Falling Behind?

Indian Cucumber Root

Pink Lady Slipper

Dames Rocket

Yellow Goatsbeard

For the past week, I have felt like I was falling behind on my One Thousand Flowers project.  I went an entire week without getting out to the woods and meadows.  I have been putting in extra hours at work, which has put me getting home later than usual.  Also had a few family obligations last week which I really don't mind.  But I do get a little bugged when work takes time out of my private life.

But anyways, had to go to church Saturday to get the new video projector figured out before the Sunday sermon, so I took the opportunity to make some stops in Clear Creek Metro Park along the way.  The weather was cold and wet.  A hideous day to be out looking for anything other than wildflowers!  Later in the day I had a meeting in Zanesville to attend, but finished that soon enough to be able to return to Clear Creek on the way home.

The meeting in Zanesville was an interview as a part of my requirements to become a Licensed Local Pastor.  Currently I am a Supply Pastor at Hopewell United Methodist.  I did not really know what to expect from the meeting, but it turned out to be quite the blessing.  I have always thought myself a little odd.  I have always felt like I did not totally fit in with the Christian crowd because of my enthusiasm for nature.  At the same time, I haven't always felt like I fit in with the nature-loving crowd because of my faith and unbelief in evolution.  I shared this with the committee in Zanesville.  They were very supportive and shared some ideas for ways that I could marry the two interests.  I left the meeting feeling so much better emotionally than I had felt when I arrived.

It was this later afternoon trip to Clear Creek that really panned out to be a blessing.  As I was walking the Hemlock Trail, actually a ways off of Hemlock Trail, I found this wonderful Pink Lady Slipper and Indian Cucumber Root.  I know a lot of folks have trouble with this sort of conversation, but I have found that when I go off trail for a restroom break is when I typically find the coolest things; the rare wildflowers, the oddly behaving butterflies, the black bear skeletons, etc.  I guess it is because for that brief minute, I have nothing else to do but observe the world around me.  We miss so much when we are busy rushing from place to place.  I think there is a lot of value, a lot of peace and opportunity, in going off trail and simply standing or sitting for awhile; a far more valuable use of time than spastically trying to get to the  next appointment.

As I reviewed my species list for the year, I do not think my crazy and hectic week last week has cost me much.  There really wasn't anything I had missed that I was fully expecting to photograph for early May.  I have been hoping to get Yellow Lady Slipper, and I know of one location for it, but getting there will require a three-hour block of uninterrupted time, and I do not have many of those now-a-days.  I will in a couple weeks but the Lady Slipper may very well be out of bloom by then.  Certain species have very brief windows of opportunity.  However, with that said, the species count currently stands at 182.  Really not bad for about six weeks work!