Wildflowers Blossom in PTown Forests

A family hikes the Beech Forrest trails.

As our recent weather proves a bit more tolerable every day, we're finally able to really get outside and enjoy a little recreation. This cold, windy, rainy spring seems like one for the books to me.
I don't remember such chilly weather hanging on into June in the 26 years I've been here…
This family grabbed their sweaters and headed out on the bike trail near Herring Cove. The air was still a bit brisk this day, but the sun was glorious, actually casting shadows for a change.

Lady's slippers are jewels along the trails.

Soon the lady's slippers will be in bloom on the Beech Forest trails and on the Old Colony Nature Pathway, where Harry Kemp Way meets Howland Street.
These showy wildflowers are part of the orchid family.  They are becoming a bit harder to find these days. Look for them in the shady spots in the forests, often beneath the pitch pines, and also sometimes amongst the oaks and maples.
Try to resist the urge to pick them. It takes the seedlings several years to mature, and each plant grows a single stem with one lone flower. They're also a food source for white-tailed deer.