Smell the Flowers Week 10: Dogwood

Dogwood (Cornus florida), full and side view of flowers on branchlet. Duke Forest Korstian Division, Durham, North Carolina USA. Photo by Dcrjsr at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dogwood_flower_branchlet.jpg

Week 10 includes the final week of 3/11 through 3/17 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church. This week highlights North Carolina's state flower, the flowering dogwood. The photo shows Cornus florida with the traditional white blooms we associate with our state flower. However, there is another greenish-yellow dogwood variety also called Blackgum, Black Tupelo, Sourgum, or Pepperidge, or Nyssa sylvatica. This deciduous tree is of the Cornaceae or Dogwood family and grows to a height of about 90-100 feet. Dogwoods typically bloom April and May and can be found in the mountains, Piedmont, and coast of North Carolina.

For more information about the dogwood, click here. Have you ever seen a dogwood?

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word by which the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Peter 1:24-25

Smell the Flowers Week 9: Carolina lily

Close-up of trout lily (Erythronium americanum) with bee on the central flower. Duke Forest Korstian Division, Durham North Carolina. Photo by Dcrjsr at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bee_on_trout_lily_close.jpg

Week 9, including the week of 3/4 through 3/10 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church, highlights Carolina lily or Michaux's lily. This flower, also known as Lilium michauxii, is of the Liliaceae or Lily family. This orange or yellow-orange perennial plant likes shade or filtered shade, grows to a height of about four feet, and typically blooms July and August. It can commonly be found in the mountains and Piedmont, and rarely in the coast of North Carolina.

For more information about the Carolina lily, click here. I couldn't find a picture of the Carolina lily so I placed this trout lily or Erythronium americanum picture on this article instead. Have you ever seen a Carolina lily?

"Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Luke 12:27

Smell the Flowers Week 8: Wild Columbine

Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) in Talcott Mountain State Park  by Ragesoss at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_Columbine_2.jpg

Week 8, including the week of 2/25 through 3/3 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights wild columbine. This flower, also known as Aquilegia canadensis, is of the Ranunculaceae or Buttercup family. This red perennial plant loves full sun or part sun, grows to a height of about 2 feet, and typically blooms March-April-May-June. It can be found in the mountains, Piedmont, and coast of North Carolina.

For more information about the wild columbine, click here. Have you ever seen a columbine?

"And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Isaiah 58:11

Smell the Flowers Week 7: Schweinitz's Sunflower

Helianthus schweinitzii, Richmond, North Carolina, USA by John Flannery at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helianthus_schweinitzii_3.jpg

Week 7, including the week of 2/18 through 2/24 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights the Schweinitz's sunflower. This endangered flower, also known as Helianthus schweinitzii, is of the Asteraceae or Aster family. As indicated by its name, this perennial plant loves the sun, grows to a height of five feet, and typically blooms September through October. This rare flower grows in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

For more information about Schweinitz's sunflower, click here. Have you ever seen a Schweinitz's sunflower?

"From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." Psalm 113:3

Smell the Flowers Week 6: Bleeding Heart

Bleeding Heart Flower Photo by victorgrigas at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bleeding_heart_flower.jpg

Week 6, including the week of 2/11 through 2/17 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights bleeding heart. This flower, also known as Lamprocampnos spectabilis, is of the Papaveraceae or poppy family. All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. This perennial plant likes light to moderate shade with stems that may reach 2 feet, and typically blooms April to September in the Alleghany mountain region of North America.

Happy Valentine's Week to all of you!

For more information about bleeding heart flowers, click here. Have you ever seen a bleeding heart?

"Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein there was never man yet laid." John 19:41

Smell the Flowers Week 5: Doll's Eyes

Actaea pachypoda 2005, sep 4 by pethan Botanical Gardens Utrecht University at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Actaea_acuminata01.jpg

Week 5, including the week of 2/4 through 2/10 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights doll's eyes or white baneberry. This flower, also known as Acteae pachypoda, is of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family. The doll's eye appearance only occurs when the flower is in the young seed pod stage. This perennial plant likes the shade, grows to a height of about 2 feet, and typically blooms April and May. It can be found in the mountains and rarely in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

For more information about doll's eyes, click here. Have you ever seen doll's eyes?

