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.
