Well hello there, beautiful. It was a vague statement, a little bit like a catcall, but it encapsulated lots of heavy emotion, and simplified it. My back can only bear so much heavy emotion at one time.
There were pink crepe myrtle petals scattered on the driveway like a wedding had taken place between earth and sky. Their union seemed to have resulted in lots and lots of rain, and a bit of dramatic thunder too. But by this evening the bride and groom had settled in for their honeymoon, and the rain slacked off. Love was still thick in the air in the form of humidity. I felt it bristling my hair, which might be just a bit like catching the bouquet.
Love is always heavy in the air after weddings. It has an effect on people, and makes them act irrational. But I don’t need a wedding to act irrational when I see her. God, she’s just so beautiful.
Beauty is only the accumulation of cells on the external body, and often it is only luck that they all come together into something aesthetically pleasing. At least in the case of us humans. Beauty is only skin deep, people say. Yes, yes, of course that is a good adage, but everyone needs something beautiful in their lives—at least once in a while. Once in a while is what I get. Her stay is never long enough.
The air was full of that heaviness, and all the plants were rejoicing by making the only noises they know how—the soft rustling of branches in the wind, the steady drip of rain falling from still saturated leaves. On the soggy grass I unknowingly walked toward her.
It had been a year. A year is almost long enough to forget how much pleasure a person gets out of beauty. You forget how intense the senses get stimulated; how the thrill of those senses rushes through the body, awakening parts that have slept too long.
The rush hadn’t hit me yet, but it hit the frogs. They were full of romance. As I passed the dripping trees they burst into song, and it all felt a bit like a grand moment of romantic reunion from a play. The conductor gave the cue at just the right moment, and the orchestra burst into music. I thought nothing of the music, like any proper character would just prior to the climax.
I was twirling my hair around my finger in deep thought when I first caught sight of her. For an instant I stopped, as her image was a bit vague through the wire fence. She was draped in brilliant red, which was impossible to miss. It all came rushing back to me in an instant then, and that year of absence was nothing, as should be the case in any real love story.
The senses invigorated with the memory of the silky feel of her parts beneath my fingertips, the soft smell of the mingling of earth and sky, the look of perfect shiny youth, and only the sound of a distant hawk’s cry because sometimes nothing needs to be said.
I stood there just gazing for a moment in silence, but then I found my voice as I edged closer. I needed to break the tension and lighten the weight of emotion that was heavy on my back in all that romantic humidity.
And……
So….
I….
Said…
To...
Her…
With…
Bated…
Breath…
Well hello there, beautiful.
Her name is Zinnia. God, isn’t she beautiful?
A good looking flower always comes with a few good looking friends.
Here’s an older lady, a little worn down, but still gorgeous.
Oh my, they are absolutely beautiful! Even the beaten down older lady
The older ones take on a certain charm, not unlike older people. They are such pretty smiling faces next to the black eyed peas that are just green, green, and green.
haha! She is gorgeous!
Nobody can resist such beauty.
So true, such an advantage that it's not fair! That and the scent of honeysuckle are impossible to resist!
Unfortunately beautiful zinnia does not smell like honeysuckle. Nature rarely lets things be both gorgeous and smell like heaven it seems.
oh. That must be one of the rules. lol. I don't remember what the honeysuckle looks like but by that rule it must be kinda homely. lol.
It is homely.
now I gotta go look it up! lol.
I tried to look it up and when I put in honeysuckle plant all kinds of others come up but not honeysuckle. I guess it's so ugly no one wants to show it!
Gorgeous indeed... I love flowers. This reminded me of this guy I met once who used to call me "beautiful" or "gorgeous" in literally every sentence. Gets tiring after about the twentieth time (and I did tell him, okay we've established my beauty, can you please stop saying that. His answer? Sure. So, where do you live, gorgeous? :))) )
Good luck with the planning. I know homeschooling can be messy and confusing, so I hope it goes smoothly <3
Ha, those sort of compliments always come off sickly sweet unless done sparingly, or in a well-worn relationship. My husband uses both criteria, and the words carry their intended effect. Maybe you could have returned the experience and responded with "thank you darling". But if he actually liked it, then it would have gotten old really fast. :)
Thank you. I love this time of year. I have so many materials waiting to be used, and now I am browsing all the books so that they can state their case for why I should use them this year. It is overwhelming and exciting.
Yes! She is beautiful!
I have about 10 of her at present. I could use about 50 more...
You have an amazing way with words ❤️
Thank you. The words and I are good friends.
I have tried to grow zinnias with no success, so I will just admire yours. They are lovely!
When I first moved out of my own I bought some in plant form from a store, planted them, and they keeled over. I thought they were hard to grow here because of that. Then I planted from seed, and they are gorgeous and low maintenance.
I had the opposite experience. My mother in law told me they were really easy to grow from seed and I tried, but no luck. I bought some from the store and they did fine. Hmmm.
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Interesting. Maybe we should both try it again the other way :)
Love your zinnias !
My Mom grows them around her back patio every year. They always look so amazing.
I'm sure it is a lovely porch. I love them. They are such a good combination of easy to grow and beautiful.
Yes they are !
Oh my, now that is impressive!