4/21/2010

Risky Business.

.
Today was so gorgeous that after my rivetting meeting on Risk Management,  
I decided to throw caution to the wind, and take the back roads home. The meeting was in Arnprior, a lovely little town about an hour's drive away and between here and there are many, many beautiful back roads less travelled.
So, off I went!
Almost immediately, it became apparent that I needed to mitigate the risk a tad, and start pulling over when something caught my eye  (instead of slowing down to a crawl with my head out of the window).
I've noticed that weaving all over the road is a fairly common  problem on these  nature appreciation expeditions, and I think it could be easily solved by a little neon bumper sticker that says,
 "Caution: Birder on Board. This vehicle makes sudden stops and swerves. So you may want to take a different route."
What caught my eye in this particular case of weaving down the road was a splash of bright yellow. Closer examination revealed the first wildflowers
I'd seen in several months!
 Trout Lilies were everywhere along the roadway, and right
beside them bobbed Blood Root and Downy Yellow Violets...


These beautiful harbingers of spring were everywhere, and so of course I turned off the ignition, and wobbled up the and down the ditch on either side of the road. "Wobbled?", you say. "Yes," says I, because in my haste to manage my self into the car this morning, I quickly threw in the camera and binoculars for the you never knows, and forgot to slip in a pair of ditch walking shoes.

As I was climbing up to the Blood Root, it dawned on me that I was rather nattily shod for smelling the ditch. The farmer who may have to pick me up after I roll down it might like the shiny patent 4" heels, but it's far more likely
that he'll consider me a complete  idiot!
Ah well. All that worry for naught...as in nothing happened. I made it back home and discovered in my own driveway that the Hepatica
had also blossomed overnight.

And I found some Red Trilliums!


This trip was not without its little challenges, and risks that needed to be managed.  But I think an adrenalin rush every now and again is necessary - it wakes us up and makes us appreciate the world around us!
I took a chance making a u-turn on a bit of a hill (just a little one) so that I could get  a closer look at this exquisitely dressed little fellow, singing his heart out and inviting all others to take a chance on him. I'm glad I did!


12 comments:

Dave said...

A wonderful day!...not the meeting part, the wandering part...

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Lovely and fun post! Thank you for sharing. I especially like the dirt tracks - it says alot.

Kcalpesh said...

Intriguing captures!

Pixellicious Photos

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

What a good giggle I had envisioning you down in the ditch in heels. The wildflowers were beautiful. I bet you were glad to go the scenic route. Valerie

Wolynski said...

How do you know the names of all these flowers? I wouldn't know a Trout Lily if it bit me in the...

Beautiful photos.

DUTA said...

You must have liked Botanics in school since you seem to be familiar with names of wild flowers.
I like the hepatica flower. I wouldn't be surprised if an extract of the flower is used in hepatic disorders!

Susan Ellis said...

It wasn't until I was living in the country that I realized I hadn't paid much attention to botany! But it did bother me to look at soemthing, and not to know what to call it - other than plant or bird or tree or bug...so I bought a bunch of nature guides and began looking things up so I could at the very least, know the difference between poison ivy and winter green and between a tent caterpillar and a monarch caterpillar. Inevitably, I became hooked and joined a field naturalist club, and a whole new world opened up to me! Just wish I'd paid attention way back in gr. 10 botany -think of all the years I missed seeing things! Ah well, never to late to embrace life long learning!

Fireblossom said...

Your swerving on the dirt road created a remarkable photograph. It looks to me like a woman dancing, except that she needs a head and arms! It's the sort of picture that invites writing about.

Such places as these, with the blooms and birds, are good for the spirit.

I found you via Daryl. :-)

Lori Skoog said...

Spring at it's best! Keep your boots in the car...

FAB said...

If we worried about the risks every time, would we bother to do anything! Glad to see you went prepared with the bins and camera. Lovely to spy the wild flowers and the garden specialities opening up for you. Take care with the 'weaving' Susan..Lol. FAB

P.S. Word verification was 'tworoll'..is that relevant?

robin andrea said...

Beautiful spring flowers you have there. A wonderful ride home.

jabblog said...

Marvellous! Spring flowers suddenly seem to be everywhere after a slow start.Love the meadowlark - what a very handsome bird.
I frequently find myself inadequately shod/clothed for the terrain/elements - it all adds to the fun ;-)