Poppies...

My dad has been growing poppies in his little garden that is between the driveway/garage and the side door to the house. It's a really pretty spot. He has a lush garden in his backyard. It is every gardener's dream.

My dad's poppies are orange. They really grab your attention when you drive by or even come up the driveway. You get distracted that you might forget you're driving....

My dad shared with me:
In the morning, the poppy looks to the east, waiting for the sun to come up. Then it follows the sun all day, and turns west when the sun goes down. During the night, the poppy would turn east, and wait for the sun to come up again. On a cloudy or overcast day, it stands up strong, facing upwards. But in the morning, you will see it facing east, waiting for the sun to come up.

I commented it must have quite a personality. He laughed...and said some flowers can be very expressive. It's amazing what they do, and they can surprise you.

That got me thinking, how many of you stop to smell the roses? I mean, do any of you stop and admire the green grass, the trees with leaves blooming, (some with blossoms too...), or how fresh the air seems...the warm days are here. And of course we have the bugs and birds flying around and more animals are out.

When my daughter Rachel was in the hospital for one of her treatments, it was a rare treat for me to go outside and get some fresh air. After Rachel died, and summer came, that was the first time in years I was able to really stop and take a good look around at the skies, and nature.

Don't forget to take a moment each day, count your blessings...and take a good look at what God's created for us.