A Rudbeckia-like Afternoon

rudbeckia, a type of coneflower of the family asteraceae

It seems that the sun is making a great comeback these days. Goodbye gloomy drizzly days, hello again bright sunny days. I don’t want to include “warm” in the description of the coming days because according to the weather forecast, it’s going to be cold. And it is this weekend. We wake up to a 6°C morning (on the average) but the sky is clear with a promise of a cheery golden day. And the promise is well-delivered --- sun-kissed grass, blue sky with a handful of wispy clouds, small white butterflies and bees busily making their way from one dandelion flower to another. And the day is warm enough if you stay under the sun… which we did in the afternoons *wide grin*. I believe that one of the perfect ways to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon is to doze off on a deck chair with the sun on your face *sigh*.


I think the rudbeckias (one of the most known species is called black-eyed susan) in the photos are apt descriptions of the weekend and the days ahead (if the forecast holds true) --- glorious, cheerful with a touch of crispness in the early morning. Aside from that, I really like this flower... its gay lively color, its “open” petals as if welcoming whoever would like to admire its beauty, its inherent allure. And my favourite part… the distended center, shaped like a cone. Aren’t they tempting to touch or pinch or rub your nose against? I think they would feel like the soft rubbery button noses of many stuffed toys… or at least that’s how they seem to me *grins*. Bees and butterflies would definitely have a feast day on these flowers. And don’t they also remind you of colorful Mexican hats? Well, in any case, these blooms definitely exude warmth and festivity.

I wish I could grow rudbeckias. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will really try to have one by next summer. And if I don’t succeed with seeds (which I will attempt first), maybe I’ll go for buying a seedling/shoot. But I do hope I will get some results with seeds as nursery-grown plants can sometimes be pretty expensive here. Anyway, for the meantime, I’ll make the most of the afternoon by staying under the sun and enjoy it while it lasts *winks*.