Princess Dahlia For a snippet of time, she lived on her family's estate in Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C. In the bloom of her youth, Princess Dahlia was the envy of all who happened by. She favored the front and center position, greeting visitors who arrived in bermuda shorts from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhh", who regularly expressed their delight at her extraordinary beauty and countenance. She loved it when they expressed their delight. The snippet of time passed by quickly however, as snippets of time are wont to do. The breathtakingness that was Princess Dahlia waned and faded, and eventually passed completely. Yet she did live on... in an online photo gallery owned by one of the visitors from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhhh". Who, although she didn't wear bermuda shorts, Oooh'd and Aaahhh'd with the best of them as she captured the frames that lead to the digital magic that meant Princess Dahlia would live forever. ©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0) - Karen Hutton

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Jenny Butchart's Garden Victoria, B.C.

If you find yourself stuck with an abandoned limestone quarry pit you just don't know what to do with, you could always follow Jenny Butchart's example.

After her husband finished using the quarry to make cement for building most of British Columbia back in the 1930's, Jenny was stuck with a 5-acre pit.
Thanks, hubs.
So she did what any sensible woman would do... made a world-famous garden.

Everyone and their mother (sister/brother/dog/parakeet) takes this shot. No kidding! And from this very spot (that is, if you don't want to trod upon the garden.)
But as a lover of all things jardin, I had to make my own tribute. Especially since many of my flower shots came from Butchart Gardens. Most especially the dahlias.

Nice one, Jenny Butchart. And thank you!

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

The Dahlia Family Perm
Daphne, Delphine, Doyenne and Dolly Dahlia had perfect hair. It was always perfect. They never had a "bad hair day" unless someone was sick. (Even then it was better than average.) And their sunny disposition seemed to reflect a certain comfort in comfortable certainty.

Everyone knew when the Dahlia ladies came to town, because the air glowed and perfect hair ruled the day.

No one said they were deep.
But it was their very own, permanent solution to a perfectly imperfect, uncertain world.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

She Looked Away
I caught her gaze for just a moment. It was unexpected. Startling, even. She looked into my eyes without flinching, without even a flicker of self consciousness. Her luminous beauty, her subtle yet undeniable strength, her utter equanimity at being both a fleeting visitor and an immutable force in the world sat lightly with her.
She was transcendent.
In that sudden and unexpected moment, I knew what it meant to be alive.
Really. Truly.

Before I had a chance to smile and nod, she looked away.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

Princess Dahlia
For a snippet of time, she lived on her family's estate in Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C. In the bloom of her youth, Princess Dahlia was the envy of all who happened by. She favored the front and center position, greeting visitors who arrived in bermuda shorts from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhh", who regularly expressed their delight at her extraordinary beauty and countenance.
She loved it when they expressed their delight.

The snippet of time passed by quickly however, as snippets of time are wont to do. The breathtakingness that was Princess Dahlia waned and faded, and eventually passed completely. Yet she did live on... in an online photo gallery owned by one of the visitors from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhhh". Who, although she didn't wear bermuda shorts, Oooh'd and Aaahhh'd with the best of them as she captured the frames that lead to the digital magic that meant Princess Dahlia would live forever.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

She Laughed in That Way She Does
"I dunno, think it's too much?" she asked, turning her head this way and that as she inspected her new hair color in the mirror.

"Well, it's bold... but if anyone can rock it, you sure can!", I answered truthfully. She always wanted my opinion, even though sometimes my choices were a bit, um, stronger than hers.

"Y'know..." she tilted her head one more time - and just then the light caught her exactly right. Suddenly it she appeared to shimmer - and I could imagine her high upon a enormous stage, glowing beneath a single spotlight, her rapt audience suspended in a single collective intake of breath.
"I think you may be right."

Then she looked at me, waited a beat - and laughed in that way that she does.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

Orange
It was strange, having a nickname based on his coloring.
But it did simplify things somehow.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

In Her Dream She Was Purple...
and her sisters were flowers.
"Have you ever noticed that when people are passionate about a color, it's usually purple?" she mused aloud to no one in particular.
And then she noticed that purple flower passion was similar to - but calmer than - people purple passion.
She hoped she would remember all this when she woke up.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

Just Because
Because every year they remind me of rebirth and looking forward...
Because I love the perfection that is frozen and stamped on each and every one...
Because they are like the final act of a wonderful Kabuki theatre play...
Oh I dunno, just Because.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)

Princess Dahlia

For a snippet of time, she lived on her family's estate in Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C. In the bloom of her youth, Princess Dahlia was the envy of all who happened by. She favored the front and center position, greeting visitors who arrived in bermuda shorts from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhh", who regularly expressed their delight at her extraordinary beauty and countenance.
She loved it when they expressed their delight.

The snippet of time passed by quickly however, as snippets of time are wont to do. The breathtakingness that was Princess Dahlia waned and faded, and eventually passed completely. Yet she did live on... in an online photo gallery owned by one of the visitors from the land of "Oooo and Aaahhhh". Who, although she didn't wear bermuda shorts, Oooh'd and Aaahhh'd with the best of them as she captured the frames that lead to the digital magic that meant Princess Dahlia would live forever.

©Karen Hutton - Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 3.0)