Sunflowers

First, here is the song for today's posting. It's an instrumental piece, on piano, by Canadian artist Frank Mills. The song is a delightful little tune called Peter Piper, and you can have a listen while you read. :-)

Last week, I discovered the first few golden blooms in the sunflower beds at the Arboretum, and I vowed to return regularly to document their progress. On this morning, I returned to visit the sunflowers with my camera.

The report from the sunflower beds is golden yellow good news. Many more flowers are in bloom, and they all look healthy and happy! I took numerous photos, some of their pretty little faces, and a few - like this one - from behind, of the sunflowers facing the morning sun.

I saw a flash of orange overhead - a monarch butterfly! - and took a break from my sunflower photography to follow it. It hovered over some pretty red and purple flowers (to the left, just outside of frame), then settled, almost posing for me, on a nearby leaf and twig.

And then the misting system came on, and the flower beds were suddenly transformed by the magic of the mist into a place of water, sparkles, color, and light. I watched the monarch, saw it discover the mist, and it began to flutter and dart through the droplets - yes, DANCING. That's the only way to describe it.

I tried for a few photos of the butterfly dancing in the mist, but it was an impossible shot. I got the mist and the flowers, but the butterfly - like an orange ghost, here, then gone - had disappeared like magic inside the mist.

So here are some sunflowers for you to enjoy. Their cheery bright yellow warmed my heart and gave me hope on what is for many in the U.S. and other countries a somber day, full of sadness and remembrance. But full of tales of heroes, too, and causes for hope. For against the darkness, the light of goodness shines out even brighter. Brighter than the brightest sunflower. Brighter even than the sun that makes the sunflowers smile.

And the song that plays as a soundtrack to this shining, golden scene? It's a soundtrack for a single monarch butterfly . . . and for the gentle, sparkling mist that tempts it . . . to dance.


P.S. Sunflower and butterfly lovers may also enjoy my photo from last September 11.