Photo of the Day - January 2, 2013:

"Lady Slipper" (Cypripoedioideae)

Today was our first day back to work after Christmas vacation. I made every effort to leave school early enough to enjoy a few minutes of sunshine, but after stopping at the bank and the store, I made it home to see only a faint pink hue on the horizon. It's only day 2 of my photo challenge so I'm sure there will be many pictures of blue skies and pink sunsets.

Inside the house, everything was shadowy and quiet. Yesterday, we took down the tree and put away the Christmas decorations. This always feels bittersweet to me. All the sparkling crystal and silver ornaments and the twinkling white lights make our home feel so warm and festive. Yet after all the excitement of the holidays, it does feel nice to put everything away, clean the house, and get a fresh start in the new year. Today, the house seems empty yet tranquil. Without the distraction of the Christmas tree, I am more aware of the quiet beauty. I can focus on subtile details like this lady slipper. Its colors aren't vibrant, yet its hues range from snow white to chartreuse to deep forest green. The petals are both striped and dappled, smooth and fuzzy. Maybe I'm partial to lady slippers because they are the official flower of Door County or maybe it's because I love shoes :)