The Subtlety of Spring on the Prairie

Over the past six weeks I've had the opportunity to travel to Arizona and California. Everyplace I went spring seemed to be on steroids. Bougainvillea hung heavy with bursting fuchsia blooms, colorful flowering vines draped over border walls, and exotic trees showcased stunning, fragrant flowers.


Spring is not as showy on the prairie. You have to look to find its subtle beauty. This is when my hikes turn into scavenger hunts, as prairie flowers often prefer different soil conditions.
When you find the spring prairie flowers its like finding a treasure. You are so blown away that something so delicate could live in such a landscape.
Wet hillsides are always a good place to look, as long as you don’t mind a little extra shoe weight.  And, having someone to share your find with can make it even more special. My someone occasionally requires a ride. More weight, but he's worth it!
If you are looking up, you could very well miss the show. (Looking up is not an option for prairie girls afraid of snakes.) Often there will just be a single plant, like the Purple Pincushion cactus that keeps it's buds enclosed in its pin-cushioned dome.

Or you may find a hillside colored with with delicate flowers or splashed with yellow. 

Each week new flowers will shyly present themselves and although the spring flowers can be hard to find, the sweet smell of the wild plums and honeysuckle, along with the birds that fill the vast space with their showy songs, insure you that spring is here!