Jack in the Snow

By Aaron Horrell

An unseasonably late snow fell on Southeast Missouri the morning of April 7. It was still snowing at daylight, when I put on my heavy winter coat, grabbed my camera, cushions and bag of accessories.

I was surprised to find a male ruby-throated hummingbird zooming about the pink blossoms of a quince bush in my yard. He presented me no photo opportunity.

I walked into the woods looking for spring wildflowers with snow on them. I found many young Mayapple plants wilting from the cold. I found American violets, native blue phlox in bloom and white Dutchman's breeches. But this cluster of small Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants was my nicest find. This is the first time I have photographed them in snow.