1059. Transplanted Flowers Bloom Briefly in RI (3) - stroll
Short walk along the Tomaquag and Beaver Flood Trail in Hopkinton, RI
1. hepatica
2. crocus
3. snowdrops

Yes, these are some of the same flowers that first popped out for our "Springing up Lantern Hill" gathering in CT many years ago, then later got transplanted as "Spring Flowers for the Young at Heart"! We brought the first three of that series home with us for cleaning recently when we transplanted the "Mutant Flowers"nearby, but then the coronavirus pandemic came along and it looks like we won't be able to get them back over the border for awhile! So, we've decided to plant these three temporarily in RI for those who either didn't get them earlier or who just feel like getting out for a little local walk in RI where that is still allowed, while the remaining three of that series, plus the four "mutants", remain blooming where they were planted over the border!

First of all, please note that if you do wish to get an image of these stamps, colored pens are required - at least sky blue, green, and some shade of purple, although other colors for shading or highlights might be nice, too. No solid color ink pads should be used on these stamps as that would just ruin the image for others. So, if all you have is a solid color ink pad, please feel free to "look, but not pick"!;-)

Secondly, we came in on the Tomaquag Trail from the north and headed south, starting by the map kiosk near the Hopkinton Public Works on the south side of Woodville Road (just south of its overpass over I-95 between exits 1 and 2), but some people might prefer coming in from the parking lot on Collins Road and heading north. In either case, this will be a simple "in-and-out"walk with a short prong, because the Beaver Flood Trail loop option was - well - far too flooded!

Either way you do this walk, just get yourself to the small map post at the northern junction of the white-blazed Tomaquag Trail and the yellow-blazed Beaver Flood Trail. Under a fist-sized darker-colored rock on the low ledge behind the basketball-sized rock at the end of the stone wall on the southeast corner of that junction is where we left a tiny camo pouch with my "free-hand"(color absolutely essential!;-) carving of the pinkish, purple flower called "hepatica"(and if you go soon, north another 20 steps or so on the trail, you just might see a lovely little patch of white wind anemones blooming on the right!;-)

Next take the yellow-blazed trail east , over a "bouncy tree", past a foundation on the left and around a curve to the right. Ahead the trail soon gets flooded, with board walk bits in the water, but before that happens, just look behind the large four-trunk tree on the left, under a stone on its east side, for a purple "crocus", now well past its prime, but coloring will bring it "back to life"!)

Now head back to "hepatica junction", and go south on the Tomaquag Trail, passing a 7'monolith with metal gate on the right. Then keep your eyes peeled for a 7' x5' large flat low mossy rock on the left. Take the small eastbound side trail just south of that rock to a stone wall with a 4-trunk tree and a single neighbor just beyond. Under leaves, sticks and one stone behind that 4-trunk is where we planted our now long past blooming in the snow "snowdrops"! You might want to continue to the farmhouse site remains and tables just a bit further south along the trail for a pleasant little picnic while you're here as well. Hope you enjoyed getting out for a walk!

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