Winter Flower

I have a vase that is by my sink at all times. It's there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

What changes in this vase though is the flower that it may hold.

While the yard looks brown everywhere I look, I turn to the corner of our yard to find a plant that makes me smile in the winter.

I can't wait for this flower to bloom at this time every year. I have fond memories that are related to this flower.

What is this flower I speak so highly of?

The camelia.

My fond memories of this flower relate back to the days I spent with my grandmother who has now passed away. Everytime I see this flower I'm reminded of the beautiful camelia bushes she had in her yard that were loaded down with blooms every year.

As a young child and even as I got older, I would pick blooms of her bush and bring them inside and put them in a vase.

Now, I have my own bush, and I continue to pick the blooms and put them in the vase by my sink. It's refreshing to see a bright colored flower, while the rest of the plants look as if they are dead.

It's also a constant reminder of the lady that I admired so much, and a lady I aspire to be today.