Camas lilies appear in the spring at one of my favorite places to wander. The beautiful purple flowers are scattered across the lily fields, and they attract nature lovers from all over the region.
I, too, am delighted when the lilies begin to pop their heads out of the ground. I recently learned something fascinating about these delicate looking flowers. These plants fed our Native American ancestors. The lily bulbs were cooked and dried, and then pounded into a powder used to make bread.
As I stood in the lily field admiring the carpet of purple flowers, I had a sudden realization. I was gazing at the descendants of the flowers that provided food for those who came before me.
In that instant, my understanding of ancestry deepened as I was reminded that the ancestors include all who came before me…be it human, animal, stone, or plant.
The concept of family reunions has assumed a whole new meaning...
(New photos on website Gallery: wandernature.com/new-photos)