Last winter I made several trips to Chickering Bog with friends. It was remarkable on a number of levels, most interestingly because we could walk (with snowshoes) anywhere on the quaking bog, something that is both not easy and frowned upon in the non-winter months. In the summer we are constrained to a long boardwalk, still a delight but offering only a limited view of the plants and animals.
In the winter I was pleasantly surprised to find the remains of dozens of the carnivorous Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) flowers.
The remains of the flowers of Pitcher Plant in the snow.
Last week when I returned, the flowers were in full bloom but we could only see a few of them from the boardwalk.
Though not what we might typically think of as a flower, the Pitcher Plant flower is quite stunningly beautiful. The “pitchers,” in which insects are captured, can be seen at the bottom of the plant.
What a joy seeing the natural world throughout the “time warp” of the seasons in all its forms.
Still Learning To See 