April 30: The story of a flower; meta
Apr. 30th, 2011 05:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
neverspentLast summer, a sunflower fell from a bird's beak at my birdfeeder into a small plastic pot below. It sprouted, and because I love to see what happens with volunteers, I decided to let it grow. So I had an ugly little pot with a scrappy little sunflower plant. I photographed its progress for a couple of months. I posted about it a few times during the year, but I'd never put it all together. Here is the story, in the present tense.
June 8. The little bud starts. You can already see its repeating patterns.
June 20. It's starting to look like a flower head. Inside where the seeds will be, it looks like whitish "hair" brushed toward the center of the flower.
June 22 in sunset light.
June 24 a.m. The outer part is pulling back and little, thin green petals extend over the center of the flower.
June 24 p.m. The petals are starting to turn yellow.
June 25. The petals cover the center of the flower.
June 26. Pop! The petals are open. The outer seeds are starting to look like seeds while the inner ones still look hairy.
June 27. The outer seeds are starting to form sex parts.
June 28. Those sex parts are getting really sexy.
July 1. The stem is curved. (My sunflower has scoliosis.)
July 2. I'm starting to look forward to when the sexy parts fall off and I can see the seeds forming.
July 5. Alas, after a weekend I return to find that the flower has been gnawed off its stem. The flower head is on the ground, already shriveled.
It's disappointing and makes me sad, but I can't bring myself to throw away the decapitated flower plant. I want to see what happens.
Late July. One thing that happens is that dragonflies begin using the severed stem as a resting platform. They'll flit away and then return and stay on that stem for quite a long time, and they don't mind me photographing them.
The leaves dry out and become quite beautiful in their decay.
And that is how my sunflower ends, with surprises, a different kind of beautiful than I'd expected.
(The whole photo set is here.)
Today, I have fulfilled my commitment to post every day for one year about some observation I have made of nature. It's been a lovely experience: I thought more about things I had previously only noticed in passing, I learned about things I'd never researched before, and most of all I was doing something every day that was focused outside me, on positive things I already loved: life, growth, cycles. I recommend it! It often took a significant amount of time each day, from fifteen minutes to an hour or more, and I think that kept me from spending as much time on some other creative endeavors, but I'm very glad I've done it.
I definitely plan to continue this journal. I'd like to keep a record of annual nature events in my area so I can compare dates and trends from year to year, and it's not like I'm going to stop noticing things that I want to share. I may not post every day, but I expect to be fairly regular.
If you've been watching, I hope it's been a good experience for you, and those of you who have joined in with comments, thank you! I really enjoy talking to you about the fascinating and beautiful things in the world. ♥
June 8. The little bud starts. You can already see its repeating patterns.
June 20. It's starting to look like a flower head. Inside where the seeds will be, it looks like whitish "hair" brushed toward the center of the flower.
June 22 in sunset light.
June 24 a.m. The outer part is pulling back and little, thin green petals extend over the center of the flower.
June 24 p.m. The petals are starting to turn yellow.
June 25. The petals cover the center of the flower.
June 26. Pop! The petals are open. The outer seeds are starting to look like seeds while the inner ones still look hairy.
June 27. The outer seeds are starting to form sex parts.
June 28. Those sex parts are getting really sexy.
July 1. The stem is curved. (My sunflower has scoliosis.)
July 2. I'm starting to look forward to when the sexy parts fall off and I can see the seeds forming.
July 5. Alas, after a weekend I return to find that the flower has been gnawed off its stem. The flower head is on the ground, already shriveled.
It's disappointing and makes me sad, but I can't bring myself to throw away the decapitated flower plant. I want to see what happens.
Late July. One thing that happens is that dragonflies begin using the severed stem as a resting platform. They'll flit away and then return and stay on that stem for quite a long time, and they don't mind me photographing them.
The leaves dry out and become quite beautiful in their decay.
And that is how my sunflower ends, with surprises, a different kind of beautiful than I'd expected.
(The whole photo set is here.)
Today, I have fulfilled my commitment to post every day for one year about some observation I have made of nature. It's been a lovely experience: I thought more about things I had previously only noticed in passing, I learned about things I'd never researched before, and most of all I was doing something every day that was focused outside me, on positive things I already loved: life, growth, cycles. I recommend it! It often took a significant amount of time each day, from fifteen minutes to an hour or more, and I think that kept me from spending as much time on some other creative endeavors, but I'm very glad I've done it.
I definitely plan to continue this journal. I'd like to keep a record of annual nature events in my area so I can compare dates and trends from year to year, and it's not like I'm going to stop noticing things that I want to share. I may not post every day, but I expect to be fairly regular.
If you've been watching, I hope it's been a good experience for you, and those of you who have joined in with comments, thank you! I really enjoy talking to you about the fascinating and beautiful things in the world. ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-30 11:07 pm (UTC)I'd do a year of something, but I can't think of anything interesting. Or, more accurately, anything that I find interesting that I think anyone else would want to see.
I'm glad you're going to continue posting things you see. I've found some really fascinating things on here, and you always have beautiful photos.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:39 pm (UTC)Actually that brings me to the main point though, I think the "trick" for me was that I was doing this project for myself, and came at it with the attitude that even if nobody read it, it would be something I'd enjoy. It became more interactive as time went on, which was just a nice surprise.
What are you interested in? How often could you post something about it? All you have to do is be regular, and that in itself is interesting: what can you come up with on a theme, when you *have* to post something? Not every post will be brilliant, but by the end you'll have a fascinating record. That's my two cents. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 12:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 01:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:42 pm (UTC)Thanks so much for all your comments and interaction! I've really enjoyed it.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 01:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 02:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 02:34 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:44 pm (UTC)And I'll make a point to keep up the fish updates! They're just goldfish, I think, though larger than average because they have more room to grow. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 02:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 10:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-01 11:45 pm (UTC)