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8

Smell the Flowers Week 4: Shooting Star

Shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia) in Beaman Park in Nashville, Tennessee by Kaldari at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dodecatheon_meadia_Beaman_Park.jpg

Week 4, including the week of 1/28 through 2/3 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights shooting star. This flower, also known as Premula meadia or Dodecatheon meadia, is of the primrose or Primulaceae family. This perennial plant prefers partial sun, grows to a height of one to two feet, and typically blooms May through June. Shooting stars can be found scattered in the mountains and Piedmont of North Carolina.

For more information about shooting star, click here. Have you ever seen a shooting star?

"Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:2

Smell the Flowers Week 3: Rose

Sabatia angularis f. albiflora by Mason Brock at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sabatia_angularis_albiflora.jpg

Week 3, including the week of 1/21 through 1/27 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights rose or bitterbloom. This rose tends to be pink but also has a white variety as shown in the picture above. Pink rose, also known as Sabata angularis, is of the Gentianaceae family. This perennial plant grows well in sunny areas to a height of about 2.5 feet, and typically blooms July through October. It can be found in the mountains, Piedmont, and coast of North Carolina.

For more information about bitterbloom, click here. Have you ever seen a bitterbloom or rose?

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." Song of Solomon 2:1

Smell the Flowers Week 2: Phlox

Phlox pilosa by Bouba at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phlox_pilosa_jdp.jpg

Week 2, including the week of 1/14 through 1/20 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church highlights downy phlox. This flower, also known as Phlox pilosa, is of the Polemoniaceae or Phlox family. This perennial plant grows in shade to sun to a height of 0.7 to 1.7 feet, and typically blooms in April and May. It can be found in the Piedmont and coast of North Carolina.

For more information about downy phlox, click here. Have you ever seen a phlox?

"Jesus sayeth unto her, Woman, why weepeth thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." John 20:15

Smell the Flowers Week 1: Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in Turkey Run State Park, Indiana by Daniel Schwen at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arisaema_triphyllum_flower_2.jpg

Week 1, including the week of 1/7 through 1/13 of the Spring 2018 Smell the Flowers fitness challenge at Woodleaf United Methodist Church, highlights jack-in-the-pulpit. This flower, also known as Arisaema triphyllum, is of the Arum or Araceae family. This perennial plant thrives in shade, grows to a height of about 2 feet, and typically blooms March and April. It can be found in the mountains, Piedmont, and coast of North Carolina.

For more information about jack-in-the-pulpit, click here. Have you ever seen a jack-in-the-pulpit?

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed." Genesis 2:8

2018 Smell the Flowers Fitness Challenge

Smell the Flowers Spring 2018 Fitness Challenge by Woodleaf UMC Health Ministry

Woodleaf United Methodist Church's health ministry presents our Spring 2018 Free Fitness Challenge! This challenge begins Sunday, January 7 and continues for ten weeks through Saturday, March 17. Our fitness challenges seek to nurture our minds, bodies, and spirits. Each week, we will focus on a different flower found in North Carolina along with a Bible verse mentioning a flower or garden for reflection.

The challenge encourages participants to exercise an average of at least 20 minutes/day; you are welcome to set your own individual fitness goals for the challenge if you prefer. The CDC recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and at least two days of weight-bearing exercises weekly. Children exercise recommendations by the CDC include at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening activities at least three times weekly. For more information on CDC exercise recommendations, click here.

Types of exercise may be any activity that gets your heart pumping harder, breathing deeper, and/or working your muscles. Examples from previous challenges include walking, group exercise classes, yard work, cleaning, weight lifting, use of machines such as an elliptical, and water exercise. You may wish to mix up your exercise routine to accommodate weather patterns and any special needs. Woodleaf United Methodist Church offers eight free group exercise classes per week - feel free to join us for some classes this spring.

If you are interested in joining the challenge, email NurseforWoodleafUMC@gmail.com. Each week runs Sunday through Saturday; participants submit how many minutes they exercise each week by Tuesday at noon of the following week. Submissions may be via email, in person at the church, or by phone. If you wish to use the form to keep on track, feel free to pick one up at the church or print the form in this article. Weekly results are displayed in graph form on our blog - no names are published with the results. Children should get the permission of an adult to participate. Anyone with any health issues should consult a healthcare provider to determine what types of exercise are safe for him or her before starting a fitness challenge.

Although we are currently in winter months, spring and all its glorious flowers are preparing to dazzle us with their beauty. Come, smell the flowers, and join us on this healthy journey!

Printable Time Recording Sheet for 2018 Smell the Flowers 10-week Free Fitness Challenge