Passing On

I am glad for the poppy that its bloom is almost over, because the unfortunate obviousness of the poppy has encouraged uninformed and uneducated members of the public to jump on the bandwagon of popularity, hustling to make sure they head for a "photo op" to the socially "have to be seen" poppy fields. This has led to the unnecessary and egregious destruction of thousands of existing and future poppy flowers. What a sad state of affairs for the state wildflower.

I can only hope that such ill-mannered and reprehensible behavior does not similarly affect other wildflower blooms.

I wish the enthusiasm for poppies was tempered by intelligence, understanding and appreciation for the fragility of these flowers. May the gods continue to watch over the poor poppy, and ensure that some at least will live to bloom another day. And maybe the general public will learn some compassion and caring for our native landscapes in the meantime.