Purple pansy

pan·sy [pan-zee] noun, plural pan·sies.
1. a violet, Viola tricolor hortensis, cultivated in many varieties, having richly and variously colored flowers.

The ubiquituous pansy. A colorful presence in a landscape of drab winter colors. It's almost animate with its 'facial' markings and 'expressions'.

The name "pansy" derives from the French word pensée , imported into English circa 1490-1500, meaning, literally, "thought", as the flower was regarded as a symbol of remembrance.