The garden blooms are having a party.
Who knew?
A celebration of life.
Right there, tucked into each little petal.
Annuals grown right in the garden, from tiny seeds in spring, and now summer.
(except the roses, they are perennial bushes)
I was feeling lazy, you see...
It had been a long hot day, and I had to give myself an extra little push to take all the cut blooms out of one bucket, and put them into lots of different bottles.
The sun was going down.
I took out my camera, whose battery light was flashing, nearly spent.
I looked through the lense.
And, everything morphed.
It became sort of dreamy and aquatic.
A flower celebration.
A flower party.
Roses, zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, dahlias.
I expected to see a mermaid or a seahorse swim by.
I felt bad for almost not taking the photos.
I was so glad that I did.
I got sort of heart-stringy.
I saw each different flower as you and me, and all of us.
A life.
Earth, seeds, water, time, air, warmth, sprouts, stems, leaves, petals, pollen - then, back to seeds.
A cycle.
In America there are 4th of July celebrations underway.
Sometimes, I forget to hug the country I am from, in my mind.
It's easy to think that other places are more magical, better, lovelier.
As I get older I think -
America, I love you...
And, every so often, I get a jolt of luck chills.
Feeling lucky that I was born in a place where I am free to be me.
I used to think about this as a kid.
I would think, boy, I am so lucky.
I could have been born in a scary place.
With a very very hard life.
I still feel so lucky.
Life isn't soooooo easy per se.
But it could be so much more difficult.
We have the luxury to throw fits if our power goes out for a couple of hours.
The luxury to care about trivial things.
At least we have water, and freedom, and safety.
And school, and shoes, and love.
Freedom of religion and way of life.
We are free to chase a dream.
Free to be us.
And so much more.
Many of you live in different countries, where you feel just as lucky to live where you do, as I do to live in America.
And, we are.
Lucky.
Petals, growing from earth.
Beautiful and unique.
You and me, and all of us.
Everyone.
A party of petals.
Happy 4th of JULY!
Be safe.
Have lots of smiles on your faces.
Eat lots of wonderful things.
Sing, dance!
Love, V
ps: In my head the last few days...
Love that girl.
