“I want happiness,”
said the greed to be happy.
Joy is motiveless.
Magnificent Milkweed Flowers… Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2018
Haiku of Joy
“I want happiness,”
said the greed to be happy.
Joy is motiveless.
Magnificent Milkweed Flowers… Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2018
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
It is that! One of my favourites for its beauty and the monarchs it attracts😊
Yes! 🙂
However, i recently read that increasing temperatures — due to global warming — are causing Milkweed plants to increase in toxicity (so much so that they are becoming very toxic to Monarchs). 😦 I’ll have a posting on this later on in the month. Things need to change!
That would be very alarming. I understood that it’s toxicity kept monarchs safe from predators. I’ll read your post with interest.
Yes, the toxicity kept monarchs safe from predators. However, now — with increased temperatures — Milkweed plants are increasing in toxicity so much that they are killing the Monarch caterpillars (that used to be protected by them).
My upcoming posting about this is scheduled for August 29th.
I’m still thinking of Georgia O’Keeffe from time to time, and you’ve reminded me here of one of the most wonderful quotations from her that I found: “I do not like the idea of happiness — it is too momentary — I would say that I was always busy and interested in something — interest has more meaning to me than the idea of happiness.”
Also: I’ve always found that happiness is a byproduct. Books like “Twelve Steps to Finding Happiness” are probably profitable, but they’re essentially useless.
Yes, regular “happiness” is usually rather superficial and of very limited duration… and often ends the moment one realizes that one is “happy.”
To be interested… yes! 🙂
Stay curious, Linda! 🙂
Milkweed doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The blooms are quite pretty
and it hosts butterflies….a win-win in my book.
I totally agree! 🙂
Read what was written to Belinda. 😦 I’ll post more on that later.
Will do, Tom.
Beautiful picture, as usual. You are a true artist with a camera.
Thank you, Francis! 🙂 My wife today, said, “Maybe you may want to get rid of your 300 gallon aquarium, since you are getting older.” I said, “No way!”
keep eye open for monarch larvae.
Read what was written to Belinda, Mr. Monkey. I’ll post more on it later this month. It’s a most unfortunate thing. 😦
Gorgeous milkweed! Mine is just about to flower.
Awesome, Sabine. 🙂
Please read what was written to Belinda.
I had not heard of the increase in toxicity of milkweed. I saw several monarchs this week at a nursery and in my friend’s garden. I’ve never spotted one in my garden. But I do have some milkweed growing, just in case!
Please let me know if you see any Monarch caterpillars doing well on them.
Beautiful color!
Very clever – beautiful shot of milkweed up close – magnet for those beautiful Monarchs.
(I’m hopelessly behind in Reader, between my work schedule and these storms … we have another one coming in in an hour or so – I’m hoping to catch up a little first.)
🦋 Lovely photo. Your poem works delightfully well with it.