That's the one, Christine. The one I was going to put in the article and totally forgot what I was doing. Duh. Too many pots in the fire or something. Thanks for posting it here. Isn't it beautiful, Shoe!!

Thanks Charleen, glad you enjoyed. Also happy that you know the mayapples.

We have them come up in the Spring. When I was a kid I lived in Missouri, was born there. We would go out in the Spring to look for Morel mushrooms, Yep, I remember seeing them One of the "Welcome Spring" crew.....

Beautiful photo's Christine

Charleen, we used to go mushroom hunting in OH. Makes my mouth water, thinking about it. Yum!

Speaking of . . . when I was in Iowa, my friend Arlene (TwinLakesChef) fried up a platter full of morels one night for dinner. Yummmmmy for sure! It was the middle of May, morels and mayapples and great company. What a very fine trip.

Sharon, as usual, a great story. I was wondering the other day what my life would have been like if my aunt and uncle would not have taken me into their home and raised me. I think my life would have been very different and not in a good way.

Can you imagine your life if not for your Aunt Bett? And the coincidences of fate that brought her into life and kept her alive on that mountain so you could become who you are? Sometimes I ponder these things and sometimes I give myself a headache.

Thanks for the story, I love huge leaves that are round, I have to get some of these plants as we have none here.
Rebecca

Rebecca,

You have no idea how many times I wonder who I would be if it had not been for those who raised me. I would not be here for sure, because I would know nothing about wildflowers or trees or plants of any kind.

We are a mix of our memories, the good and the bad.
It's just who we are.

Find a woodland with maybe a stream nearby and in the cool of a May morning, walk through it slowly with your head down. You might find a mayapple. I'm sure you'll remember the umbrella leaves. Once you find the leaves, kneel down and look beneath them, maybe there'll be a bloom.

Thank you for another wonderful Aunt Bett story. I look forward to them so much. As I look forward to our mayapples heralding spring.

Thanks Polly

I will look but so far, never seen one around here. But then I also have never seen Darmera peltata, which is a native to us. I finally got some at a wholesale nursery, its doing well so far. I love the huge leaves on these things, there is a fancy mayapple with beautiful colored leaves that Terra Nova sells. I have been wanting one of those for awhile.

I'd like to see pictures of your fancy mayapple when you get it!

Wow, another great story! I never knew they were toxic. The friend that gave me a start of her Tansy also has or had Mayapples. I was going to get some from her till I found out they spread. Not having room, I never did. I might have been tempted to taste that apple. Now I have chills!

Hi Sally,
Probably not as toxic as Aunt Bett wanted me to believe, maybe it's the timing that's important. One to be careful about anyway.

Tansy is good, keeps mosquitoes away, but the scent is pretty yucky!

Hi, I'm a little late in getting back. Laughing, I'm one of those people that like the smell of Tansy and the wild Beebalm. Even tho it's a dirty lavender, it's why I plant it :o)

With all ages of Grandkids I'm teaching to graze, I'll not plant any toxics for a long while.

Grazing grandkids, I like that!

Sounds easier than raising them.

It is and it's more fun to eat outside!

Hi Sharon, this is the article that popped up on my home page today under the Random Article feature. Brought a smile. I so do love your Aunt Bett stories.

When I first bought my woodland property back in the late 1980s, the Mayapples covered the forest floor all along the creek as far as the eye could see. They were a real treat as they were one of the first signs of spring for me. I loved seeing the little closed umbrellas pop up and then watch them over the next few days as they would fully unfurl. Over the last seven years or so they have completely died out. Someone told me it was likely the over populated deer that have decimated them as they are doing to so many of the native woodland plants in our area. If so, I wonder why the toxicity doesn't bother them. Anyway, these days it is even more of a treat to spot them because the are so rarely seen.