I love these flowers.

They tempt nature by not blooming until the temperature begins to drop.

As trees lose their leaves, these flowers are still baby buds on the bush!

Knowing how beautiful they’ll be, I hold my breath and hope they’ll bloom.

Some years I’m lucky and rewarded with flowers, like the one above.

Other years an early freeze arrives, leaving  flowers and buds  dead on the ground.

This year, the bush took on nature’s dare and is filled with flowers!

I think it’s a good metaphor for all of us…

When winter nips at our hearts, we, too, have to dare to bloom:~)