The Last Lily

I don't have roses or I'd post the last rose of summer. But Tom noticed one day lily still hanging on, and even a tiger lily, so he captured them with the digital camera. But these photos make me a bit sad.

It's truly the last of them. I pulled the barren stalks from all the others, cut the long-since done flowering stems of my hostas, pulled out dead ferns. My cone flowers are in sad shape, begging to be cropped.  Soon a frost will drain the life out of the dahlias and black eyed susans... and it all makes me so very melancholy.

Of course it doesn't take much to make me melancholy. I come by it naturally. The passing of time, and troubles of life, and oh woe is me. If I don't watch out that's where I'll stay. I'm one of those people who needs many, many happy reminders.

• This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
• Be joyful always.
• Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.
• Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full
• For the kingdom of God is not a matter of... peace, and joy...
• Hope brings joy
• Count it all joy...when trials come your way
• A joyful heart is good medicine

The beauty of nature reminds me to "go out with joy and be led forth in peace." That happy verse can set me to singing even on a difficult day! And if I just open my eyes and enjoy what's before me...yes the flowers will fade and the grass will die, but there's a new season coming with splendor all its own.

Beauty in the last lily of summer

 

The wonder of a colorful dragonfly

 

                                                    Another day to play in the pool with a little person!

 



There's much to enjoy, so much to rejoice in!

 

A friend's facebook post this week made me put melancholy aside and smile:

 

Everything will be okay in the end.

If it's not okay

it's not the end.