Wildflowers on Goose Creek

I only know the ladyslipper, the others I don't. I would love to know what the cool yellow one growing in the creek is. The red star shaped ones seem familiar but just can't recall what it is.

I love these woods. My Grandpa Jess feels close when I'm poking around all these plants on this creek. I wish I would have paid more attention to him when he explained what they could be used for.

About the St. Francois Mountains

Formed by volcanic and intrusive activity 1.5 billion years ago, the St. Francois Mountains are the oldest in North America. Made from granite, perthitic potassium, feldspar, biotite, and magnetite, they are ancient compared to the Rockies which were created 140 million years ago, and older even than the Appalachians, which began forming around 460 million years ago.

These ancient mountains may be the only in the American Midwest that were never submerged, existing as an island in the Paleozoic seas. Fossilized coral, and the remains of old reefs can be found at the flanks of the mountains.

In the country again.

The bugs are crazy this year everyone agrees. It's ok though with me...I'm seeing more spring flowers and plants than ever before and like Uncle Jesse says, " If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone." Tell that to the ticks.

The pics are from Todd and I hiking up to our waterfalls we go to out off of E highway. The water was running great, and the weather was perfect. I love Todd so much for being just the type to go to such a crazy place with me. It's the hardest hike we do, but I know he'll go there with me anytime.