They stand up to the wind with a strength which is admirable because this time of year only skeletons remain. These remnants of wildflowers which grace the boardwalk in warmer weather, stand tall as the snow accumulates around them.
Buried beneath the fluffy blanket, the seeds for another bloom wait for the earth to warm after the snow melts. Now the stems and a few basket-like tops of St. Anne’s lace are all that remain of last summer’s wild beauty.
Goldenrod is not so pretty now but its stoicism is admirable. Along the shoreline, it survives the worst of the elements as it is battered by the salty spray from the icy water until the harbour freezes. They will welcome the ice when it finally covers the harbour this year.
It is easy to overlook the brown wild things along the shoreline since the elements require your full attention much of the time.
The details of the environment are not usually the focus of attention. However, if you pause and look, you may be inspired by their skyward reach, defying the odds, holding on in a harsh world. Besides, who of us keeps the beauty of our prime?