starflower 8

today was a beautiful day to walk up the stream.  the sound of gentle waterfalls.  a touch of wind to keep the bugs away.  nobody on the trail but me.  

my search was rather simple today.  lots of eights to be found.  i photographed them if the light was right, if the ground was soft, if i liked their shape.  i could be choosy.  a ways up the trail, i found this eight.  i snuggled down on the bed of spruce needles and started shooting.  all was going great until a breeze passed through.  through the camera lens i could see the intact flower lifting off the stem.  i blinked.   more breeze followed and the entire flower picked up and drifted away.  ????  i always believed petals fell one at a time.  i found the rice paper thin flower on the ground not far from the plant.  starflower 8a  i had read that some call this flower a "falling star".  now i understood what they meant. 

i packed up, said goodbye to my fallen star and headed back down the trail.    my mind drifted to how we as kids used to make wishes on falling stars. never too late i thought.  i made a wish.