And suddenly it's Spring (again)

 

Yesterday I walked down the trail to place a solar light by the waterfall. There I was greeted by a most unwelcome welcoming committee. More about that later.

Along the way, I spied a tiny yellow flower.

When I first noticed this flower back in 2011, the leaves made me think it might be a member of the ginger family. But after checking out a few of my wildflower books it turned out to be a Halberd-leaf Yellow Violet (Viola hastata.)

Apparently the arrowhead leaves are reminiscent of a battle-ax type weapon used in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. I’ll have to take the historians at their word.

The humble violet has been celebrated in myths and literature from ancient times, a symbol of modesty and simplicity. Longfellow wrote that it “lurks among all the lovely children of the shade.”

Shakespeare described the violet as “forward” since it trumpets the awakening of the earth following winter. He also writes the violet is “sweet, not lasting. The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more.”

So we should gather our halberd-leaf yellow violets while we may.

Oh and by the way, the snakes are back too. 

An uninvited guest on the patio was a (supposedly) harmless garter snake.