A most striking fern.  Information about this wild fern. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ADPE

More info.  http://www.aboutferns.com/maidenhair_fern.shtml

Two photos of a tiny wildflower called One-flowered Cancer Root.  Link http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/orobanche_uniflora.shtml

Also called the One-flowered Broomrape, the flower is a parasite. http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/orobancheunif.html

Go here to see where I found the flower.  http://vexations.xanga.com/773037561/chestnut-top-trail—-fire-pink/

Fire Pink 

A different view of the Fire Pink

A link about the flower…http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SIVI4

Information about the trail —  http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/chestnut.htm

Another link – http://www.everytrail.com/guide/chestnut-top-trail-great-smoky-mountains-national-park

NOTE::: If you go to the second link above (everytrail link, which is fantastic by the way) scroll down to the video about Fire Pink

as it gives you more information than most of us want to know about a flower. 

If the one little trillium is blooming in the backyard it must be time for a mountain hike to see the wildflowers in bloom. 

http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/exoticflowers/tulips

Link above has information about tulips.  This tulip bed was planted last November according to the gardener.  These were intended for a wedding that my wife attended last weekend.  She had to take me by to see them today. What do you think of them?

Purple? or

. . . do you prefer red?

Purple calming color

Elevations of the mind

Regal, religious

Red blazes away

Marking excitement galore

Passions ignited

http://www.squidoo.com/allaboutpurple 

The above link contains more information about the color purple than I ever imagined.  Years ago I did study and research on The Color Personality Test but I never fathomed the depth and interest this person has for color. 

http://www.squidoo.com/allaboutred  this link explores red.

Assessment of color personality has advanced since I did my original work with it.  The test I used asked people to make triangles of ugly and then pretty colors.  A person made three of each and the results were compared to obtain the analysis. In this link you can get color personality results in just a few minutes. http://www.colorcode.com/personality_test/

There are variations out there to explore if you like.  As my grandson says…”google it!”

Sweet Redemption

You run through the left turn

U-turn to make a right

On 85 to home

Fighting constant deluge

Until first time in days

Sunshine mixes ahead

Mountains display beauty

Green on green and yellow

Undulating valleys

peaks pressed by rolling fog

Sifting white above creeks

Flushing nature’s cleansing

If only rain carries sins

to the depths of south seas

leaving sweet redemption

sifted along the banks

Three scenes along the dogwood trail in Farragut, TN.  The top photo is of the featured dogwood.  Knoxville was once called the nation’s ugliest city by John Gunter back in the 1940′s.  The community responded by planting dogwoods along the streets in large numbers.  Azaleas, also native plants here, were added for additional focal points along the streets.  Now the city and the suburbs contain many trails that are in full bloom about now.  Link here. http://www.dogwoodarts.com/trails-and-gardens/

Because You Are Loved

Bed sheets sing a morning tune. 

Outside two house wrens 

announce daybreak.  

Snuggling near her lover’s cheek,

she brushes a stale kiss across his ear.  

He is her husband. 

She likes to think of him as her lover.  

She mouths a good morning 

before asking 

why don’t men come on to me anymore?  

Silence hangs like a pall over the bed. 

Balancing on her elbow, 

she searches his face 

awaiting an answer.   

The wrens repeat their greeting.  

He recasts her question   

thinking she needs support. 

“You wonder why men don’t come on to you?  

Because you are loved dear, 

because you are loved.”