Walking the Wall

…first star I see tonight. I saw my first violet today and it was a lovely one indeed. But this little flower that looks like a star, I’ve never had pop into my yard before. It appears to be some variation of a violet, but I’m not sure. It is lovely regardless of what it’s called.

The Violet

Down in a green and shady bed,
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head
As if to hide from view.
And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colour bright and fair;
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.

Yet thus it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused a sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.

Then let me to the valley go
This pretty flower to see;
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.

Jane Taylor (who also wrote Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

I’ve had a great love of violets for as long as I can remember. I would gather great bunches of these and dandelions for my mom my whole life and she always had small little bowls and vases full. I always thought the bright yellow dandelions went together perfectly with the bright yellow of center of the violets. I also believed they were the perfect petals to leave for fairies to use as skirts, and I was never so happy as the first time my children brought me a handful of violets and dandelions cupped in their hands like gold with eyes bright at the wonderful gift they had found.