a red poppy (coquelicot) in our garden last summer with a cross-shaped centerRed and green are considered to be the traditional Christmas colors. And since the holiday season generally ends on the 12th day of Christmas (Feast of the Epiphany), I believe I’m not yet too late to post photos of a flower with the “holiday colors” *grin*.
Red corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas, coquelicot in French) are common in fields during summer time here. Driving through the countryside bordered by stretches of green meadows dotted with flimsy red flowers gently swaying to the cool breeze on a clear summer day with a blue sky is a memorable experience. The view is a palette of primary colors that breathes of care-free days, of daydreaming under a tree, of staring at the horizon reliving some cherished happy memories. The vista’s bucolic charm is so inspiring there’s no wonder Claude Monet painted several tableaux of this landscape. And it also did not come as a surprise that many people remember at least one of these paintings (if not the artist).
I know these are more appropriate as summer photos. But then, it’s nice to have something “warm” to look at as we wait for spring to come. And look at the black and white center of the flower. It is shaped like a cross, the usual representation of Christ. So I’m thinking red and green with Christ in the heart of it (literally and figuratively) equals Christmas. And this red poppy is a good representation of it.
In any case, whether you see it that way or not, this red poppy is still beautiful to me. Last summer was actually the first time I saw a poppy like this (or maybe it's just because I have never taken a closer look at these flowers before). It grew by itself in our garden; perhaps, the wind blew some seeds of it from somewhere. Although field poppies are generally considered as weeds, I like them. And I hope a gentle zephyr breeze will deposit some more of them next year.
Red corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas, coquelicot in French) are common in fields during summer time here. Driving through the countryside bordered by stretches of green meadows dotted with flimsy red flowers gently swaying to the cool breeze on a clear summer day with a blue sky is a memorable experience. The view is a palette of primary colors that breathes of care-free days, of daydreaming under a tree, of staring at the horizon reliving some cherished happy memories. The vista’s bucolic charm is so inspiring there’s no wonder Claude Monet painted several tableaux of this landscape. And it also did not come as a surprise that many people remember at least one of these paintings (if not the artist).
I know these are more appropriate as summer photos. But then, it’s nice to have something “warm” to look at as we wait for spring to come. And look at the black and white center of the flower. It is shaped like a cross, the usual representation of Christ. So I’m thinking red and green with Christ in the heart of it (literally and figuratively) equals Christmas. And this red poppy is a good representation of it.
In any case, whether you see it that way or not, this red poppy is still beautiful to me. Last summer was actually the first time I saw a poppy like this (or maybe it's just because I have never taken a closer look at these flowers before). It grew by itself in our garden; perhaps, the wind blew some seeds of it from somewhere. Although field poppies are generally considered as weeds, I like them. And I hope a gentle zephyr breeze will deposit some more of them next year.
4 comments:
I love poppies! And I would never think of them as weeds. The buds are so cute and the flowers...just beautiful!
Happy New Year!
Katarina
to katarina: i'm thinking of cultivating them this year... i just hope i can remember where i put the seeds i collected from this poppy:)...
hope you have a wonderful year too... and a year-full of more beautiful flowers:)
Wish you luck with your plans of gardening!
to indrani: thanks a lot! i'm crossing my fingers as i really don't have a green thumb... but i'd like to think i'm improving... and hopefully, i'll be better in gardening this year:)
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