Early March, meteorological spring and things are just beginning to stir. Flowers? Not many, certainly not many of the native sort but a few.

The Maples (Acer) in the lower elevations are acknowledging that spring is here.

Maple blooms are something that you’ve got to be aware of, or something that you’ve got to look for. They don’t demand attention.

They’re subtle. But wait, there’s more to come.

Once the little noticed flowers are finished, along comes the magical things we used to play with when we were children, the helicopters.

Throw them in the air and see what happens. That action, such fun, spinning as they drop, in order to fall far from the parent tree. These helicopters are technically termed samaras.

And which of these photos is different from all the rest? All the images with the exception of this last one are of Red Maples (Acer rubrum), native to eastern and central North America. The picture immediately above is of samaras of a Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). Silver Maples are native to the eastern and central US and southeastern Canada.

And the show is just beginning. Soon comes many beautiful shades of green, then OH MY, so many warm gorgeous colors of autumn.