Orange Jewelweed

I was just about to name this post, Another "I Don't Know Specie". However feeling rather lucky, I did an amateur search on google images in which I typed, "orange horn wildflower." Tadaaaa.... I just recognized this flower as Orange Jewelweed.


Just beautiful, delicate, precious. Amazing orange, yellow and browns! I was so excited when I spotted these, of course I didn't know what they were, that will come in time, I just knew I had to find them out when they stopped me in my tracks. Funny how a plant has that kind of power to stop a giant human in her tracks. This Orange Jewelweed was growing on the side the trail that went over a small creek. Creek is the key word because Jewelweeds like to grow by water, as I now have learned.


Bad picture but good side view. Here is where I got the "horn" description. They all look like little trumpets dangling in the breeze. Here is an interesting tidbit, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and long tongued bees like to visit, but it's the bumblebee that will sometimes chew a hole near the spur of the flower to steal nectar. YOU GO bumblebee, that's using your fuzzy little head! My kind of worker, get straight to the good stuff, no waisting time!

Here is the big picture. Lush and healthy. These will bloom from mid-summer to fall, so we have a little time left to enjoy them still. They will reseed themselves and hopefully we'll see them again next year. Hummmm... orange seems to be my color lately.

A Handsome Weed

This is a Cut-Leaved Teasel. They grow very, very tall, about 6 feet tall and bloom little white flowers on the heads. Another teasel is the Common Teasel which does not have "cut-lobed" leaves and bloom purple flowers. You're probably asking, "handsome?" Well, I think so. They remind me of barbarian weapons too!
Teasel is very aggressive and will take over a prairie, meadow, field, etc., if left unchecked.

For that reason, it's probably not a favorite to many, but from an artist's perspective it sure would make a nice graphite drawing!

Trail Time! Moraine 2 of 2

Ok! Let's continue our trail through the Moraine Valley Nature Study Area in Palos Hills, IL. If you remembered yesterday, I described Grassy Trail #1. Today, I'll describe Grassy Trail #2 (see yesterday's watercolor map). You're going to love trail#2 as much as I did! It has the same grassy covering in the beginning with some different highlights. Let's start with this beautiful Queen Anne's Lace.

Yes it's true, Queen Anne's Lace is a weed, you can find them in fields, road sides, along trails, by garbage dumps, pretty much anywhere. This is a true story: When I was just starting to garden, I actually asked for Queen Anne's Lace at a very expensive nursery (Sids) to which the employee laughed, "Why, that's a weed!" That really happened. I am not ashamed. I didn't know it but I still love them. We can't just love the beautiful ones (there's a life lesson in here somewhere), it has beauty in its own way, with that teeny, tiny little purple flower in the middle. Next on our trail are the more "beautiful ones" the wildflowers.

Here is a delicate Fascicled False Foxglove. I know it because my field guide told me so. The book I'm referring to is Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, Doug Ladd and Frank Oberle (A Falcon Guide). I like this book because the flowers are grouped by color. It allows you to quickly identify your flower in seconds! Most rewarding. Notice the fuzzy edges of the petals, reminds me of a comfy sweater in the fall. I'm sure there is a reason for the edges, maybe we'll learn that someday. Just steps away from the foxglove we see our next wildflower. This is Obedient Plant, I really like this one. It gets the name "obedient" because if you wrap it around the the stem, it remains like that. Had I actually brought my wildflower guide book with me, I would have learned that and been able to try it out, but it was another object at home collecting dust! A few feet along our trail, suddenly the trail goes from grassy to..... sandy! Doesn't it look like the bottom of a lake? Or maybe the shore? Is there water near by? From the observatory deck I could see water, but because we've had sooo much rain, I just thought it was flooding. I didn't know...... there was a secret water entrance!!!!! Yes! Boy, I just hit the jackpot. Do you remember when you were a kid and you discovered something new all by yourself? I was feeling that way! I might have done the "happy dance", I'm sure the wildlife thought I was nuts.

This is our reward. The treasure at the end of the journey or at least Grassy Trail #2. The water so calm, the sky so blue, the air abundant with fragrant. Here is where I can find peace and where I talk to God our Creator, who placed the Queen Anne's Lace (because He loves the "not" so pretty ones) and the foxglove, and the obedient plant just for us to enjoy.

Thank you for taking this trail with me!

Nature Lady Goes Back to School

It's official, yesterday was my first day back to school. I'm going to study earth science, in hopes that it will benefit my fine art, helping me to really understand what I'm painting and also this nature blog too. Eventually, I want to earn the title naturalist and not just claim to be one:)

Look at this beautiful pink weed! I don't know what it is. Do you see why I need school? This attractive thing grows behind my garage where I let nature take its coarse. No mowing or weeding allowed. It's only a little section of land about 8' x 20', but when left alone, really interesting plants grow. I would encourage everyone if you can, to have a little plot of "left alone land". The pink color variation is striking, some little bulbs (?) are dark pink, med. pink, light pink and white. This plant is about 4' tall but I have others that are short, 12" with flowers. If anyone knows what this is, it would be greatly appreciated if you can leave a comment! Thanks.