After the Petals Fall

 A rose in full bloom is an ephemeral thing. We enjoy the colors and scents, as do the bumblebees. Then the petals drop. This is the time to  enjoy the next stage of the Queen of Plants. The shrub is studded with small, sturdy stars, each one perfect in its geometry without the help of a compass or protractor.  Those stars are the sepals that protected the bud. Look closely at the tiny hairs and delicate shading the circlet of black-dashed anthers and the central stigma that echoes the color of the fallen petals. Pause for just a minute and discover a miniature world of textures and colors.