To wear the purple

I generally associate purple with spring and fall flowers, but a recent walk showed lots of purple happening in August. Some of it was found on the usual suspects, like ironweed

and liatris



and aster,

and a tiny flower that I still haven't identified.

But there was also purple in unexpected places, like the stems of milkweed and a shrub dogwood (red osier, maybe?).

Even the grasses were getting into the act, not only the aptly named purple lovegrass

but the big bluestem was blooming in purple.

And while it probably comes as no surprise to anyone that thistle blossoms are purple,

I have to confess to being astounded at the beauty of this common "weed" viewed up close and personal. 

It's a good time to put a little purple in your world.