The tulip's
petals shine in dew,
All beautiful, but none alike.
~ James Montgomery
I really, really like tulips. Maybe they aren’t my very favorite flower,
but they are right up there on my list of favorites. One of the things I like about tulips is that
they look good even when they are on their way out of this world. I’ve taken quite a few photos of tulips in
their various stages of life. The other
day, I came across some photos I took when we were in Norway in 2013. I edited the photos and stuck them in a
folder on my hard drive and they have yet to see the light of day except in my
cluttered office. I am going to fix that
right now. Here they are.
It's true that I really like tulips, but I’m going out on a limb here to say that it's entirely possible that my
very favorite flower is one many people would like to see eliminated from this
world. It is this:
Yes, it’s the
lowly dandelion, one of the most charming and most cursed flowers on earth. We yank it out of the ground and mow it down
only to have it pop up time and again.
It is an elegant, beautiful thing in the early spring when it is caught
by hoarfrost on a cold but sunny morning.
It also has an elegant and beautiful history and is sometimes
described as "a plant for which we once knew the use but we've forgotten
it." Many cultures have used the
dandelion in salads and soups and to make wine. AND, get this, a coffee substitute can be made from
the roots. However, I’m not sure I’ll go
there. I like my caffeine too much.
Andre Mason said, “If dandelions were hard to
grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.”
I think he’s right. It seems to be human nature to want things that are more rarefied and hard to get than the likes of the humble dandelion.
Okay, so I’m a little weird about flowers. Are you?
What’s your favorite flower?
