Friday, January 31, 2025

A Hope For Spring

 

                                                Hibiscus blossom, with original ballerina painting  



     The weather during January, here in the center of our country's forty eight, contiguous 

states, has been colder than in the city of Anchorage Alaska.  But here in our snowy, 

deep freeze, I sometimes get little reminders of Percy B. Shelley's famous line, "If winter

comes, can spring be far behind?"

     There is a hibiscus tree here, which was started from a cutting brought back from 

Arizona, over half a century ago.  It is in a large pot, and is heavier than a person of my 

age should be carrying around, but last fall, I dutifully brought it back inside for the winter 

again.  It doesn't receive proper sun-light in the house, but it still offers up it's little, 

cheerful flowers. Hibiscus blossoms are a bit like the ballerinas of the flower world, with 

the delicate pleats of the petals, and also, their one-day life-span, is a reminder of 

the relatively short careers of most ballerinas.

    The colors of the blossoms of this hibiscus variety reminded  me of a little painting 

of mine, called Topaz Ballerina, so I set one in front of the painting, a took the picture

for this blog posting.      

     The older we grow, the more rapidly the seasons come and go, often before we

we are able to take full advantage of the opportunities of the warm months.  But

some little blossoms in the winter are a reminder that hope still springs eternal.

                                                              Eugene P. McNerney

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