Celebrate May

 I've been getting inquiries in my email about the status of various wildflowers in our area.  Lots of people inquire specifically about the Mountain Lady Slipper (above), and I realize I am behind schedule.  That is, behind the schedule people began to expect of me when I was posting once or twice a day over long periods.  But it is now the 14th of May, and this is only my second post.  Well, yesterday I got all my semester exams written and printed, and my exams will be administered Monday and Tuesday.  Then I'll start celebrating May more thoroughly on this site. 

The Mountain Lady Slippers, Cypripedium montanum, are in full bloom on the road into Oakland Camp.  Most likely they are also blooming along Taylor Creek which crosses Chandler Road northeast of downtown Quincy.  I won't get more specific than that because I don't want to instigate a botanical gold rush. 

 Other May flowers include the Western Dog Violet which are very abundant this year.  I have photographed them on the FRC campus and also near the aforementioned Lady Slippers.

 I chased this bumblebee for quite a while.  It seemed to land on a different blossom every few seconds.  It was quite heavy, from the flowers' perspective, so every time it landed the flower dropped by several inches, then sprung back upward when the bee left.  It must of been a fun ride, although not as much fun as actual flying.  I don't really know if bees see things this way.

The Showy Phlox are also out on many sunny slopes in the area.  This cluster was seen in the "Pocket" area on the way out to Oakland Camp.