hey Annie

Showy Ladies Slipper

Last Saturday I spent the day with the Vermont Botanical & Bird Club. This is the second year in a row I have attended their annual meeting. By and large, the event consists of visiting several interesting sites in an area, and then exploring for birds, wildflowers, ferns, and the like.

Some might think that I am obsessed with wildflowers, but I don't hold a candle to many of the members of this group. When we got to the parking lot at the first site, one of the participants said that he had brought along extra lenses for anyone who had forgotten theirs. I wouldn't have been more surprised if he had said he had brought along an extra bag of carburetors.

"What do you need lenses for?" I asked.

In a very amiable and self deprecating manner he replied, "Oh, we just have to examine every cilia on every flower and fern that we find."

I have to admit I laughed out loud.

The level of knowledge and passion displayed can be a little intimidating. I found a diminutive four petaled flower that I had never seen before. I thought this was probably something very common, and that I'd look like a fool if I said anything. I started to walk away.

"What did you find, Jim?" asked Brian.

I showed Brian the flower, and he didn't know what it was either. He called Annie, the grand wizard over, and she didn't know what it was either. After looking it up in her guide book, she looked me in the eyes and said, "Jim, this is an S2S3."

"Oh, what does that mean?"

"It's rare."

I felt pretty chipper after that. A couple of minutes later, I found another, and hollered out, "Hey Annie, I don't know what this one over here is either."

She came over, and took a look. "That's a common wild strawberry," she said quietly.