Same path, different world
The prairie is filled with flowers! The path I walked last summer, nearly colorless because of the drought, is lined with surprises. Echinacea, hard to find a year ago, greets me around every turn, adorning the thick grass far as I can see. Prairie coneflowers surround them as maidens attending a bride, and as a stately groom, the leadplant just hints at color. Prairie clover peeks out, brighter, I think, than I’ve ever seen, and rare prairie smoke, though late, is there. Thistles, beautiful despite their spines, pop in purple explosion, snatching my attention and drawing my camera. The scent of prairie rose drifts through the humid air. And the bee balm is everywhere.
Lying deep below the surface, held captive by the hard and dusty ground, earth’s magnificent gifts came to life, and in elation burst out of their prison.
It’s amazing what an abundance of rain will do.
