Sometimes it’s the accidents that bring us most pleasure. And such was the case this month with an unexpected appearance by the office front door. A beautiful Aquilegia (also known as Columbine, or Granny’s bonnet) with huge flower heads and exquisite colour. Unplanned, unplanted, but gifted by an unknown visitor (a bird or mammal, or blown in on the wind…?)
A lesson for those of us (me) who try to control everything. Why not loosen up a little? Who knows what beauty is lurking nearby just waiting for a chance to shine?

Footnote for the wordsmiths: Aquilegia comes from the Latin ‘aquila’ = an eagle, a reference to the shape of the petals with their curved spurs being like an eagle’s talons. Columbine is also a reference to the flower shape. ‘Columba’ is Latin for a dove, the flowers reminding people of a dove in flight with the petals being the wings and the spurs the neck and head.