Humble beginnings

Click to enlarge

Using my cell phone, I took this picture of a hibiscus bud earlier this morning. A Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, to call it by its proper name. It was taken against a dull, grey sky in very cold weather. Nothing exciting about all that, and you’re probably thinking there’s nothing exciting about the picture either.

You’re wrong.

Over the next few days, this humble bud will unfold and bloom into a vibrant orange flower. If you walk past it, you’ll stop and take a closer look. It’s that kind of flower.

There are days, like today, when the whole world appears dull and grey. Even this hibiscus flower is hiding its magnificence. It’s easy to walk past things and not see them. Is it because they don’t want to be seen or because you’re not looking? You decide.

Mid-winter is that time of the year when not much blooms in my garden, but the flowers which do put in an appearance make up for it. And it’s the same all over the world. Many years ago, I took a walk in the Silvermine reserve above Noordhoek. I almost left my camera in the car. It was a dull, grey day (have I used that phrase before -at least I'm consistent, if boring) so I didn’t expect to see anything worth photographing. After two hours, I hadn’t walked more than a kilometre or so and I’d taken over 100 pictures. I’ve still got some of them.

I’m going to be checking the hibiscus bush in the corner of my property every day this week. I’m going to be watching humble transform into spectacular.