As the sun rose behind me on the state park trail, I realized wildflower blooms are reaching peak. I stopped several times and took them all in. The variety of colors and shapes is visually appealing, even as I’m only beginning to be able to name them all. Yellows, reds, pinks, purples, and whites, they all come together as colorful brush strokes rising above their green foliage. We only live once, and seeing wildflowers must be a part of that.

I heard bees in the eggplant flowers Monday morning. Because of the way I let fringe grasses grow, some plots are a bit of a mess. The bees know what is important, though. They find the flowers easily and pollinate them.

Monday’s donation to the food pantry was a crate of kale and a crate of cucumbers, zucchini and squash. All of these vegetables began with a flower.

Some days, taking in wildflowers is enough to anchor a day. In part, that’s why I walk on the state park trail most mornings.