Growing up I had in my life two marvelous elders who could name any, and every, flower they saw, or so it seemed to me.

Over the decades I’ve spent a lot of time appreciating the wonder and beauty of flowers.  And there was a time when I would take pictures of eye catching flowers and fields to share with those wonderful souls.

I remember how delighted each was when I could recognize a handful of flowers… I even learned the Latin name of a favorite flower of my grandmother’s best friend… her face lit up the day I correctly used that in a sentence.

These days, those elders have passed away.  Yet I still think of them when I find myself wishing I knew the name of a specific flower.  I want to share pictures of flowers with them when my camera captures the magic of the moment.  And I smile as I enjoy the beauty they shared with me… and find myself respecting flowers that seem to have found a way to grow from a ridge of limestone. 

Determination, strength and beauty.  All in one little picture.