These Are My JOTtings...

The Strength of the Pansies

Pansies are such delicate flowers with such amazing strength.
Pansies are hardiest, when the temperatures are the harshest.
Pansies live through the south Georgia winters with relatively no ill effect.

Occasionally, the temperatures in my town can dip down into the teens. However, this occurrence is about as rare as snow is here. At any rate pansies can freeze in those conditions, but I have learned not to fear. When the temperatures rise above freezing, pansies bounce back with their smiling little faces appearing to say, "We are still here, and we are still happy!"

That is what makes me joyful, regarding pansies in the winter time in Georgia, USA. Pansies and their little cousins, the violas, brighten the landscape with their multicolored faces like the multicolored lights do at Christmas time.



Here are two take-aways.

1. Things in life are rarely what they seem to be. The frail-looking pansies can survive cold winters whereas the stronger-looking hibiscus bushes die when temperatures drop below freezing.
2. All of Creation is tailored to survive conditions that are unique to the personality of the plant or other living being. The hibiscus bushes survive the hottest temperatures of summer in humid climates where humidity is available for the leaves of the plant. When the temperatures begin to top 90, the pansies start to die. At 100 they really are toast.

Where do we each thrive?
Do we focus on staying in that environment?

I'm a member of the Rising Stars Program for 2016-2017