Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica
Borage family (Boraginaceae)

Each spring the Virginia bluebells wash a certain hill over at my parents’ farm in blue. It’s become an annual tradition to take the kids’ picture on “bluebell hill”.

The farm I grew up on is one of the prettiest farms around. Nestled amongst the bluffs of the Big Cedar River it is surrounded by 4 different landscapes: the river directly across the road to the south; corn fields to the west; prairie-like pasture on top of the bluff to the north; and wooded hills to the east.

My brother and I spent summers playing in the river, building tree houses and forts in the woods, following the deer paths, hunting mushrooms, riding our 3-wheeler on the gravel road, and exploring little caves in the bluff. I loved to go up to the pasture and recreate that opening scene from Little House on the Prairie – bounding like Melissa Gilbert in a long dress through the tall grass. Really 🙂 I could write a whole post on my love of all things Laura Ingalls Wilder.

My mom would send me to school with bluebells for my teacher. And, a little later in spring, lilacs – cut ends wrapped in a wet paper towel and surrounded by tinfoil.

More pictures from Sunday…


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6 Responses to Virginia Bluebells

  1. shannon says:

    We did the same thing – in our case, the picture place was the long, winding gravel driveway that led throught the woods across the way… cute pics mama!

  2. Rurality says:

    What cutie pie kids you have there!

  3. traci says:

    Great photos!

  4. Zanne says:

    Wonderful, wonderful photos, and how lucky your kids are to live in the country. Regards, Suzanne

  5. purejuice says:

    gosh i hope there’s some pix of your parents’ place, or your childhood playing spaces, down the road here. these are too beautiful, thank you.

  6. Today as I was looking at the few Virginia bluebells on my place, I wondered about adding a few more. So nice then to see so many in your photo.And such lovely children.

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