I spy joy in pink poppies

Sue's Pink Poppies

My friend Sue is a Master Gardener, and the large patches of earth circling her home near Banks, Oregon, reflect that. Every time I visit her we take a leisurely turn around the garden.  She points out new starts and interesting things she’s learned; pruning a little here, pulling a weed there.  I ask about this or that and just generally gawk at the beauty she’s created.

This Sunday I saw for the very first time a pink poppy.  I didn’t even know they existed. I am not a Master Gardener, as you may have guessed.  I am, however, a bit of a photographer; so I immediately had to take a photo of this anomaly. I delighted for several minutes in this new find.  Not only did I learn something new (which I love to do) while reveling in the splendor of Sue’s garden; but I also opened another window of possibility in my mind.

If such a lovely thing as pink poppies exists without my knowledge, imagine what other wonders are commonplace for someone else that I am completely unaware of.  What other bits of deliciousness are just laying about waiting to be stumbled upon? The possibilities are endless, really. And that is one of the great and marvelous things about this world. At every moment we have the possibility of discovering new sources of beauty and joy, unfolding worlds before us like a napkin on a lap.

There are three things my father told me with such emphasis and frequency that I hear them repeated in my head over and over: 1) A good photographer uses a tripod (still haven’t nailed that one), 2) Write it down (in progress), and 3) Enjoy the journey.

I do believe I’m beginning to figure that last one out.