a common thing / dandelion

L - iphone / T - taken by a friend

“The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.”

On the way home I shot this photo while waiting at a red light - common right? Even though it's a weed, don't you think the dandelion is a most startling event? - it starts out sundrop yellow and then turns into a delicate white puff-ball over night - each seed, a tiny little parachute that we wish on and blow to the wind hoping every dream will come true. just a random thought.
Anyway, on the way home, I had the windows open and it was warm and light outside. It's so nice driving home from work in the daylight. I didn't get off work until 7 tonight, yet it was still light enough to sit outside on my deck with a cup of tea when I got home. My Yogi tea tab said, "whatever you are doing is the most beautiful thing" and it was. I was 8 pm , 69º and I was walking around the yard noticing how much the buds had opened up just since the weekend - each day I see more growth and beauty. Tonight I saw that my wild azaleas are almost in full bloom, the dogwoods are opening, the doublefile viburnum is loaded with buds, the oak leaf hydrangeas have really put out a lot of new growth since last year, even the one little peony has it's bud. The peony is the biggest, showiest flower in the yard and it blossoms from the tiniest plant in our yard. The plant dies back to the ground in the autumn and then, seemily, magically appears and produces one flower about 6" in diameter. This is a miracle, and there is nothing common about it. Isn't this time of year exciting in the garden? / my friend peter needed my help with one of his friend's photography assignments, so of course i was quick to say yes. when they arrived i was given a sharpie and told to write "i am ___." i usually need time to think of things like this! i didn't like being put on the spot, so we started chatting about other things when peter and i remembered our plans to make cupcakes. i had it – "i am an excellent baker" was promptly written neatly on my hand. it was beautiful outside, i sat in the grass, picked a dandelion and stuck it in my hair. she said that i looked pretty the way i was so she just started shooting. i don't even think the writing on my hand showed in most of the photos. i'm not sure exactly how she used these images, but i was glad to be of assistance and hope people are that kind to me when i need them to be in my photos!