Lady's slippers

I was roaming in the woods this morning and lost my way.  I doubled back, then figured out I'd been on the right path to begin with.  So I turned back around and this time, just off to the side of the path I'd walked twice before, I saw two dozen lady's slippers, pink ones and yellow-green ones.  I stood and counted them.  When I was a little girl someone impressed on me that lady's slippers are rare and marvelous, and I still feel that kind of reverent amazement when I happen upon one now in the woods.  I don't think they're all that rare, actually, but I feel lucky and clever when I spy one, nonetheless.   And two dozen that were invisible the first two times I passed them and showed themselves to me on my third pass, well, that feels like a good start to the day. 

Comments

[Autumn]

I remember taking a walk in the woods behind your grandparents' house when we were little- 6 or 7- and finding lady's slippers. I wanted to pick them and bring them back for our moms, but you told me they were endangered and that it was illegal to pick them. I've held that as truth ever since, which has made them that much more magical to me. A forbidden fruit.

[Amelia]

wow. I feel a bit similarly about the white trillium... not so hidden, but rare and fleeting in their bloom.