Late June wildflower. I don't know the name of it.

I hadn't intended to draw that day when I took my walk down to the river. But this little flower along the path showed itself to me. The plant called out that it wanted me to get to know it and wanted me to notice how cute it was. I couldn't turn down such a charming invitation, and I plucked a stem to carry to a nice spot in the grass where we made our introductions.

I had paper with me of course. I almost always have paper with me. I found a few colored pencils in the bottom of my bag, but no pale green pencil to match the color of this flower. I don't mind drawing in black and white because color is difficult for me to capture. I don't know how to put color on paper. As much I am drawn to color and appreciate it around me, I tend to think in black and white and I like starkness in my own work - whether drawing or writing. Not that I draw much.

I haven't sketched in a long while, and I'm not well-trained or practiced. But I do enjoy drawing and the way it makes me look closely at an object. And drawing from nature reminds me of someone from my childhood, a couple of people actually.

Once I started drawing this flower, I remembered how much I like the challenge of drawing - whether the result is good or bad - and the way that time stops when I'm creating. That's the best feeling in the world - the timelessness of creation.

When I discover the name of the flower, I will add it to the drawing. Until then, it's an unidentifed flower that begins my online nature journal.

Update: I discovered the name of the flower. It is a bladder campion.

Photos of the bladder campion.