The Lady's Slippers

June. Ahhh. I love June. The gorgeous, ever-changing abundance of flowers. Really, it starts in May for me with the Mayflowers, Nova Scotia’s flower. The hidden gem that is found low to the ground, often covered by leaves, in forested areas, often on dry sides of hills. I used to pick just a few but now, I just need to leave them where they are. I crouch low to the ground and take in the scent - they have the most beautiful scent. My mother always says “Nothing smells better than Mayflowers” and I think she’s right. (Though I could wax poetic about the smell of lilacs too).

The highlight of June for me is the Lady’s Slipper. I think I love hidden flowers in the forest - the wild ones most people don’t even notice. The stunning unsung goddesses of nature. Lady’s Slipper are found deep in the forest, dotted through trees, where dappled sunlight dances on their delicate orchid heads atop a graceful stem, with leaves at the bottom that offer “may I present to you, the Lady’s Slipper”. 

My favourite park offers a glorious handful of them. This year I had spotted four, but in previous years I had seen up to seven. Every time I walk the park it’s like a treasure hunt, trying to peer into previously missed spaces and see the small pink head appear like magic. I spend the walk remembering just where I saw them the last time, to keep track of those, and see if I can add any new sightings.

The other day, I was walking the park, looking into a large expanse of forest, thinking that there must be some hidden in there. I saw a plastic bags a little bit in, and of course, as I do, went to pick it up, being also constantly on the hunt for decluttering nature of things that don’t belong. As I went to pick up the bag, I thought “I wonder if this bag is leading me to more Lady’s Slippers”, and as I picked up the bag and stood back up, there they were. A large cluster of them, way more than I had ever seen at the park. Then I saw more - a couple off to one side, three off to another, four more further back… I was delighted. Thrilled! This is joy for me, finding the elusive beautiful treasure that Mother Nature offers. I counted twenty-two in all. Twenty-two! I couldn’t believe it. It was magical. I took some photos of course - photography being my other love, which is really the same love - capturing images of nature’s glorious, changing beauty and abundance - and reflected on being led to the Lady’s Slippers.

It was one of those moments of synchronicity. In my world, it isn’t luck, or coincidence, but rather, the garbage was meant to lead me to my joy, through my curiosity. It is as it is in other parts of life - it is often the hard times and challenges that lead us to our growth and realizations. This is a small reminder of that. It is curiosity that leads the way to alignment and our soul showing us what we need to see.

Today, I went back to revisit the Lady’s Slipper grove - the light falling through the trees and making them glow was breathtaking. And how many did I count today? Forty-two! Yes! I found more! Once we discover our treasures, we can see them in new ways and they can continue to grow.

What is your Lady’s Slipper? What brings you joy, what do you search for and are delighted to find? Have you been looking lately? I would love to hear about your joy, and synchronicities you have found on the way.