This trip of ours – it’s just one thrill after another.

Pulsatilla alpina just emerging from the snow melt today.  Then YELLOW ones too!  We were up at 2200m asl which is the height of most of the alpine Passes around the Alto Badia area.  This one was taken close to the enormous Corvara ski field, popping up amongst the alpine Ericas which manage to wedge themselves into the rock and shale and help make homes for smaller plants.I would have thought that the ski fields would do enormous damage to the alpine plants but I can tell you one little one that thrives on all the summer and autumn mowing of the huge areas – Crocus!  Wherever there is a ski slope there are literally thousands upon thousands of blue and white crocus.  I imagine that the grass was mowed down really low before the first snow arrived.  Then when it melts the crocus only have an inch of grass to pop through.  Their little flowers smother the ski fields like heavy hail.  How amazing