Intrepid flower chasers

 

This was attempt number two. Last April, I found myself hiking in the Meiron Mountains, searching for a flower. It was a different sort of walk as I usually focus on the trees and the views when I walk, not on my toes. 

We were looking for a pink flower. “Admonit,” my friend called out, scouring the path. People ahead were also on the search and indicated that it had been recently spotted not far from this spot. 

We walked and walked until I ran out of “Where’s Waldo flower time.” And as soon as I headed home, I received a photo of a pink flower. A trophy and a sign from my more persistent friends that yes, the Admonit had been spotted. 

Of course it was found just when I left. But I did not feel FOMO as I am not one of those ‘spring flower people.’ In Israel each spring, loads of people will drive hours just to see a flower. They comb the Negev for rare blooms, climb the Gilboa for the purple Gilboa Iris, trek over coastal sand dunes to catch a sight of black irises, and drive to Lupine Hill to see, guess what, lupines! 

This is serious stuff for the intrepid flower chaser. People will drop a pin on their phone to locate the last sighting of a rare flower and will photograph the prized bloom along with each member of their family. 

During Pesach this year, I decided once again to pursue the Admonit. Driving through a Druze village, we saw friendly guides sitting at several corners aiding errant flower searchers. We soon arrived at a huge parking filled with cars and a KKL-JNF tent complete with festive flags, hot coffee, and tour guides. All for a flower. 

Packed parking lot of flower chasers.

We started off with a guide but the going was too slow, so we decided to do this solo and picked up the pace. We entered a forest and again, I was told to look for a pink flower. Feet to the forest floor. Nothing. 

We passed a group of Druze school children on a flower tour. They were eating lunch on the trail and wished us a warm ‘chag sameach’ as we passed them. After half an hour of walking, we came across a group of people crowded around a single bloom. The elusive Admonit!  

I took one look at it and said, “But that’s a peony.” My friends looked at me in disdain. Yes, but this is a peony that only blooms for a few days in one very small part of a tiny country. 

“Ohhhh,” I said, trying to put this in perspective.  

We did the photo thing, found a few more blooms, then called it a day. I did not pin it on my phone or send celebratory messages to flower friends. I may love nature but I guess I am yet not an intrepid flower chaser.

Living in world that is primarily focused indoors and is cut off from nature, I find it sweet and endearing to know that Israelis will drive far and then trek at length just to  glimpse a flower.