Field Notes: Spring 2026

Late Spring inspiration:
A new kind of Season’s Greetings

Sometimes I talk to plants and other beings on my walks. My delight in seeing them spills out into a greeting. I hadn’t thought about writing a Field Note about these little chats, but then I happened to read a wonderful piece in Orion Magazine and thought Why not?

Fringed Polygala

Helloooo, Fringed Polygala! I’m so happy to see Your Royal Fuchsia-ness. In my heat-wave-induced sluggishness, I’d forgotten to plan a visit with you, making our meeting even more special.

Running Groundsel

Well, look at you! When I saw your dark purple buds the other day, I guessed you were in the Aster family, but I was not expecting such happy-making yellow petals. I’m so pleased to make your acquaintance.

Clubmoss

Apologies for not knowing your full name. But that won’t stop me from praising your spiraling fan-like branches. And may I say the apple green of the new growth at your branch tips is stunning.

Foamflower

Oh, Foamflower, I almost missed you because I was looking for someone else. Have I told you how much I like your tiny, spray-like white flowers? Are you, by chance, related to Two-leaved Miterwort?

Wild Columbine

Good morning! I didn’t expect to see you here by the side of this road. And to be clear, I’m delighted to see you anywhere. I hope Ruby-throated Hummingbirds find you and your nectar.

Gorgeous Woods, thank you for sharing your many May delights (and all your beauty yet to come) and for listening to my words of gratitude and happiness.

Photo credits: Fringed Polygala, Running Groundsel, Clubmoss – Marilyn Webster; Foamflower – Lindley Ashline; Wild Columbine – Cathy Dewitt

One road, three lists

1. What I picked up

Bottles: Brown glass bottle with no labels; Leroux blackberry flavored brandy, 50mL; Power Ade, crushed; water bottle, flattened; Niagara purified drinking water and Coca-Cola, original taste, both one-third full of questionable brown fluid

Cans: Twisted Tea Light; Miller Lite; Bud Lite, crushed; and Sun Cruiser vodka iced tea

Wrappers and bags: Sandwich wrapper, soggy; Oreo; Twix; Doritos; Jack Link’s beef jerky, original; Jonny Almond nuts; and Nature’s Promise semi-sweet chocolate chips, organic

Miscellaneous: Logger professional choice, extra comfort black glove; pieces of Styrofoam cup; orange straw and plastic lid; clear plastic packaging tape; green ribbon; pink flagging tape; white gift ribbon twisted around a twig; orange plastic POSTED sign; and a plastic lawn sign in pieces, some too small to pick up

2. Who made my heart sing

Rooted Beings: Bloodroot, Bloodroot, Bloodroot; a single yellow Trout Lily flower; clusters of fuzzy fiddleheads; inconspicuous sedge flowers; pale brown Field Horsetail stems; tender maple leaves unpleating

Water-loving Beings: Small turtle plodding across the road; Red Eft on moss-covered rocks; large tadpoles still in their eggs, on the verge of hatching

Feathered Beings: A bird of prey with striped tail feathers flying through the trees; a Winter Wren’s song

3. How Asha made me laugh

Sniffing: Sniffed and sniffed and sniffed; detected a decaying racoon leg bone (on which she rubbed her neck); found crunchy somethings (and ate them)

Listening: People talking (and ran to greet them); the UPS truck (and wolfed down a treat from her friend, the driver)

Drinking: Stream water (and wallowed for a good two minutes)

You may also like:

Winter 2025/2026 – Excavating beginnings; But then, so when, and then
Shapes of beauty; Postcard to the Woods #6

Fall 2025 – Witch-hazel; Romcom in the woods; Postcard to the Woods #5

Summer 2025 – Invocation & benediction; Slow answers

Spring 2025 – A gathering of shiny acorns; Prescription; Why I was late; Once open, there’s no going back