Quote de jour
"Where flowers bloom so does hope."

Long before the eco-friendly 'green' craze, I re-cycled by what I call creative garbage picking. I still do. I've gleaned hand-made willow chairs for the garden, an antique dresser for my bedroom, toys and bric brac. Every item was transformed into something new and more beautiful than the garbage with a coat of paint, some minor repairs and some love.
This past summer, I found great joy photographing flowers at a nearby park. Every week I'd record the changes with my camera.

I grew especially attached to the dahlias. Every variety and color bloomed in a border longer than fifty feet. Two weeks ago, I drove up as usual and stopped dead in my tracks. Except for one remaining plant, they were gone. Massacred. Well, not murdered but cut down. I felt bereft. Maybe, it was time for them to be pruned but I wasn't ready. Head hanging, I made my way to the garden's edge and found the composting bins. I touched some of the flowers. Their petals felt fresh and full of life force. Then and there, I decided to give these prisoners a death row reprieve. They were going to have a second chance.



They lived another two weeks in vases, providing more joy than a hundred dollar bouquet from the florists. Perhaps more importantly they acted as a creative muse. In the dozens of photographs taken, they will live forever. We all deserve a second chance. Keep your eyes open, you never know where the Muse is hiding.