Monday, May 25, 2009

Wildflowers

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worries

You belong somewhere you feel free
~ Tom Petty
Wildflowers

Its no secret that I am not a big fan of Texas. I'm a California girl who dreams of the ocean and the redwood forests rather than heat, humidity, and a home on the range.

But I've gotta give Texas credit for the beauty of the wildflowers. They are everywhere.

Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady, worked hard to protect and preserve the native plants and natural landscapes, and her beautification of Texas included tossing wildflower seeds to the wind so that they would grow here, there and everywhere.

Wild daisies, cone flowers, black-eyed Susan, Indian paint brush, sunflowers, and phlox grow anywhere they can find soil, which, in Texas, is just about everywhere there isn't a subdivision or a strip mall. In March and February, the bluebonnets grow thick and wild all over the Texas Hill Country, giving the illusion of deep blue lakes anywhere you look.

These wildflowers, carelessly blooming wherever they please and with fluttering butterflies all around - they are magic.

Because seriously, how can two little girls squabble over insignificant things when they are chasing butterflies and gathering fistfuls of wildflowers?

They can't. That's impossible. The magic of the wildflower is too powerful, trust me.

Not a day has gone by, since we moved to Texas three years ago, that I haven't wanted to claw out my itchy eyes and dope myself up with Benedryl. But truthfully, if it means the joy on my girls faces as they gather bouquets of wildflowers, or the beauty of a simple salsa jar (this is Texas, after all) of wildflowers on the kitchen counter, then the allergies are well worth it.

What can I say? I'm a wildflower child.

Enjoy!
xoxo,

9 comments:

Oh Mandie said...

Don't give me the "I'm not a Texas fan" thing ... particularly when you have a picture of those purdy wildflowers in a Picante Sauce jar :)

You're more TX than you know!!
hehe

Melanie @ Whimsical Creations said...

LOVE wildflowers.

LOL about texas. My husband & I went to houston in July the year before we got married. OMG, the heat and humidity was awful. I was shocked that everyone was wearing jeans and not shorts. That was until I went to a movie there and FROZE in my shorts and t-shirt.

Karen Faulkner said...

Gorgeous. I love wildflowers! And I love arranging flowers in ordinary kitchen containers.

SunshineandRavioli said...

This is so funny because I am a Texas girl who just can't wait to get back! And the thing I miss the very most is the wildflowers (followed very closely by Fiesta in my hometown- San Antonio)...so thank you for a little glimpse of my favorite place...and Houston doesn't count (I wouldn't live there either-lol- just kidding!)....

Alyssa S. said...

Amen sister! This girl, born in Hawaii and transplanted later in Boston is NOT digging being relocated to Texas for the SECOND time either. I totally agree...the one time a year when the bluebonnets are in bloom is the only time I forget how much I detest it here. The Lady Bird Johnson Center in Austin and the Dallas Arboretum (which I discovered this year) are awesome.

Hop down to Houston some time and we can get lit and forget that it's 100% humidity out :)

Pretty Things said...

I SO understand the allergies -- I went through four shots a week for two years just to get to where I could even walk out the door in peak allergy season!

But those little girls, those flowers -- you're right. What we do for our kids!

Anne said...

Your little girls are so incredibly sweet!! Their faces holding a bouquet of wildflowers would make it a lot easier to put up with the Texas allergies.
--Anne
ps - totally jealous of your oilcloth tablecloth!

Kelly Warren said...

my workshop is currently the proud home of two bouquets of wildflowers in workshop from my girls. thankfully, i don't have allergies!

Marie said...

I was born and raised in TX, so this is all normal to me. I love CA, but there are no bluebonnets there and they are my favorite to spot along the freeway during the Spring here.

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