For a brief period each spring, tiny wildflowers spring up from the forest floor, giving the forest a magical feel. Some are colorful and some are pure white, but the wildflowers are all beautiful.
I spotted these little flowers on Monday as I was searching for dragonflies in Prince William County, Virginia. I came up empty-handed that day and am still searching for my first dragonfly of the season. However, I had an enjoyable day, covering almost six miles (9.6 km) on hilly trails through the forest.
The first photo shows a bluet (Houstonia caerulea), a species that is sometimes referred to as a “Quaker Lady,” because its shape is reportedly similar to that of the hats once worn regularly by women of the Quaker faith. The flower in the second shot is a Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera), I believe. The flower in the final photo is probably a wild violet (Viola sororia).
As you can readily see, I got really close to the flowers and used a macro lens. I love the detailed views of their shapes, patterns, and colors and encourage you to click on each image to immerse yourself more deeply in their beauty. In these troubled times, nature continues to serve as a balm to my soul.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
A balm to the soul, indeed. Thanks Mike!
Hiking and flowers! Perfect combination!
All three are lovely to see.
Lovely! 🙂
Very nice series of images Mike!
The Quaker Lady bluet flower is really striking!
Thanks, Liz. I love the simple graphic quality of this flower and was happy I could capture its image in the way that I did. 🙂
I’m a big fan of these bloom closeups, Mike. You’ve captured some amazing detail — so much intricacy in a small package.
Thanks, Ellen. You know of my love affair with my Tamron 180mm macro lens and it serves me well for shots like these one. 🙂
Bloom, Spring, bloom!
Amen to that. Bring on the flowers!
😍😍😍