Flower Power

tanjabrittonwriter 52 Comments

Whatever disheartening sadness and unspeakable tragedies May and June might have held, those are not the only realities, thank goodness. The recent months also brought lengthening days with copious sunshine, alongside the reappearance of myriad plants and animals. This new or renewing life in nature’s multiple sphere’s affords gratuitous and gratifying glimpses for those of us fortunate enough to be able to experience them, and an escape from the chaos and cacophony that is the man-made world. I am not ashamed to admit that I am a master escapist.

To immerse myself in my natural surroundings, to observe their mysterious goings-on, to drink deeply of their intricate shapes, shades, and scents equals happiness for this human heart. In the weeks to follow, I will acquaint you with Colorado’s spring arrivals, from flora to fauna. Today’s post shows a selection of the wildflowers which have been gracing the plains and foothills that stretch toward the Rocky Mountains. By harnessing the essence of earth, water, and sun, they fulfill many purposes while also beautifying their realm. Their presence serves as a powerful and encouraging reminder that some natural cycles are—still—intact. And whether you have witnessed vernal exuberance or autumnal maturing, I hope you, too, have found your own precious moments of bliss.

To enlarge a photo, click on it. To read its caption, hover the cursor over it.

Pasque Flower
Sand Lily
Lanceleaf Chiming Bells
Colorado Columbine
Scarlet Globemallow/Cowboy’s Delight
Orange Paintbrush
Spiderwort
Claret Cup Cactus
Hairy Clematis
Rock Clematis
Showy Milkweed

There will be no German versions of my posts in the foreseeable future.

In absehbarer Zeit wird es keine deutsche Version meiner Blogbeiträge geben. Ich bitte um Verständnis.

52 thoughts on “Flower Power”

  3. Thank you, dear Tanja, for spilling some light into the shadows.

    Although my German is poor (to say the least), I, for one, will miss the pale type/face of strange words and, particularly so, the smiling umlauts!

    An unobtrusive & subtle lesson in language.
    xoxo

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  4. Welcome back. I know that feeling of going out into nature, where things keep going along in their accustomed ways.

    Scarlet globemallow is a species our two states share, although I’d have to drive some hours west of Austin to begin finding it. Your showy milkweed lives up to its common name; it differs from any of the species we have here.

    The species name of your state’s columbine, coerlulea, codified a typographical error. The original Latin adjective for ‘being a certain shade of blue’ was caeruleus, with an a, not an o. When ae and oe are printed in italics they look about the same, and someone apparently mistook the original ae for oe.

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    • I’m sure you and I are not alone in trying to be reassured by nature’s recurring cycles, Steve.
      Scarlet globemallows frequently line the roadsides, so they are not difficult to find. And why am I not surprised to learn an etymological/typographical tidbit about our state flower from you?! 🙂

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      • It’s common for botanical authorities to reclassify species based on new scientific evidence. That makes me wonder if there’s a mechanism to appeal for a change when an existing name is incorrect for another sort of reason, in this case a language mistake.

        I’m assuming your decision not to have an interwoven German text is just for lack of time.

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      • It would make sense for the authorities to change a name automatically, if an obvious mistake in the naming process is present, but that might be too much to expect.

        I’m still not entirely sure I want to continue to blog, and am definitely trying to limit my screen time. Doing a translation into my mother tongue might not seem like a big deal, but often it’s not straightforward. I’m simply not motivated enough at present.

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  5. Welcome back, Tanja. I hope you feel rejuvenated after your sabbatical break. I’ve missed your weekly insights into wild Colorado. It appears there’s been much in nature to lift your spirits this spring, a welcome contrast to the dispiriting news that assails us in the media every day. I’m captivated by the idea of a Showy Milkweed! Do you have another one, that hides deep in the undergrowth, called the Discreet Milkweed, or maybe the Reclusive Milkweed?

    With best wishes from a UK that’s tentatively emerging from lockdown…

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    • It is nice to hear from you again, Mr. P, and nice to know that Colorado’s beautiful presents are being enjoyed in England as well.
      I like your idea of discreet or reclusive milkweeds. You are close–among the other species is one called Swamp Milkweed (though it is no less flashy than its showy relative). 🙂
      I hope you and Mrs. P are doing well.
      Best,
      Tanja

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  12. With all the colors, shapes, and sizes, flowers certainly do make us smile. Glad to see you’ve been venturing in the wilderness, finding peace and tranquility with Spring’s gems. Hope all is well with you and yours.

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  15. Glad to see another post from you, Tanja. An excellent post it is too with your lovely Colorado flowers. so delightfully presented.
    In times like we are experiencing it is healthy to have a place for retreat and what better than to immerse ourselves in Nature’s replenishment for our spirit.
    I hope you are faring well, staying safe, and feeling good about the time you spend enjoying the outdoors. 🙂

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    • I appreciate your kind words, Steve. I could not imagine a life without the possibility of spending time in nature–what would be the point?
      I hope you, too, have been staying healthy and sane with whatever activities that make you happy.
      Kind regards,
      Tanja

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  16. Thank you for providing this welcome escape into a happier reality. I’m glad you are getting the chance to get out into the sunshine and enjoy these beauties. What a difference nature makes.

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    • Herzlichen Dank, liebe Brigitte.
      Ich habe versucht, auf Deinen Kommentar auf Deinem Blog zu antworten, aber die Kommentare waren leider schon geschlossen–ich wollte Dich nicht ignorieren!

      Leider ziehen die meisten Regenwolken über uns hinweg, ohne ihre nassen Geschenke zu hinterlassen, doch in den nächsten Tagen wird es vielleicht etwas regnen. Viele der wildblühenden Blumen gedeihen trotz der Trockenheit, doch wir Menschen und unsere Kulturlandschaft leider nicht.

      Ich hoffe, es geht Euch in Bremen gut (ich drücke Werder die Daumen!).
      Alles Liebe,
      Tanja

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  19. I so enjoyed seeing these flowers. It’s interesting how many genera we share, although the native species differ: globemallow, columbine, clematis. While the color of one of our clematis is like this one, ours vines, and the underside of the petals and the stamens are differently formed.

    My gratitude for being able to spend almost all of my time outdoors is boundless. Being able to keep working was a special blessing; in many ways, my daily routine didn’t change all that much. Still, I’ll be glad when a couple of my favorite spots reopen. In the meantime, there’s plenty of roaming to be done. I’m glad to see you’ve been roaming, too.

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    • Thank you, Linda. I share your sense of gratitude for having been able to continue to spend time outdoors. Anything else would have been extremely taxing, especially during the spring.
      I hope you will be able to return to some of your favorite destinations soon.
      Best wishes,
      Tanja

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  20. Flora and fauna is always enchanting, isn’t it!
    Given a choice, I would love to be an escapist if I can be around such beauty of Nature. I believe in these three months Nature bloomed in its full glory without human intervention.

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