Appalachian Wildflowers – Page 7 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

The First Bloom Of 2021

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “First Bloom 22321a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The wind rages on the ridges of my little slice of Appalachia. The tall timber sways in ever changing patterns as the gales attempt to wake them from their deep slumber. But beneath the shadow of the mountains a single ray of light has gently been coaxing my winter honeysuckle bush. I wander out along the edges between the forest and the yard and cautiously approach the bush so as not to disturb any of birds that like to nest in its tangled branches. It was when I saw the tiny white spots among the green leaves that I knew why I’d been called to this bush. The small dainty flowers were just starting to open up and that howling breeze now feels a little warmer.

Image Titled “Winter Honeysuckle 22321b”.

In her modest glory this honeysuckle bush never fails to be the first bloom on my place. It’s a major tickmark of my natural calendar that tells me to start getting things ready for the coming changes. She’ll soon be hosting the first bees to awaken which are usually the leafcutter bumblebees. They have a thicker fur than the others and are usually the first to leave the underground nests in the early part of the year. She’ll be ready and waiting to feed them as soon as they emerge. Typically we still have two more snowfalls before winter fades completely but it will be here before you know it.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

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Forage Friday #92 Heartleaf Foamflower

Color Photography, Forage Friday

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Heartleaf Foamflower 40720a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.

Mottled light spills over the forest floor in the little forest sanctuary on the edge of my property. I am knelt down on my knees and elbows as I focus in on the new growth that has appeared.

That was last April and I held back the images in the knowledge that from the end of January until about the end of March there was very few plants I could photograph. Plus I can post a few images well ahead of the coming Spring and give you my dear friends a little time to learn more before they emerge.

The Heartleaf Foamflower is a tiny but beautiful woodland wildflower. The leaves first began to appear in mid March on my mountain.

Image Titled “Heartleaf Foamflower 33120”. All photos found on my website are my original work unless otherwise specified and are available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

I first noticed this little clump around St. Patrick’s Day and by the end of the month it was forming flower buds. After such a long winter it’s a true joy to see something green and growing on my mountain. Normally my Forage Friday post is about wild edible or medicinal plants but there’s a psychological aspect of nature as well. Especially for hill people like myself. It’s not just the dark of October to the end of December but the lack of the fullness of the forest that brings me down a little. To see life in full bloom is really what I live for. It’s a source of contentment for me. But I digress.

I’m not aware of any edible uses for Foamflower. It’s listed as an evergreen and found in shady areas which means that it would probably adapt well as an indoor plant. It’s got a fairly low profile and grows in clusters.

Image Titled “Heartleaf Foamflower 40720b.”

The small flowers grow in spikes and really are quite pleasing to the eye. I think that they’re well suited for a native terrarium. For best results you’ll want to include living soil with anything you bring in out of the wild. Just be aware that you might have some insects or undesirable fungus in that soil and be prepared for dealing with it. Otherwise I think it would be a lovely idea.

Foamflower in general does have some medicinal value.

The Iroquois used the mashed roots to poultice on minor wounds and made a tea from the cured leaves to sooth sore eyes.

The Cherokee made an infusion with it for treating thrush.

Other uses are as a diuretic to flush out bladder infections and kidney stones.

That’s it for tonight. Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement:

I am adding additional social media to my network. Eventually, I’ll be leaving Facebook behind for a multitude of reasons. Even though the Lloyd’s Lens Photography page is strictly non-political I have been restricted from interacting with followers with no explanation for why. But it’s not just that. For years now Facebook has throttled content providers in general. They encourage us to grow our audience and then want to sell us back the access to them. In addition, they collect and sell the data from our interaction. So Facebook has become an entanglement of thorns. In response I have created the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe. We can still interact directly on the blog but starting today I’ll be looking for more platforms that respect the privacy of my followers and don’t limit who gets to see the post.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

Forage Friday #90 Golden Alexander

Color Photography, Forage Friday

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Golden Alexander 50320a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice. A little extra caution is to be observed when foraging members of the carrot family. There are poisonous plants like hemlock that are often found growing in the same area.

