The bees are happy...

As you walk around the nature center, you'll notice there are lots of flowers finally blooming. Look by the farm for dandelions. While most of us consider dandelions to be a nuisance, they're important for our bees. They've been busy collecting nectar to start making a new year's batch of honey.

The lilacs below the Farm Ed. kitchen windows are open, but they don't have much fragrance yet. And look for these at the west end of the apiary trail.

Pete is responsible for starting these marsh marigolds on the north side of the apiary trail where the stream curves out of the marsh and heads west. The leaves are thick and fleshy. The flowers are bright yellow. Another name for this plant was cowslip, so named because (according to Wildflowers of Minnesota ) "the plant grew on the hummocks and cows slipped on it when they went to the stream to drink."