Serendipitous Scallop-Shell

Didn't go far today as I was catching up with admin and chores. I noticed the sun on one of the carnation blooms that Robin, who used to help us on the nursery, gave me on Christmas Eve. It's still perfect. I've been trying to remember the name of the cerise-coloured cultivar that we used to grow, I think it's Portrait. 

I seldom photograph flowers, they don't do it for me unless a bug of some sort is present. (I coined, "A flower without a bug is like a kiss without a hug.") However, when I looked at my carnation on screen I was struck by the beautiful scalloped edges to the petals. Familiarity with them by the million has bred contempt in me. 

Serendipitous then that I had read my daily poem, His Pilgrimage by Sir Walter Raleigh earlier and the first line is, "Give me my scallop-shell of quiet." I know WR for the muddy puddle story (which it turns out was not fact) and for tobacco and potatoes, not for poetry. I had researched the significance of 'scallop-shell' before I togged the flower and discovered that these shells were worn on the hats or clothes of pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela. I'm sure the lovely, late Brian Sewell would have mentioned this in his wonderful Naked Pilgrim series and that I have forgotten about it.