At the time of writing this article in mid January 2021 my world is covered in ice. But when I do venture out into the frost coated wilderness I can already see the earth showing signs of preparing to receive the coming changes. The throw of the frost is making ready for the tiny seeds to be in just the right place so they may be awakened by the warm Spring rains.

Last year I was out on the edge of my property and was blessed with the sight of Golden Alexander poking up from the hillside.

One could think of Golden Alexander as sort of a wild broccoli. To the best of my knowledge it’s not actually related to broccoli but it’s used the same way. If you don’t already know the part of broccoli that we eat is the flower buds. If you allow broccoli to go without harvesting it produces a pleasant yellow flower. The flower buds of Golden Alexander are harvested the same way and can be tossed in a salad along with the tender growing portions of the stem. They can also be cooked and served as potherb.

Medicinal value of Golden Alexander is a little scarce. It seems to have been used as an analgesic by Native Americans and they used the roots for that in the form of a poultice. The action of the root is anti-inflammatory however the root also contains xanthotoxin which can cause you to be sensitive to the sun.

As we transition into the colder portion of winter I’ll be posting more photos from my archive until more plants begin to sprout.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

https://www.facebook.com/aviewfromthelens/

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Witch-hazel and folklore

Color Photography, wildlife

Witch Hazle 10521a — Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Witch-Hazle 10521a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

The January sun burns cold in the open sky as the big blue truck takes me to my familiar haunt on Salmon Run Road. It’s so close to the highway but teaming will wildlife. In the distance a woodpecker laughs knowing that he’s once again escaped my lens. But just barely for I did manage to catch him distracted for a moment.

Woodpecker 121220 — The woodpecker was so busy that he didn’t notice me until I got out of the truck.

But as soon as I opened the door of the truck he took to the wind and disappeared into the branches.

Even though it’s January the bright yellow witch-hazle is still blooming strong. In fact I think that they’re in better shape now than they were a few weeks ago.

As I approach the tiny clusters of frilly golden bloom I noticed the forked branches. Now a normal person might look at those forks and think of a slingshot. But I think about dowsing rods. In the 90s I had the opportunity to attend a gathering of the American Dowsing Association where I learned that witch-hazel was one of the preferred woods used for finding water, oil and minerals. There is a trick to how to hold the stick. You point the stick to ground and hold it by the fork with your thumbs pointing to the sky. Rotate the wrists inward until the tip of the stick comes up to a 45 degree angle to the sky and when you’re over the target the stick twists in your hands to point out the water just like a compass pointing north. It’s not just an Appalachian tradition. Variations of this is used worldwide. But does it work? Well I was skeptical but as soon I was over the target that stick twisted. I tightened my grip in an effort to stop the rod. But it just kept turning downward. I was convinced. But sometime later I realized that we never actually drilled to see if the stick was right. While I’m open to the possibility that there could be some trick of physics that just hasn’t been explained yet it’s going to remain a mystery. Life needs a little unknown element to remain interesting.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

https://www.facebook.com/aviewfromthelens/

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

October’s Smile

Color Photography, wildlife

The cool October breeze flows across the spillway at Battle Run. Illuminated by the sun, the airborn seed of wild lettuce, cattails and milkweed pass through resembling stars in broad daylight. I close my eyes and listen to breeze as it whispers stories of the landscape it touches. Across the field near the pine trees a pair of blue jays patrol their domain squawking a warning to those who wander too close to their sacred territory. The wind speaks of the horse that raced the front across the open pasture and nearly won the race. Then the breeze invites me to follow along as it shakes the remanent wildflowers to strengthen their stems. As we approach the the thin patch of wildflowers the wind playfully tosses my cap into the field causing me to rush in after it. The hat came to rest at the base of a small cluster of Spanish Needles which I wouldn’t have noticed had the breeze not brought me there. After securing my favorite topper I knelt down for a closer look at God’s creation. The plant was a simple Spanish Needles bloom. What some might call a common weed. But God made nothing without a purpose. Even though we may not recognize the functions that any part of creation serves it’s not a wasted effort by God. Even if that purpose is to grow in a windy field and represent a smile from the creator himself it’s a noble purpose.

And tonight friends, let me pass this smile to you as well and pray that you are blessed throughout your days.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

https://www.facebook.com/aviewfromthelens/

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/