Stop and Smell the Flowers!

by Mark Catlin

This past weekend Lindsay and I were at Crystal Lake Camps for Spring Clean-Up. I talk a lot about “taking time to stop and smell the flowers,” so I followed my own advice and took a few moments apart from BJ’s work list to find some spring flowers. It had been rainy and cool at camp the previous week, so not many flowers were out. However, the few that I found were oh so lovely! 

I am forever amazed at the intricate beauty of all of God’s natural creations. When you come to camp this summer, stop and take time to look and see the little “lovelies” at your feet. I would be happy to help you with looking for the things in the woods on one of the nature hikes I lead. Or, if you see something on your own and don’t know what it is, come find me and we’ll discover what it is together. 

Shown below is a small gallery of flowers I found at camp on May 7, plus a few that will pop up in the woods in the next several weeks. Right now you can go into any woods near your home and find some of these. Be sure when you do to stop and take time to smell them!

Flowers at camp this weekend
	Quaker Ladies
Wild Strawberry	Common Blue Violet
Expected to bloom in upcoming weeks
	Trout Lily
Virginia Bluebells	Dutchman’s Breeches