I found myself in Gatlinburg for my son’s soccer tournament. Nestled in the Smokies, the town is more like a giant carnival—crowds of people roam streets lined with curious attractions. I longed for the quiet of the forest.
With my handy phone I located Baskins Creek Trail just at the periphery of the town. Surely it will be crowded, I thought to myself, but better than all this hullabaloo.
It was not crowded. It was barely used. This was astounding to me. I took off my shoes and walked on the soft earth of March. I came upon this family of Hepatica in full bloom and settled onto the damp earth to sketch them.
Hepatica is one of the first spring wildflowers to emerge. But she is not a spring ephemeral because she does not die back. Rather those gorgeous three-lobed leaves dance on long stems and soak in the light of all four seasons.
Early in Spring the flowers emerge. Then the leaves die back and new ones sprout, ready for a year of festive light-drinking.
