It’s May… time for the mayapples to bloom. Known as the umbrella plant by our students, the mayapple grows in moist, rich soil in shadier areas. In its first year of growth, it has a single leaf. This leaf is divided into sections so it looks like several leaves growing on one stalk. During the second growth year, two leaves emerge with a single flower bud hanging beneath them.

Spring means the arrival of many migratory birds and one species that can be seen while driving around or hiking locally is the eastern meadowlark. The robin-sized species can commonly be found singing from fence posts and powerlines in pastures, grasslands and agricultural areas from mid-March to mid-November.

Tree buds demonstrate that nature is not a procrastinator. Last summer, when the tree completed its growth for that year, it started preparing for the following year by producing new leaves and flowers. Because these leaves and flowers wouldn’t be needed until spring, they were tightly folded and specialized scales grew over them.