Flora

  When Johnny is painting, I like to either read, or take a little walk. For me, it's always a nice way to see what's growing along the roadside, or in the fields. There is always something interesting to check out. It also gives Johnny the time to settle in with his agenda of painting, without wondering what I'm going to do.

  We often drive just a few miles into the countryside, and find a good spot to pull over the car. He sets up to paint, and I head out for a stroll. 

  Other mornings, we like to walk to the next little hill town, Paciano. I always find interesting plants to ponder over. Sometimes I can totally tell what type of plant it is, and what the flower will be like, and other times I can't wait to see what the bloom will be.

  Since it's full blown Spring, there is a lot going on in the ditches, and along the paths....

  

Wild violets and cyclamen just starting to show up 

These cyclamen are so tiny and sweet...

   Along the road to Paciano, there are several areas with old stone walls, all dry stacked. It's a perfect place for wild things to pop up....

Ferns and moss in the crevices of the dry stacked walls.

I am loving watching these ferns coming on!

   I wish I was going to be here to see all the wild clematis blooming...I'm seeing it coming up everywhere, and even seeing the spent "puffy" seed heads from last season, but have no clue what color they may be. I am assuming white, or creamy yellow..

I am amazed at both the walls and the plant life at home in them. Clematis just coming on.

The variegated foliage of this particular clump of wild cyclamen blows my mind.
I hope I get to see them bloom... !

   Last year I saw a plant everywhere there was a little moisture and some shade... the clumps of growth reminded me so much of some of the hardy geraniums I love, with variegation, and just the general shape of the leaves looked the same. This year, seeing them bloom, was a real surprise. Yellow! I was certain they would be white or some shade of pink. Not a geranium, after all....

Don't know what it is, but I like it.

A nice clump of euphorbia.

This must be some relative of ajuga... 

These little annual euphorbias are everywhere.

   Just outside of Panicale, near Casalini, we stopped to paint the other day. It was so nice out, and I took a little hike. I went down a dirt path, towards an old farm house, and had a real nice time, just soaking in the sun and sounds around me.

I think it may be a lily of some sort? Very tiny, and cute.

I know this is Lunaria, or silver dollar plant, because I have it in my yard. 

Johnny painting near the car, while I take a walky.

A view of Panicale from the path I was on that day.....

   So you can get a small sense of my little stroll, I have a short video below. It's a real joy being here, and even more fun sharing it this way....