April 23, 2026

For several years I drove up into Shenandoah National Park, as a master naturalist, along with friends as we worked to remove invasives at Buckhollow.

The scenery along the way is breathtaking, like this scene of a charming barn with a swath of lemon yellow, Wintercress (Burbarea vulgaris), and a few scattered dots of brilliant orange, California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), in the foreground.

Though neither of these plants are native to the area, they certainly create a stunning picture. Wintercress is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and California Poppy is native to western North America.

I enjoyed both the drive to get to that portion of the park as much as I enjoyed doing that work in the park. Pure pleasure.

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