A Walk in the Quaker Woods

by Jean Larson with photographs by Bill Mitchell

March 15, 2015.

As I made my way down the drive heading to the meeting for worship in nature area to help pad the benches Sandy had readied for our outdoor worship, I enjoyed the fresh green leaves that are joining the flowers on the Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia) and remember the time it was planted by young Iranians Nasim Yousefi and Jafar Edrisi in March 2008.  They named it Spring and mentioned that it was close to Nowruz, the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar.  The lyre leaf sage (Salvia lyrata) dotted the meadow at the end of the drive; bees and butterflies enjoyed its flowers. It was a beautiful day to spend time outside and a joy to worship in a simple circle in nature.  At then end of worship, was grateful to all who helped with preparation and post-meeting tidying: Bonnie, Roland, Gary, Ted and Sandy.

I spoke with Gary on the way to our potluck lunch and meeting birthday cake and he pointed out to me that the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) was blooming.  I noticed the gaura (Oenothera simulans) was coming up near by and Gary pointed out that the Christmas cassia (Senna pendula) would benefit from pruning and he volunteered to do it.  He asked about a plant he had put in the grade school garden where he is a helper, and his recollection of “toad something” called to mind the beautiful blue toadflax (Linaria canadensis) I had admired at the Brennens one visit when I got to see the gopher tortoises.

After potluck, Bill and I headed out for a ramble.  I called attention to the fringe tree.  When we got to the meadow at the end of the drive, he remarked that the scarlet hibiscus had put out new leaves, and we went to the south side of the back retention basin so I could see them.  We noted that the frost weed (Verbesina virginica) growing on the edge of the meadow was still green while the near the meeting for worship room had mostly died back.  Bill pointed out that the Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) had come up and that some of the green dragons (Arisaema dracontium) coming up were putting out flower stalks.  We checked the ditch and mused about trying again to establish some fakahatchee grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) to help hold the bank where the sandbagging by Shir Shalom stops.

We went down the ditch and followed the creek a ways to where it goes east off the meeting property. Near that turn there were lots of small fish/tadpoles moving in the water.  We played a bit with helping the water to move around obstacles in its path.  Then we wandered down to the pond area where I was astonished at how the taro had grown, and delighted to see three flowers on the yellow star grass (Hypoxis curtissii) which has dwindled as the winter storms buried it under large quantities of sand.  From the pond we walk around the back of the front retention basin where we spotted a flower on the red anise (Illicium floridanum), a wetland plant native to the panhandle of Florida.  Then we admired the candle atop the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) in the utility strip below the meeting driveway.

We reviewed the planted areas near the meeting house, first looking at the space where the big stump fell over from the base when its roots rotted out. There are opportunities to renew the garden in the space that has opened up.  On the other side of the fence in the children’s yard, we admired the bell shaped flowers on the blueberry plants.  Then we noticed that the coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) by the north fence had flowers up in the top of the crepe myrtles, and the climbing aster (Symphyotrichum carolinianum)is prospering toward the eastern end of the north fence.  The false white indigo (Baptisia alba) is putting out its spring clusters of flowers, overshadowed by some vigorous laurel cherries.

Are others aware of your gifts? Are the flowers and fruit of your labors noticed?  Do you prune away habits that are no longer productive?  Do you recognize, appreciate and acknowledge the gifts of those around you?