Sunday, March 09, 2008

How I Know Winter is Ending

Beautiful wild flowers suddenly appear... even in the strangest places.

Israeli wild flowers 2
All different colors and shapes and sizes. Only where we don't walk, of course. So, over there years, there are fewer and fewer.

Israeli wild flowers 1
And there's another sign for me, at least. I find it necessary to kick off my shoes as soon as I enter the house.
shoeless

10 comments:

Baila said...

Do you know what that flower in the top picture is called. They have been blooming in my backyard in Modiin for weeks already. I love the Spring!

Leora said...

Cyclamens?
Israeli flowers


Beautiful.

Leora said...

trying to post the link again...

http://public.fotki.com/orlyyahalom/israel/israeli-wildflowers/40.html

Batya said...

I thought they were crocus, but I really don't know the local flora. I did a tree badge in Girl Scouts, so I only know NY. They are the first sign that it has really rained.
leora, your source looks like it knows its stuff.

Anonymous said...

I believe the flowers are Cyclamen.
I've planted them. The plant melts and disappears when the weather turns cold. In Spring, they reappear in all their splendor. Are they native plants in your country?

Batya said...

I think that here they are "wild flowers." They show up after the first few rains, mid winter.

Leora said...

How I did the research:
First I tried lady slipper, but they aren't lady slippers, and those are probably North American flowers. Then I tried "Judea flower", "Samaria flower" (nothing), then "Modiin flower" (found something! but nothing matched), finally "Israeli flower" and found that site. Looked through the pics for a match. (all this research only took me about 20 minutes -- used Google web and Google images).

I've done volunteer work for environmentalists for a number of years, and I enjoy playing guess the flower or bird.

Batya said...

leora, you're great, and I do like this picture better.

Baila said...

Thanks, everyone for id ing the flower. They seem to bloom forever and are gorgeous in our (rental) garden!

Batya said...

I really wish I knew more about the flora here.