If you happened to be in Texas from the months of April to June, you might have witnessed the most incredible wildflower season of my twenty five year old memory. Not only was this wildflower season incredible in its volume of wildflowers, but the longevity of the blooms. Before we left for our trip to Italy, I was expecting to return to fields bereft of these colorful blooms. Much to my surprise, though, the wildflowers were still going strong when we got home.

During our trip, we were making an evening drive from Florence to our lodging in Buonconvento, about a two hour ride. We were sleepy with bellies full of the most delicious pasta (and maybe a little wine). As we neared our destination, I started to see flashes of red in the verdant fields we were passing. Soon, the flashes of red turned into patches of red, and the patches into fields. I perked right up. I asked from the back seat, “Are those...poppies out there?!” To this Texas girl accustomed to bluebonnets and Indian blankets, poppies were the flowers of an instagrammable floral arrangement, but now here they were in infinite abundance.

I confirmed with our driver that these were indeed poppies, and along with his confirmation, a promise to take us to a whole field filled with them the next day. Let me tell you, these poppies give Texas bluebonnets a run for their money. I couldn’t help but include several paintings of this very field in my Italian Landscape collection. The vibrant poppy red sings contrasts with the bright blue sky and the green of the lush fields that house them.

What an incredible world we live in! A world where no matter what side of the planet you are on, wildflowers of all kinds parade over open fields, announcing the arrival of Spring. The only appropriate responses are those of gratitude and wonder. Pure nature always leaves me awe-struck, and I find that it’s my responsibility to honor these beautiful places with my artwork.