Transcendental Efflorescence

Seven years and two weeks ago, I discovered cosmos. I'd seen seeds, but I'd never planted any, probably because I'd never really seen (or recognized) any flowering cosmos plants. We were on our way to the Tour de Lavender in Washington, and I can never go to the Pacific Northwest without a stop (or two!!!) in Wyoming. More specifically, a stop in Tetons/Yellowstone. We paused en route at a rest stop in Shoshoni, where the bright pink cosmos were blooming like crazy. We'd been shooting a bit of fall color, so the burst of pink was an addictive pleasant surprise. When we returned home a week later, I created a poster (the shot above), then began researching what kind of flower could handle late September overnight lows.

My cosmos adventure began! I planted my first seeds the following spring and was a bit disappointed when the flowers didn't bloom until September. (Although I was very thankful to have flowers in September because for the last many years, most of my garden has gone to seed by mid- to late July!)

Each year, seeds would sprout in places where I did not plant. Each year, I'd buy seeds for a new variety or two. Or more.

This year, I attempted digging up some of the volunteers and transplanting them in places where I wanted flowers and in pots for the porch. Some survived; some didn't. Overall, I have far more cosmos this year than I've ever had, and there are still volunteers popping up in places I would not expect them to flourish.

Last week we returned to the birthplace of my cosmos addiction. I didn't expect tons of flowers this late in the season, but I did expect flowers. I had to really look to find them! The "garden" has been overgrown with grass.

If I lived in Shoshoni, I would dig up this little garden welcome mat and redo it with every variety of cosmos I could get into my little green thumb hand as a service project. Hopefully giving everyone who drives through (in September) a wonderful impression of Shoshoni...

The 2017ish addition to the Shoshoni sign made me giggle.

I'd forgotten we originally had planned to view the Great American Eclipse somewhere near this site. We chickened out when we learned tiny little remote areas such as Glendo were expecting up to 40,000 or 50,000 people. We opted for fairly remote, non-totality on the Colorado/Wyoming border.

I've always heard Wyoming and wind are blood brothers. I had to giggle at the Shoshoni sign wind braces...

I tried shooting cosmos still blooming at home when we returned last weekend, but that blasted wind, which does not confine itself to Wyoming, kept taking those precious blossoms right out of my viewfinder. But, I guess wind (plus goldfinch) is what spreads the seeds, right? So my own little guarantee for next year's crop!

And, I really can't complain about having flowers, even if windblown, in October. Once that first freeze happens, which could literally be any minute now, outdoor flowers will come to a quick and sorrowful end until next year...

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