The Last Rose of Summer

Dear Diary,

Or perhaps I should say the "last Rose of Sharon" of the summer!  It was such a pretty sight.  Its beautiful blue color was clearly visible from 40 feet away.  It drew me in like a beacon as if to say, "You've focused on leaves for two days, now look at me!"  I was quite happy to oblige knowing that their lovely faces won't appear again for nearly a year!

I have a friend who lives in the tropics where flowers bloom continually all year long.  She hardly notices them.  Here, I go on and on about one small blue flower.  Familiarity may breed contempt but it can also breed inattention.  When I visit her I am stopping every five minutes to look at the plants and flowers...unfamiliarity breeds curiosity and sometimes awe.

Traveling to a new location, even if it is only a few miles away, awakens our senses and we can look at our own surroundings with new and refreshed eyes.