Day Lily. Happy Sunday!

“If your eye is generous, your whole being is full of light!” Jesus

Our orange Day Lilies, commonly (if mistakenly) called Tiger Lilies in Southern Maine, are yet to bloom. We have quite a few in the yard, especially along the drive, where they line one whole side. Though Carol has aided in their spread by digging and moving bulbs, they pretty much grow wild in the yards in Kennebunk. These yellow lilies, on the other hand, are “bought to purpose” and planted Day Lilies, to give us some color variety, and, for whatever reason, they bloomed first. When I bought them, the little tag said that they produce flowers for a longer time in the summer, which is why this variety is very common in the municipal flower displays around town. Beautiful flowers. 

And, despite the name, the flowers do last longer than a day. The one on the right was open for at least 5 days before it wilted...so maybe these are “Work-week Lilies” instead of Day Lilies. :) I am not sure whether that makes them more, or less, attractive. One of the things we like about Day Lilies in general, is, I think, the fact that individual blooms come and go, so that the overall display changes every day...is fresh every day. I did manage to photograph this cluster when it was only one flower, and then again when it was two. Brief beauty...all the more beautiful for being brief. Perhaps there is a reminder of our own mortality there...that our days are numbered...and that we need to seize the beauty in each one of them. Or perhaps there is encouragement...we have a lot of days...and into each one some new beauty comes. Seen with the generous eye, this day is just one day in eternity, and the lilies are just what is happing now in a now that we have a reasonable hope will endure forever...whatever forever means in an eternity of nows. And that is, of course, the key. The generous eye is open to the beauty of now, now and forever. May the loving God, creator of all beauty, bless you with beauty in the now of today. Happy Sunday!