The Year of the Flower

The Chinese have a new year and each year is signified with an animal; monkey, rabbit, snake, it goes on. This year I would call it the "Year of the Flower". Nature is full of wonderful large and tiny wonders of magical flowers. Spring when life comes back and emerges from the ground as the season changes, so do the flowers we see.

"Flowers grow out of dark moments", Corita Kent

This year has been an exceptional year for wild flowers. Whether its been a daily walk in the woods, a hike through the forest or even in my own back yard garden, the flowers have put on a spectacular show. Not just lasting longer than usual through their cycle of life and bloom, but an abundance when they are in bloom. Started noticing out hiking when searching for the first Trillium, to me its a significant mark on the calendar Spring has arrived in the forest. In finding the Trillium's areas covered the forest floor of a carpet of the 3 petal delight. Yesterday while out for a hike, the Bear grass is in bloom and it is showing off in an over whelming display with fields as far as you can see enriched with blooms.

The world is a crazy upside down place with the fear of a virus pandemic, people within our political arena making strong argument statements of destruction, corruption spreading riots of hatred. Maybe, nature is sending us a message of hope and new beginning through flowers? After all, the bloom of the flower defines the plant in a state of being healthy condition. Flowers emerging from the ground spiritually signify, " adoration, dedication, spiritual attainment, flexibility, and opportunity. They are also symbolic of good luck, wealth, happiness, strength, and ambition. " Each variety of flower actually has its own meaning. The Daffodil, "is known for its symbolism of new beginnings and rebirth and is, therefore, the perfect flower to give someone this New Year. Whilst it has often been associated with spring, it is more commonly given as a gift during the beginning of a new year". The Iris has its meaning of Faith and hope both are expressed with the blue iris. Wisdom and my compliments are associated with the purple iris. Yellow iris can represent passion, while white represents purity.

For our wildflowers, the Trillium, "Trillium symbolizes consciousness, embodiment and mutuality. It is also a symbol of elegance and precision. Consciousness. Elegance." The Bear grass symbolizes rebirth and a new beginning.

Nature gives us the gifts and messages sometimes we need. So, I will take the abundance symbol of the Bear Grass for new beginning and hope for our world to balance back to a better place.

"Flowers are the music of the ground. From Earth's lips spoken without sound."

Edwin Curran