s nice to meet another who likes walking in the woods. It’s been years since I’ve been to Florida (I think maybe it was 2012) but we used to go often when I was a child to visit relatives. My mother loved the birdwatching there, too.
Once again, it’s my kind of walk Barbara and what a joy to see the splashes of color as you walk through and I was alongside you. I was admiring your knowledge of the various wildflowers and noting them in my mind as I read through the post, then I came to “moss covered hunk of something” and had to smile. 🙂 That’s a great picture of the Canada Geese. I wonder if goslings won’t be far off?
Did you notice the tadpoles, Linda? I couldn’t believe we were just talking about them and then saw these swimming in the bog. Almost didn’t notice them but for the movement and the contrast with those orange-yellow leaves under the water. I did wonder what was under that hunk of moss. 🙂 Maybe a stone and a rotting log? I didn’t see a nest for the geese on that bare rock in the pond but I will check back for goslings. There were some turtles out sunning themselves, too, but I couldn’t get a good picture…
I did see the tadpoles Barbara – I was glad you pointed them out as I may have missed them at a glance. It’s been years since I saw tadpoles. There is a bullfrog at the Park where I walk daily and I hear him but have never seen him – this has happened for years and from the noise I know he is close, never to be seen. The turtles sun themselves on the logs and I like to see them lined up in a row, in seniority, as the big ones are always first, which makes me smile. I saw that goose nest on the rocks last week at Heritage Park and that goose did not look too comfortable there – it was not a secluded place at all and she was wary of me standing a good 10 feet away so I moved on. I’ll use the photo after I see goslings there which may not be for a couple of weeks.
Tim’s a big fan of turtles and loves seeing them lined up on logs or rocks, sunning themselves. I will be keeping an eye out for little goslings, too…
Yes, they look so content but if they catch sight of you, one by one they slide into the water. We have them on the fallen logs, but it is hard to get near the Creek banks to take photos of them. Those goslings are the cutest things – they just make you smile.
😊
Your first capture of the red maple seeds is beautifully composed and framed, Barbara! A wonderful outing with lots of finds!
Thank you so much, Donna! I just can’t seem to get enough of the red maples this year. I wonder if this means they might be spectacular this fall, too. 🙂
Fingers crossed! 🍁
Love that little red maple leaf!
Hi Barbara – I so enjoy your photos and words – whether your own or other’s poems. I’m often looking at your blog on my phone (for some reason not able to comment). Today I’m reading and enjoying from my laptop. Thank you for all of this beauty and joyful observation! Beautiful photos of the New england spring ephemerals! So magical. I’ve learned recently that the yellow wildflower is a trout lilly. Also newish for me – the white is bloodroot – which blooms now in the spring. Those waxy leaves coming up to shelter the flower are distinctive. Star of Bethlehem is also a sweet wildflower. It’s greenery is more like onion grass. It blooms in the summer.
Like one of your friends above, I also love the photo of “moss covered hunk of something”!
Thank you so much, Nancy! I’ve learned so much from you over the years, today’s new word: ephemeral. 🙂 Thanks for the trout lily and white bloodroot identifications. I checked my star of Bethlehem picture from 2010 and you’re right. The picture was taken on May 22 and the greenery was like onion grass.
https://www.ingebrita.net/2010/05/a-secret-garden/
Next time I will examine the leaves! And will now go edit my post…
I was looking for the pitcher plants but that “moss covered hunk of something” was a cool consolation prize.
Spring is a’springing in so many beautiful ways. Your photos make that clear. Looks like an amazing visit. My guy and I were in PA and MD this past week and we spent an afternoon at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, where thousands of tulips bloomed like red/pink/yellow ships at sea. So cheerful and heartening. We needed that after this past horrid winter. xo
There’s something special about the arboretum, both the cultivated and the natural areas. Your visit to Longwood Gardens sounds wonderful! I’m trying to picture a sea of tulips. 🌷 It’s great you’re getting a chance to travel now, I can only imagine how restorative a change of scenery must be! For now, I’m looking forward to finally seeing my grandchildren in a few weeks. 💕
I love this time of year when nature is bursting out after winter’s slumber!
Me, too! So nice of you to stop by, Tracy! Looking forward to following your blog again. 🙂