Spring’s been a bloomin’ in Houston for several weeks.  And I’ve got dozens of things in my yard joining the party.  The red bud is always the most visible, but there are several others that show up a little earlier.  I haven’t mowed the yard in many, many months.  And one benefit is the wood-sorrel in spring bloom, reopening every warm day, welcoming bees.  I like it.

Here’s one of the plants I’ve been fostering for several years, trying to make sure it gets to drop its seeds, and there are a few more this year.  It pops up and is here for a few weeks, then it will be gone for the rest of the year.

I give you the Ten-petal Anemone (Anemone heterophylla).

A beautiful nymph named Anemone lived at the court of Flora, the goddess of flowers, and Flora’s husband, Zephyr, the West Wind.  When Flora realized the Zephyr and Anemone had fallen in love, she banished the nymph from the court.  Heartbroken, Anemone died of her sadness, but Zephyr persuaded Venus to change her body into a flower that would come back to life each year with the return of spring. [src]

[coloring book page]