Sunday, June 21, 2009

What's In A Name?

The animals I meet along the trails on my everyday adventures are wonderful, but there is something else that I see every time. Even if the animals run and hide, the plants still remain right where they are. I lost count on how many times I've chased animals through the forests. I've been chased exactly once.

Plants don't chase anyone, and you can look at them for as long as you want. Try it, they won't go anywhere. It is plants that make up a forest or a jungle. You don't necessarily need the animals. When you see all of that green around you, you know where you are.

Sometimes though you'll see something special off to the left or the right. It will be a bit of bright color in all of that green. That's what happens to me a lot of times, and this one time now was no different. Finding a flower in the forest is every bit as good as finding a scurrying little animal.

This particular time, I was on a very small side trail that I remembered from the last time I was at my new park. I remembered seeing a mulberry tree on the trail, and I wanted to see how far along the berries had come. Mulberries taste very delicious so I'm watching for any I can get.

I would have taken a picture of the mulberry tree and the unripe berries but I honestly forgot to do it. I did last time but the camera just wouldn't focus correctly on the berries. Another reason I had to work on my settings.

Well, after checking on the tree I followed the little trail to its end. Nothing special about it except that it ran to the bike trail, and I had already been there. The bike trails look like small streets so I'm kind of uninterested in them. I like the deep forest much better.

After all of this I turned back around and made my way back to the beginning of the small trail. About halfway through I noticed this lone flower that I hadn't seen before. It was about five feet off to the right of the trail, and the bright lavender color caught my eye. I guess that's what people like about flowers.

I can't attempt to tell you the name of this flower, only that I like it. I'm sure if you stick around here long enough somebody will be nice enough to reveal the identity to us all. Even if nobody knows, everything is fine. Flowers are meant to be looked at. The beauty is the same whether we know a name or not.

What was that old saying? You know, the one from that Shaky guy?

(I don't care if it's not a rose, I still like it.)

13 comments:

  1. Unfortunately everything seems to scurry off or fly away before I get my camera ready :-( Fortunately taking photos of plants can be interesting too. Because it makes me pay attention, I often notice things I wouldn't have otherwise.

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  2. I think it might be a wild sweet pea. It has the same encasing as those we have here in Cyprus.

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  3. I can't name any flowers but I like looking at them too Ratty. I still don't know what that bush with all the little white flowers is outside my window. I think I'll search that today. It always has little red berries on it all summer and fall and the birds eat them. Wonder if that is a Mulberry like yours?? I'm off to the web to find out..ha! Have a great Father's Day.

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  4. Yup, it's sweet pea. They are very pretty in the summer. Many of the roadsides here are lined with them. Nice pic!

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  5. I've hiked using my new hiking trail yesterday. No animal was found, except a few butterflies. Maybe they have run away from me.

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  6. Happy Father's Day!

    Ninety nine percent of the time, I don't know the names of the flowers, but watching them grow is my favorite thing to do..

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  7. John - Most animals get away from me before I get my camera ready too. They're harder to get pictures of, but much easier for me to write about. I'm trying to get better with the inanimate things now.
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    Glynis - Thanks! I knew somebody would know what it was. There were a few of these plants in the area but they all seemed to grow by themselves, apart from each other.
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    Ginnymo - Mulberries look a lot like blackberries. They're usually very dark purple. Birds love mulberries too. I'm not sure what your bush with the red berries is. It might be interesting to find out.
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    Sharkbytes - I seem to remember that maybe you had pictures of sweet pea plants a while ago. I remember the name, and the flower looks familiar. I think that familiarity is why I like it.
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    Rainfield - I think there were probably more animals there than you saw. They saw you but you didn't see them. I like trying to get pictures of butterflies as much as other animals. A new trail is fun even without animals though.
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    Icy BC - That's my favorite thing too. I've tried to guess the identities of flowers in the past, as you already know, but I'm just not good at it, so I just look and rely on the experts to name them.

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  8. That sweet pea looks like an orchid. Sometime I am clueless too about flower's name. Nice photo Ratty

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  9. I had to go away for a week to have what appears to be in your back yard. Enjoyed the post.

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  10. I agree with everyone else..I think it is a sweet pea. Nice pictures of them.

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  11. Vanilla - Sweet pea or orchid, I like them both. Whatever the name, flowers are good to see.
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    A.J. - I usually have to go farther than my backyard too.
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    The Retired One - I have to agree too. I don't know enough about flowers to question, but I do trust all of you.

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  12. Well any welcoming bright pink Lathyrus flower would do for me too!! And that's the big and mighty scientific name for anyone who cares. Tends to be that I am the only one in that department for some strange botanical geek reason.

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  13. Julia - I like the scientific name. The big and mighty name might make me sound like I know what I'm talking about when I use it. The only ones who will know are everyone here. :)

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