On a fishing trip yesterday along this favorite stream,
I noticed many of these small flowers which grow on very short stems (1 – 2 inches high) and which are almost completely hidden by other very tall plants and tall, thick grasses. In a place which afforded a small window through all of the vegetation, I was able to get this photo of the flower and was once more surprised and delighted at what the lens revealed.
Self-heal, Prunella vulgaris
I’ve glanced at perhaps thousands of these over many years, but only now have I really looked at one. (You might want to click on the photo, which will take you to my Flickr page, where you can view a larger image.)