Cold breezes drift around me as I stand in the bare woods. There are no leaves on the trees. The ground is a carpet of brown and gray leaves. The back into the woods was muddy and flooded.

It’s mid April and so far my trips into Michigan’s southwest corner – home to exquisite spring woodland wildflowers – have been fruitless. Today the sun shines, burning off the chill of a clear, cold night.

Heading towards the creek, signs of spring start to appear. Wild garlic pops up here and there, and soon I’m following a path with big patches of deep green leaves on both sides. Harbinger of Spring blooms here and there. Finally, the first few hepatica appear.

Spring may be late, but we’re early in the season. As the day warmed more and more hepatica opened. In a few days the forest floor will be carpeted with these dime sized blooms. So here is a first taste of spring wildflowers – more to come for sure!