Springtime is drawing to a close. In our area, that means the clouds of orange poppies are fading a little. Sigh. There were several patches on the distant hills beyond our house and I enjoyed watching those patches spread ever larger during their season.
Poppies are very simple flowers. I think that is part of their charm.
And I love how when nighttime comes, they get sleepy...
As the light grows softer, their outstretched petals turn into a cup.
Then they curl into themselves until warm morning light. (I have times when I'd like to do that too!) Whole hillsides will look vibrant orange or only faintly orange, depending on the cloud cover and the time of day.
The poppies often have company. Bright yellow wild mustard loves the same sort of wide-open spaces.
Sometimes the mustard grows so tall that it towers over you on a walking trail. It dies back in the winter, leaving gray-brown skeletons that sway in the wind. Many of the old stems are still standing when the spring growth comes in, like shabby empty houses in a neighborhood with new buildings on the rise.
One day this spring we were driving down a country road and Eli was silently staring out the window. Suddenly, he announced, "Mama, the orange flowers are poppies!" "You're right, Buddy," I agreed. There was a small pause before Eli added cheerfully, "And the yellow flowers are 'possums!" Well, I suppose wild mustard by another other name would look just as pretty.
