Send flowers to say 'I love you'.

Just to say 'I love you'.

Have you ever felt like sending flowers to someone just for the heck of it? I feel that way often. Like my niece has just moved in to a new apartment and flowers would be a perfect house warming gift.

I have a weakness for beautiful flowers. It doesn't seem to matter what the species, there's a miracle in each perfect flower. I think that's why I love going to the Botannical Gardens. Never is my visit there the same. Every time new blossoms, crisp and colorful, welcome me into the peace of just being in a garden.

For me, enjoying flowers is a mini trip into the gardens of my past. From the time I was a little girl, I could appreciate a good flower.

There was a lady who lived across the street from our family home. Her name was Mrs. Sibley. She taught me the fun of watching flowers grow, talking to me about how each flower raised its face to the sun. The flowers had special names and I thought they were like friends.

Well, guess what? She was growing flowers for the County Fair. I didn't know that. I was four years old. One afternoon, I picked those flowers and brought them home to my mom. Oh dear. Not good. My bad. Never did I see someone so upset as Mrs. Sibley on a summer afternoon in August 1949.

This four year old had no idea she had ruined someone's summer long project. I thought I was showing my  mom that I loved her with perfect flowers. Today it's fair to say that lessons learned from Mrs. Sibley I remember today. Now I photograph lovely flowers perhaps as a tribute and apology to a little old lady from so long ago.

Comments about where flowers fit in your life?