A Day of Firsts

Enjoy the little

things in life

for one day you'll look

back and realize they

were the big things

Ever have one of those days that is filled with joyous little moments that make a day so special. A perfect day in my book.

Yesterday I went to the Georgia Native Plant Society's spring plant sale for the first time. I picked up many wonderful plants. Some I had on my wish list such as the Paw Paw Tree, Spicebush and Mountain Laurel. Some I'd never heard of before but came recommended like fly poison (Amianthium muscitoxicum) and Featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum) and others where just speaking to me including bloodroot and rattlesnake weed (Hieracium venosum) and rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium).

Rattlesnake weed (Hieracium venosum)

A blog that I have been following for a while is Using Georgia Native Plants. If you live in Georgia or even the Southeast this is a blog to follow. You will learn a lot about native plants to include in your garden and why you should. Ellen Honeycutt is the mastermind behind this blog and I got to meet her at the plant sale. She is the first fellow blogger (and native plant enthusiast) that I have met in person. It was such a pleasure!

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

When I returned home from my shopping expedition my husband and daughter informed me that they had found a trillium with a big flower on our new lot. I grabbed my camera and off we went to see this beauty. And there she was standing tall all alone. Our first trillium growing naturally on our lot.

This is a Catesby's Trillium, found in acid soils in rich mesic woods within rhododendron and Mt. Laurel thickets. It grows in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.

They bloom late March to early June and often start out white and turn pink the older the bloom or once pollinated. Here is a closer look at the reproductive parts. The yellow anthers and white ovary will produce fruit in July or August once pollinated by queen bumblebees. The flower will remain open for 2 to 3 weeks increasing the opportunity for pollination.

When we walked back to the house we spotted the first Zebra Swallowtail of the season on the Indian Hawthorne blooms. What a coincidence since I was just telling a friend earlier that day that I hadn't seen one yet this spring.

The Paw Paw tree that I bought is for this butterfly. I'd better get it in the ground quickly.

Remember when I grabbed my camera to photograph Catesby? Well, I was in such a hurry I left the back door open and a ruby-throated hummingbird made a wrong turn and flew into the house. She was flying around our living room. Crazy girl! Eventually she settled on the window ledge and my husband was able to very gingerly take her in his hands.

Just look into those eyes. She looks scared, probably exhausted but I'd like to think that she knew that we would take good care of her.

Poor thing was in a state of shock but quickly snapped out of it and flew off. She is fine and happily flying around the garden again. I bet she won't make that same detour through the house again! 

We should all have more days like these...filled with magical moments, exciting finds and good deeds.