Roadside Botany- Wild Orchids

A few months back while out running errands with the family, I noticed some pretty violet flowers growing throughout a vacant lot on the roadside.

I thought to myself that they looked remarkably like orchids, but then I reminded myself that I was nuts. Orchids grow in tropical climates, right? Why would they be growing wild in a lot in the mountains of North Carolina?
To satisfy my curiosity and reaffirm once more that I invent all sorts of craziness in my head, I stopped for a closer look.

Well, there was no mistaking that these were indeed orchids!
A quick Google search taught me that there are many orchids that grow wild in NC and are native to the area.  You learn something new every day! And now that I have recognized these flowers as orchids, I see them all over the place. Western North Carolina is a truly beautiful place, and I discover new things to love about living here all of the time!