Wildflowers in winter -- first flowers, in March?

Wildflowers in Winter announces week 8 -- "The First Wildflower of Spring photo challenge. Be searching for wildflowers in your area. Try to find the first one blooming and post a photo of it on your blog. If you don't know what it is we will try to help you identify it."

What do you think? It just snowed 5" last night and today and I really don't believe I'll dig down under the snow and find anything blooming. It's 12 degrees F just now. Nothing's growing I'm afraid. However, I hereby introduce to you............The always faithful, low-growing, herb-a-licious, First Flower of Spring here on the northern prairie...... Drum roll please..........

The Desert Biscuitroot (or carrotleaf lomatium). There's another one similar to it called Wild Parsley (or wild carrot) which comes up at the same time. The stems of both of these really do taste like parsley. I have to try a little bite every spring. It will show up in late March to early April here.

Below is Prairie Chickweed which is another early spring riser.

And lastly, a Prairie Mother's favorite, just in time for Mother's Day -- Golden Pea. My children and their father have picked "Sweet Peas" for me every spring on Mother's Day. There's nothing sweeter to sniff and nothing more breathtaking to see than an entire pasture of them.

Okay, I can't resist. Here's the pastureful of Sweet Peas.....

(click up any photos for a larger view)

Thank you to Elizabeth Joy for hosting Wildflowers in Winter.

It was a load of fun to me.