Someone in Middle America must have angered Mother Nature this year, because
she extended the full wrath of the Winter, well into Spring, for the folks who live here in
the heartland. We have been hexed indeed. The blossoms of the early-flowering, spring
bulbs were obliterated by a continuing series of snow, sleet and ice storms. And, even
the late blooming tulips have had to weather heavy frosts and the occasional snow flurry.
After rescuing a few blossoms, with thoughts of painting a still life, I realized that it
had been many years since I had closely examined tulip blossoms. When I looked
down into the open bowls of the blossoms, I was struck by the bold, hexagram patterns
of the flowers. They reminded me of a kaleidoscope which I had when I was a child,
the kind with those little bits of colored glass behind the lens, which were multiplied by
mirrors, as the kaleidoscope was turned, to create endlessly evolving, symmetrical and
jewel-like arrangements, worthy of a Tiffany, stained-glass designer.
I wonder now if tulip blossoms could have been the inspiration for the hex signs
which the Pennsylvania Dutch used to decorate their barns, perhaps in hopes of
warding off hexes and providing good fortune. We could all certainly use some more
good fortune this year.
Here is a sample of what I've been seeing through a camera lens, rather than through
a kaleidoscope.
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