May is approaching fast and spring is definitely here - even if it is chilly at night and small heaps of snow remains in the shadows here in Umeå. I want to celebrate spring with the help of artist Elsa Beskow (1874-1953), a famous illustrator but also an author of children's books. She always did accurate depictions of the scenery in her images, as she wanted children to learn more about wild life and respect nature. Here are two illustrations from different stories, but they both depict the lovely blue Hepatica Nobilis (or in Swedish, Blåsippa).