morning magic

these tiny flowers are part of my earliest childhood memories.  i would make fairy bouquets with them in my chubby dimpled hands and take them to the old man down the road.  at the time i had no clue how much my visits must have meant to him.

growing older isn't so bad if you maintain a place for that childlike innocence.  i can no longer sleep in like my preteen son can, but i am learning to take advantage of those hours of first light and his growing independence.  yesterday, i left my house in the early morning fog in search of magic.

i had seen these white flags in the empty hayfield in my neighborhood and felt compelled to see them up close.  i normally hop fences on back roads, but yesterday i was feeling brave and decided a little brazen trespassing was in order.

(good) morning glories.  irresistible, right?

and then there was this.  oh. my. goodness.  finally, a fully opened tennessee passionflower.  magnificent.  stunning.  just wow.

all of this in a humble hayfield.

 there are so many treasures out there waiting to be discovered.

 "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

this one hour away from the internet and air conditioning was worth so much.

i think we all need a little perspective like this in our lives on a regular basis.

a few quiet moments to see the big picture and the little details.

i saw some blazing orange in the distance and hoped for more excitement, but really i assumed it would be a bit of random trash.  the color was just so intense.

you can see that i was pleasantly surprised and absolutely enchanted with nature's vibrant glow.

milkweed.  i'm still hoping to see a tennessee monarch one day.

queen anne's lace.  cow parsley across the pond.  the irony of the two names is delightful to me.

i need to take the time to look this one up.

and i need to go back in a few weeks to see the passionfruit.  maybe in the evening for different lighting and the possibility of more butterfly sightings.

goldenrod.

and a secret creek and trail.  i see more trespassing in my future.

 this is what happiness looks like.

but, remember, you have to pursue it . . .

happy hunting!  :)