When I think of nature, I tend to take notice of flowers or the sky, first. Flowers usually are the most visible part of plants, rising above their green leaves with showy color and elegant form. There are flowers in gardens, wild flowers and flowers in public spaces. They come in a variety of forms, and it is fun to observe which show up at various times in the season. Some are long-blooming, and others only bloom for a short time. You can see not only differences in color but in the shape and arrangement of the petals.

The sky is not a flower is a flower is a flower because it is always there, and because it is always changing.

Depending on the time of day, the season and the weather, it looks different. At times, there are clouds; at times, none at all. The hue of the sky also varies during sunrise and sunset. These changes are not random. They are directly related to the way light passes through air and to the presence and state of particles and moisture along its path.

Flowers and the sky, when people see them together, are already the part of the nature scene. Both change in ways that are visible.

They don’t stay the same, and they don’t follow a set pattern. You don’t even have to do anything special or know anything special to invite a glimpse. They are simply there to be looked at.