Columbine After Rain

This was one of the best springs I've ever seen for columbine (Aquilegia). The columbine plants in my front flower bed grew tall and have been blooming profusely for weeks. I've been so enjoying the shapes of them, and I've been photographing them every chance I get.

I noticed over the past week, though, that the flower petals are starting to fall, heralding the end of the season of the columbine. I watched a bumblebee hover over them to gather pollen, and the backdraft of his jets sent petals tumbling. Soon they will be done.

On this particular day, we got heavy rains, and I wasn't able to find much time to get outside. When I got home from work, there was a slight break in the rain before it began again in earnest. So I snapped a few photos of the columbine after rain; in fact, it's the only thing I photographed on this day. I wonder if these may be some of my last pictures of them.

I try not to be sad, but it's hard to see them go. I have enjoyed them so much. What will happen next is that the flowers will go into seed, and I will let them do that, and then I will trim off the seed pods, let them dry, and scatter the seeds all through the meadow: More, more, MORE columbine! I can never have enough!

For now, though, I'm feeling a bit wistful about the whole circle of life thing, and I thought the monochrome treatment would accomplish two things: help show you their gorgeous shapes which have had me smitten these past few weeks, and convey a feeling of just a bit of sadness.

The soundtrack to accompany this photo is a song about the ending of things, a song about loss: Crystal Gayle, The Sound of Goodbye.