Seed Pods and Duct Tape

I guess I'm in a seed pod mode....and that's a happy and familiar place for me.

I zoomed right into some interesting pods on our walk and Janet pointed out they were from hosta.  I generally cut my blooms down almost immediately so never let them get to this stage.  I thought they were lovely....so I brought some home. And of course I wanted the dried hydrangea bloom that was laying in our path too.

When I got home I walked my yard and there in the back of my garden next to the fence was one hosta stalk I missed. When I looked closely at one little cluster I found some beautiful shapes. There's always a hard green seed pod wherever there was a bloom....and clearly when they are allowed to sit though the winter they split open creating almost like a little flower.  I will most certainly leave some (just a few) to watch next year.                                                                                                           

And there was something about this tiny little pop of color on the stoop of a familiar home that drew me in too. We had a wonderful interaction with Joan, the woman who lives there, one morning on a walk several years ago. She gave us a tour of her gardens and her precious mushrooms....you can read that post here.  

The plastic flowers made me smile.....I love those pink ones because they remind me of rain lilies.  Both Janet and I were quite taken with the beautiful earthy and striking vase.  

Those black stripes were dramatic next to her gray house. But the closer we looked we were surprised to see that the interesting stripes were actually duct tape. Brilliant! The vase looked cracked so it may have started as a hold it together solution....but ended as a graphic piece of art.  Now I'm even more fond of Joan....maybe we'll run into her again on a walk sometime. And that was just the first hour of a wonderful day! 

Thank you to another Joan....who bought me lunch!