Ephemeral is beauty
Beauty is ephemeral. Sometimes it passes so quickly we miss it altogether.
Late snow fell on the evening of April 16, persisting through the next morning. Its chilly aspect almost deterred me from going for a walk on Tuesday, but I'm glad I went anyway. Across the river, I penetrated the woods in search of an area where one of my favourite native shrubs grows. Sure enough, I found the bell-like blossoms of leatherwood, Dirca palustris, just breaking from their buds. No leaves had yet emerged, and the maples shade their understorey to such an extent in summer that hardly any herbs grow there. So the leatherwood's pale yellow blooms were the only colour to be seen, the shining, sole sign that spring will take the hillside like thunder in a matter of days.
I was delighted, because last year I missed that particular show from the shapely, understated shrub. So it is with any wildflower, especially those of spring. Beneath the leatherwood, shoots of bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, pushed through the carpet of dried leaves, not yet showing their white, starlike flowers. Three hours away, at my parents' home, the bloodroot was already in full bloom on April 15, Easter Sunday.
You have to know when and where these ephemeral flowers bloom, and take the time to go, or nature will pass onto other deeds and wonders. You'll never know what riches escaped you.
The question is, why do such beauties enchant us so much? Forest, mountain and desert in any season are wonderful, but certain features of nature hold special attraction.
Flowers, for example. They bewitch us so much that we gather them into gardens. Some people devote their entire lives to breeding new hybrids, looking for yet another unique bloom. It's both marvellous and puzzling that they should command so much interest. Their beauty is not directed at us, but at attracting insects and other creatures that pollinate them. Humans do not usually eat flowers (although there are many which we can). Functionally they are insignificant to us.
The same is true of many things we find beautiful. Take a few moments to make a list of some of your favourite sights, sounds, smells and other sensations from the natural world. Let your mind wander through each season, and some of the most enjoyable places you have visited. Write down images and other recollections that pass through your mind. Be as specific as possible, and try to list 10 things, or 20 if your imagination is going strong!
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