A Glorious Morning on a Summer's First Day

    As usual, I was searching for anything to take a picture of. Just as I thought I couldn't find anything new, out of the corner of my eye, appeared a couple of white flowers on a vine. I immediately walked over to where they were. I had seen these flowers years before but didn't pay to much attention to them. I took a few pictures and went in to do my research.

    Their scientific name is Ipomoea purpurea. I wish I knew how to pronounce it. Morning Glories are blooming vines that twine around fences. And that is exactly what they were doing. My research tells me their blooms are there to announce the warmer weather of the summer months. It is the celebration of the dawning of a new day. How amazing since it was the first day of summer.




      Their blossoms unfurl in the morning hours to greet the sun and close later in the day as the sun gets hot. I touched the flower to feel its texture and found out it is paper thin and touching it is not advised. Sadly, it breaks easily and each bloom lasts one day.

    It's reaction to the sun is amazing to me. It shows me the sensitivity of the relationship. No other flower does this that I know of. I went out at mid-afternoon and took another picture and sure enough it was beginning to curl. My research also uncovered that the flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, which allows them to be pollinated.

 

    In the evening, I captured one almost closed and realized no sun, no morning glory. Its fragile beauty can only be displayed by the giant star in the sky. I have now learned to appreciate this amazing plant. Although it does not need me to take care of it because it has the butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, soil, rain and sun. It is just a reminder that God provides.
                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                      

Nature's Rarest Color

    While weedeating, I saw the prettiest little flower. It's one of those flowers one might possibly step on. It was growing very low to the ground among the weeds. I accidentally ran the weedeater over another flower that I had wanted to take a picture of, so I told myself that after I finished I would get my camera and take a photo of this two-petalled summer surprise. At first, I thought some petals were missing, but a closer look at all the others nearby revealed that was not true.

    I remembered my son had showed me an unusual mushroom the day before. I had done some research on it and discovered that its underneath part was more vibrant than the top. It was so close to the ground that I couldn't see its opposite side so after taking the flower picture, I grabbed a plastic knife and went to where I thought it was located. Luckily it was still there and I started cutting it from its base. I pushed it over and saw what I was hoping for. Immediately after the cut some blue ink-like substance slowly dripped around its base and I snapped a few shots. Funny, I felt a little remorse concerning this fungus.
 

 

 

 

    In the evening, before I was to join others for a walk around the park, I looked out to see a bird that had become a familiar sight. I grabbed my camera and got a shot as close as I could without scaring it away.

 

 

 

 

I received a wonderful blessing. Blue is one of my favorite colors!

One Dad, A Few Doggies, Many Lessons Learned

    Sitting there holding your doggie tightly with one arm, I can see you loved him very much. I imagine you two played and did most things a little country boy and a doggie could do together. You probably threw a stick and he ran and got it and he might have brought it back and he might not. I can picture you setting out his food and filling up his water bowl from the garden hose. Eventually I realize you two had to part. I know how heart-breaking that was...

 

    You grew up, got married, and then God chose you to become my daddy. You let me choose my first doggie when I was two years old. I experienced many great years and joy with that precious companion. She grew older, so did I and so did you. Throughout my life I had the opportunity to love more doggies and you were nice enough to help me take care of one of them when I was in a difficult situation. I appreciate your helpfulness during this time. There are many lessons I have learned over the years by having a dog, such as: giving is better than receiving, choices are a part of life, love and responsibility go hand-in-hand, and parting is a given.
Happy Father's Day Dad. Miss you.