Fascinations and non-monetized hobbies

Do you have any hellebore (aka lenten rose) blooming by you?

The ones in my yard started blooming a couple weeks ago, and it was such a shock to see their beautiful flowers here toward the end of "The Brown Time," as I like to call this season in northern Colorado. 

Look at them surrounded by all the dead leaves—I was so happy to see them!

I've been getting into flowers a little bit the past couple years and it feels so good to have an interest that isn't about being productive or optimizing anything or making money.

It's for pleasure.   

And I find the whole flower world fascinating. I've been reading books and watching youtube videos and I haven't done a whole lot of actual gardening—more just watching/reading about other people growing flowers. Ha!

But I did just start some sweet pea seedlings and I'll start some zinnias here in a few weeks. Wish me luck!

I remember a teacher once saying that fascination is attention without effort. That's what this feels like.

Do you have a fascination that isn't "practical" and brings you a lot of pleasure? I'd love to hear. 

With care,
Brianna

p.s. Another hellebore photo (taken by a pro), because they are so pretty! 

Photo by Annie Spratt