"You can't see the forest for the trees." We have all heard the quote. We probably even think we know what it means. That you cannot see the big picture when you are focused on the small stuff. And it is correct. When I wander the woods and fields, my eyes are constantly drawn to focus down on this spot, or that leaf. Everything else around me just fades away. I need to stop occasionally and just close my eyes and listen to what I might not be hearing. I need to let my eyes just flow across the larger landscape and take in the land as a whole. It is impossible to see or hear it all. There is just too much going on. Except maybe in January. Then you might be able to see and hear it all.

But the opposite is also true. You can not see the trees for the forest. They run together, each mass of leaves the same as the next. Character hidden in the shadows. Across the grassy areas it is the same. All that green blends together into one anonymous mass. Until the flowers begin to show. Today the white spires of the Culver's Root plant stand out against the green. Last week I didn't even notice the tall green stalks. A few short years ago I didn't even know the plant existed. Now it is a pleasure to see those spires waving in the wind. Along the edges of the grasses Witch grass is in bloom. No showy flower, but a delicate spray of fine stalks and tiny seed. What else lies hidden in the green?

Soon the goldenrods and the asters will blanket the open areas with yellow, purple and white. They are already there. Tall and sturdy. Unnoticed until they are unforgettable. Remember to take it all in, and also to notice the small stuff. Go for a walk in the cooling air.

Culver's Root against Giant Purple Hyysop