Author Archives: Brenda Clements Jones

About Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

Brilliant Crimson With Lovely Yellow Stars

May 23, 2026

The stunning flowers of Indian Pink (Spigel marilandica). Brilliant crimson topped with stunning yellow stars. The crimson is rich enough to create a challenge for me and my camera. I’ve been frustrated with both film and digital film sensors in trying to capture these rich reds. Despite the arduous task, I take it on and enjoy the high saturation and lovely punch that these flowers have.

Indian Pink is native to the inland areas of the southeastern and midwestern United States.

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Gray Dogwood Just Beginning

May 22, 2026

Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) blooming in late May. Blooming where there is sunshine reaching its topmost branches. Only there. Other buds waiting in the shade for June to approach. Gray Dogwood with its white blossoms. Blossoms that will become apple-green berries and turn a creamy-white as July makes its appearance.

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Golden Alexanders Blooming In May And June

May 21, 2026

Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), a member of the Apiaceae, or carrot family. Other members of this family are, Queen Anne’s lace, parsnips, celery, fennel, parsley, dill, cilantro/coriander, cumin, caraway, anise, chervil, and lovage. Wow, that’s a bunch!

    These very tiny individual flowers, at just 1/8 inch wide, grow together in what are called compound umbels, or flat-topped clusters. Their larger, showy clusters are between 2 and 3 inches across. Their rich yellow flowers are quite popular with native pollinators.

    In bloom right now, in the woods here in the mountains.

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    Memories Of Bluets

    May 20, 2026

    We moved into the little house in Cheverly Manor when I was just a few months old. We lived there for the next 15 years. The place where I first learned about nature. Getting to know the trees and flowers that my Mom and Dad planted in the yard, and the ones that nature planted in the yard.

    These tiny flowers are like the ones that nature planted in the yard. They’re Bluets (Houstonia caerulea) which my camera captured in pixels in Shenandoah National Park just a bit ago. Bluets might be the first flower that I became acquainted with, blooming each year in May at the back of the yard, under the Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica). Back there, a opening in the fence that would lead into the woods, and much more nature.

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    UPDATE: Fire Pinks In The Park

    May 19, 2026

    Hiking through Virginia right now provides beautiful surprises. This brilliant scarlet flower is one of those delights. It’s Fire Pink (Silene virginica), which is native to eastern and central North America.

    This striking plant belongs to the carnation, pink, or the Caryophyllaceae family, which includes flowers that have petals that seem to have the edges cut by pinking shears. That is how the common name of Fire Pink comes about, not from the color pink.

    Given the vivid scarlet of the flowers, they are definitely easy to spot. I’ve dicovered them blooming not only here on my mountain but also in Shenandoah National Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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    A Small Fern, Ebony Spleenwort

    May 18, 2026

    Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron), a small fern that is native to not only eastern North American but also southern Africa. It has a distinctive coloring of its central stem, extremely dark almost black, which gives the plant its common name. I often see it up here in the woods.

    A fern with two different types of fronds. Sterile fronds, which are just 2 to 6 inches long with a slight arch. They are often found growing along the ground, and are evergreen. The other type are fertile fronds which appear in spring, growing to a height of 1 to 2 feet. These fronds are deciduous, dying off in winter after their spores are dispersed.

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    An Eastern Chipmunk

    May 17, 2026

    An Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) here in the mountains. Bringing back memories of Arlington, Virginia, with a family of chipmunks near the back door, scurrying across the patio, or tunneling under it. Such fun to watch as they scampered back and forth. And here now in our woods.

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    Coral Honeysuckle A Perfect Flower For Hummingbirds

    May 16, 2026

    Take a look at the flowers of Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and you might think, the perfect flower for hummingbirds. Yes indeed, but there are many other pollinators that enjoy the flowers, including many bees and butterflies.

    The perennial vine is the host plant for Spring Azure butterflies and Snowberry Clearwing moths.

    And a beautiful addition to the woods in spring and summer.

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    Virginia Spiderwort

    May 15, 2026

    Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) in bloom right now. Such lovely, rich colors! If you look carefully at this photo, you might notice a tiny insect that resembles a bee, gathering pollen and nectar.

    Here is a better look at the critter, a Margined Calligrapher Fly (Toxomerus marginatus), a type of Flower Fly. They enjoy the pollen and nectar of Spiderwort flowers. Beneficial insects, their larvae consume aphids and spider mites.

    Glad that they’re helping to eliminate those pests!

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    Puddling Tiger Swallowtails

    May 14, 2026

    Tiger Swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) gathering around a patch of moisture in some gravel.

    More male than female butterflies participate in puddling to gather nutrients such as sodium, amino acids and minerals, which are lacking in flower nectar. These nutrients are needed for helping with reproductive success, and males transfer them to females during mating.

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