It is a big joke in my family that I always take the day off on my birthday. Why not? I think everyone should! So, happy birthday to me and all the other zany, creative, funny Gemini’s in this world. I could tell you about starting my birthday week yesterday with my dear friend Patti, or my astrological update with sweet Mel, or my spontaneous dinner with my honey, but I really want to tell you about looking for the Lady Slipper. She is a rare beauty of the forest that blooms around my birthday.

My sister and fellow Gemini (although she says we are nothing alike!), Louise was the perfect partner for my early morning sleuthing. We started out at 6:30am. The woods were quiet and wet with dew. The beauty immediately woke me up and gratitude filled my lungs as I breathed it in completely.

Since the pictures will no doubt be worth a thousand words, here goes:

We were almost to the top of the mountain when we spotted her a bit off the trail, surrounded by a small rock circle, as if someone had thought to protect her; possibly seeing her beauty for the first time, as I had some years ago, and with breath catching in their chest, had known that she was fragile and needed care. She was completely alone and very small although her presence in the rocky landscape felt huge to me. The pink pouch drops off of the plant and looks like a slipper. The pouch is used to catch the insects needed to fertilize the flower. Lady Slipper is in the orchid family and is the state flower of Minnesota…..just a shout out to my InterPlay friends in the land of lakes….have you seen any lately? Send pictures!!!!

Next up: A birthday nap with my buddy, Scout!