I will start this post with a beautiful new flower

that opened for the first time this morning.

It is a ‘Splendens’ Tiger lily, Lilium tigrinums.

It has my two favorite colors peachy/melon orange with plum-colored spots.

I am extra grateful to get to see this bloom this morning.

Hundreds of my other blooms did not have the opportunity to open this morning,

because they were eaten by deer last night.

Have I put my heart in transient treasure?

Twenty-eight years of carefully planning and tending my gardens

to become a high-dollar delicatessen for deer?

My living jewels eaten by marauding mammals.

Is this really how one should invest one’s time, money and energy:

to supply the locals with exotic cuisine, free-of-charge?

I must say the FLOWER is feeling rather foolish.

So today, I will enjoy my treasures that have not been eaten.

I need to love things that are not edible…

like my bunnies.

FOOL