I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.
― Alice Walker, The Color Purple
I don't know about pissing God off, but I think if more people took notice of the purple, and all the other colors nature paints in the fields, this would be a very different world.
The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or purple flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
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A few months back I discovered a nearby nature preserve. Unfortunately, it was just as the weather was turning hot. I managed a few walks before the heat became a deterrent and naturally gravitated towards the shade of the wooded areas. Recently, after a nice soaking rain and cooler temperatures, I headed out on a clear, cool morning for a walk in the prairie habitat.
The first thing I noticed was the wild flowers spread out across the field. A gentle wind was causing them to dance back and forth as though they were happy that the air was cool and the earth was moist. I was amazed that that small amount of rain in such a drought ridden place could spring so much life in such a short time.
Purple Gerardia?
The next thing I noticed was that although there were different flowers dancing in the breeze, they were all purple. This made me smile as I started to wonder why it was. No other colors were represented in the newly moistened prairie. I laughed thinking to myself, it must have been a purple rain.
???
I thought about how nature seemed to so easily make so many shades of purple. I remembered reading how long ago, humans had harvested thousands of murex snails to create a small amount of purple dye. This dye was used to make cloth worn almost exclusively by those with royal status and abundant wealth due to its rarity and prohibitive cost. From there my mind drifted to color wheels in primary school and mixing red and blue to make purple or maybe it was called violet. I'm sure both were in the Crayola box. Does nature know about primary colors and mixing them to make secondary ones? What about tones and hues and brightness? Is it just us who understands even though we learned it all from nature? She is an amazing teacher who keeps me wondering, guessing, thinking, imagining, searching, clicking, absorbing-- sometimes leaving me saturated with splendor. I will forever appreciate all that she has given me and continue to seek out what she provides.
Gayfeather
Back from my nostalgia- I also noticed a wonderful variety in the flowers. The sizes and shapes, the textures and brightness so varied. Some were flat and whirled while others were tall and brush like. Some shaped like small bells or cups with clearly visible stamens and pistils while others seemed to have none of either.
Verbena
And then there were the purple pineapples. So rich in color and unique in shape. The whole plant is purple save for the brilliant blue stamens sticking out all around the barrel. Such a proud flower sitting on it's throne of spiked leaves donning it's purple crown.
Eryngo
While I was the only person at the nature preserve that morning,
I wasn't the only one out there noticing the flowers.
I haven't found names for all these lovely wild flowers and I'm not sure about some of the ones I have. Corrections and addition are welcome.
I'll just admire and share them for now.
You're up! Tell us what you're noticing around you in the comments. And try not to piss anyone off.
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