A Year of Gratitude – August 20, 2024

I found my gratitude in an unexpected sight in the garden this afternoon. I was admiring the zinnias when I discovered that they are setting new buds. What a delightful surprise.

Many of our most colorful blooming plants are finished for the season. The hydrangeas are still in bloom, but they finished setting new blooms a while ago. Their colors are beginning to fade and it won’t be long until they are finishing up for the season.

Yet here stands this zinnia on a leggy stem, reaching for the sun. There’s something so fascinating about a zinnia bud. They are unlike any other flower we grow. It always seems to me that the buds look as if someone has outlined them with a magic marker. That outline gives the bud so much depth, such a unique appearance.

If there are more zinnias to come, then we can hold on to summer for just a little longer. I’ll hold it tightly in my hand and be grateful for the beautiful flowers it brings. I’m so glad that they’ll be at least a few more.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.