Naked Ladies

Get your mind out of the gutter! I am talking about the flowers, Naked Ladies! And you probably wonder why I am devoting an entire post of my new blog to the annual summer flower, Naked Lady? What does this have to do with the objective of my blog? Not much... Well, kind of. I discovered Naked Ladies the summer I moved to Sonoma County, 21 years ago. I was a city girl from Marin moving for college to cow country (back then Sonoma County kinda was) I would drive the country roads and became fascinated with these odd pink, leafless flowers that would pop up in the most random, rural spots in the month of August. I don't remember ever having such a wildflower in Tiburon. Maybe I didn't notice but I don't think Tiburon in known for their Naked Ladies.

There is something about these flowers I love. They aren't the prettiest flowers. You wouldn't buy in the flower shop yet they are mysterious, coming back year after year without anyone tending to them. Imagine how old some of these bulbs are on these old farms? Needless to say, I began carrying scissors with me and I would go out in the evening and drive around clipping these flowers along the side of the road. I would bring them home and put them in water for them just to wilt and droop too quickly. After a few years of carrying my scissors at dusk, I began to realize that the Naked Ladies deserved to be left were they were and I should enjoy them in their existence, not mine. So I stopped cutting. Now, each August I drive along anticipating their arrival and admire their raw beauty. As quickly as they come, they disappear just as fast.

Now what does this have to do with me and my blog? Well, I have passed my annual tradition onto my soon-to-be 4-year old daughter, (aka.. Princess). She now drives around with me and points out each patch of Naked Ladies we see out our car windows. It has been a wonderful August with her, admiring the flowers. Princess is turning 4 in just a few weeks and I want to remember her and admire her for just who she is right now, even though she is growing so fast and so beautifully. May we always have our Naked Ladies each August.