Kate: My camera does a pretty good job of selecting the correct exposure in sun. I haven't had a problem photographing any species in full sun. It's shade that gets my camera! I took a dozen pictures of the Corallorhiza, and only liked three. Lucky it's digital. I do get to see what the pictures look like immediately, so I take more if they look over or under exposed. Nonmember: Yes, it does. Thanks! Best, Ross

The Pocket of Pigeon Mountain in Georgia would not be a long drive for you. It's considered by many to be the finest wildflower site in Georgia based on the diversity and concentration of spring wildflowers. An early trip (third week of March) should give you a display of masses of bluebells and celandine poppies. This site has large populations of Trillium decumbens and flexipies and lots more. If you go once you will want to return at a different time to see the ones you miss blooming. It's an easy day hike. You can spend two to four hours or explore further on some adjacent trails. Check out this link: http://www.gnps.org/POCKET1.HTM Here's directions:From downtown LaFayette, Ga., which is on US 27 BUSINESS (Main St.), go a few blocks south and turn west on GA 193 for 8 miles to Davis Crossroads (there's a little store on the right with this name), where GA 341 comes in from the right. At this junction turn left onto Hog Jowl Road and go 2.6 miles, passing Mt. Herman Baptist Church. At the top of the next hill, turn left onto Pocket Rd. and drive 1.2 miles until the road ends. Park in the Pocket Trailhead parking lot on the left. There was a sign at the Pocket Road/Hog Jowl Road intersection but last spring it was damaged and I don't know if it's been fixed.

I understand yer trepidation, vegangirl. I have another list, Planet Ohio, which I started back in 1998. It eventually fell prey to spam so I now approve or deny all new memberships, and anyone you sneaks through and tries to spam us, I kick 'em off. I can also make it so that I have final approval of all messages before they are posted. We're still small at the wildflower list; the spammers haven't found us yet, but take my word for it, once one shows his or her ugly face, I'll nip it in the bud... In other words, spamming may happen once, but then never again... I'd really like to have ya join; you clearly have a love and knowledge of wildflowers to share with others, and I think the most important thing of all is that ol' sense o' kindred spirit... If too many daily emails concerns ya ... in addition to that spam ... you can choose to receive a daily digest of the day's messages, or to not receive email, but read all the messages at the web site. no spam'll get at ya that way! I'd love to hear more of your life story. It sounds fascinating ... book material. My wife and I have been to Maine/New England a few times, and up to Grand Marais, MN and Superior National Forest, all beautiful, beautiful places... I have a friend who has PhD in entomolgy who lives up in Maine, he works with the apple growers... Last time we drove up to Maine, in late Sept 1999, the Monarchs were migrating ... we were driving into Vermont, I think it was, and they were flying by at a rate of one every minute or so. It was great... And I do hope ya consider joinin' in ... you'll have so many spring widflowers to share with us. I'm postin' a few of my wildflower articles on the list to stir things up a little, and tryin' to find some wildflower news from out west to pass on as well... Happy spring!!!!

The crinum by the ditch is a good example that others may also enjoy it, and would be saddened to see that one day, it disappeared. Of course, we can't stop someone else from doing it, so it might very well be us who have lost the enjoyment of seeing it. In my case, I had a recent situation about this, too. A neighbor's brugmansia grows on the outside of his fence, accessible by the sidewalk. Last fall, I had thought to snip off a branch or two and try to root them for my own plants, but I thought how the owner might feel to see his branches snipped off, even if I thought I was careful in making it inconspicuous. Well, a few weeks ago, I noticed that he had cut it all the way down to the ground. So now I regret not asking or taking a few small cuts. Of course, just because he got rid of it doesn't mean I had any reason to take some for my own, but it's definitely one of those situations where you think how you could have taken a bit of the plant earlier and no "apparent" harm would have been done. But often times, we think there is no harm, except for the fact of sometimes not asking the owner first, who might very well notice and exclaim, "Hey, someone cut my plants!"