Being the gardener and outdoor person that I am, I wait an entire year to see many things one time during a particular season knowing that I will have to wait an entire year just to observe such item again…baby birds stretching their heads over the edge of their nest, beaks open, squawking for food; amazing autumn color; the first snowfall of winter; the blooming of a particular spring flower.
I am not a patient person, but I have no choice in matters concerning Mother Nature. So, wait I must. And, the wait is always worth the 365 days, more or less.
The piece de resistance of waiting is this…the wild yellow lady slipper orchid. Aren't they magnificent?
Come spring, I watch for specific green shoots to pierce the ground just steps into the woods from the edge of my lawn. I watch daily as these shoots elongate. I might wait a day or two before I return if progress seems slow. Then, one day, there they are: brilliant yellow color shining through the shade of the woodland, perfectly-formed slippers enhanced with tiny purple dots on the inside. I look closely so as not to miss any detail.
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| Do you see a monkey's face? |
A few seasons back, I discovered a second, smaller patch of yellow lady slippers growing about twenty feet away from what I thought was a solo component of my woods. Now, I get twice the pleasure!
I make sure to enjoy these fabulous orchids daily. These blooms never last long enough for my taste.
I step gently into the woods, slowing walking toward the outstanding flowers. Buddy stays back on the lawn, crouching low to the ground, as if he knows he must behave while I have my moment. I look at each bloom from every direction. Sometimes I catch a ray of sun penetrating the delicate membrane. I am not in any hurry, so I purposely linger. And, I never miss a peek inside the slipper before I take my leave.
Yes… the wait of a year is definitely worth just one sight of the beautiful, wild, yellow lady slipper.
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