take it in -- for the first time or the 100th time

There's something to be said about observant people. Usually I am, I notice things that many don't and try to catalog them in my mind -- license plate numbers, (i know that's a weird one, LOL), what people are wearing, the color of their eyes and what they have on for jewelry. What they drive, if my son has brushed his teeth or not -- and if my husband needs a hair cut -- just to name a few of the things that catch my eye, ha ha.

What is a surprise to me, almost shockingly; is that I have never taken the time to actually study the plants in my garden. While I love to tend to them, and "see" in the big sense their beauty -- and of course breathe it in -- I have never really taken the time to actually see them.

The other day as I was pulling out of my driveway this little clump of plants; Lamb's Ear which I have all over my garden caught the corner of my eye and I couldn't help but look at it. The way they were positioned and leaning out in front of the others really called for my attention -- so much so that I remember when I pulled in that I wanted to take a photo of them to use for a  piece of art sometime in the winter months when the world is cold and covered in white.

I often sit on the steps of my front porch and gaze at the hundreds of bumble bees that hover around them -- and how much they seem to love the pretty fuschia flowers that grow all around the lambs ear. Every year I love to see this, because the world talks so much about the bee problem, it makes me feel good that I have a safe (chemical free) place for the bees to come and gather their golden honey.

I never noticed that the leaves are paired up -- for one leaf you'll see on the left you will find a matching one on the right --  perfectly mirrored on the other side of the plant.

I also never noticed that the stalk -- while most plants have a round stem -- the Lamb's Ear has a square one.

While I noticed that the plant was light green and fuzzy, I never noticed that the fuzz created a pattern on the back of the leaf that looks like it might be a living, pulsing vein on a little lamb. I noticed all these things as I was creating my Flower sketch of the day last night, and was amazed and even surprised that I had never noticed them before.

What a lesson and great reminder to look at everything in your life, take it in -- study it -- and catalog the beauty to use at another time when the world around you might be cold and dreary and tough to get along with!

thank you for stopping by -- I hope you have a wonderful weekend -- and take a little time to observe the beautiful world around you!