A letter from the Editor

Dear Friends:
For those of us engaged in the work of botanical art and illustration, we have come to realize the demands this precise form of art asks of us. There are times I remember Monet who was often ready to throw his paint brushes away.

New students to this beautiful art form probably ask themselves what they were thinking when they took up their paints to accomplish a botanical work of art. As I watch the faces of those who are hanging tough, I often see frustration, despair, delight, and sheer joy of accomplishment.

It was no accident that I happen to be ironing while watching the Tour de France. Actually, the ironing was just an excuse for taking the time to see Lance Armstrong fly. Let me share with you the experience of watching perseverance in the act.

Lance Armstrong is winning so far the Tour de France. There are a series of days that they compete and on Monday last he was taking a “hill” in the Pyrenees I believe and this particular trek was the most important race for him to win. If he did not, he would have a tough time the rest of the races.

So there he was with the most incredible focus I've ever seen on anyone's face. He was zipping along and winning when all of a sudden a spectator's hat caught Lance's handlebars and caused him to fall, injure his elbow, and knock another guy off his bike. The racer behind him stopped to let Lance remount his bike, and everyone was off again -- true sportsmanship.

When Lance is making up for lost seconds, his foot slips out of the pedal and he falls again. Up he goes, and off he goes. He is now way behind, I'm pounding the ironing board, his adversaries are cheering, and Lance grits his teeth for a push like you have never seen in your life. Up past the first batch of racers that left him behind, straight up the hill without sitting on his seat. His eyes were glaring...up, up, up the hill and this guy wins the race! I was floored and still get goose bumps. After watching this my blood pressure is up, my heart is racing, and I say to my guest, Susan, well this must be our moral for today, "when you fall, get back up." Susan adds, "yes, and quickly." Well we roared and I realized that it is not enough to shake yourself off and start again, but there are three other issues here. 1) Regain our momentum quickly without losing any time, 2) Grumbling wastes time; and 3) Persecute no one including ourselves for the fall.

Finally, when I read the Internet reports of this incident, Lance was quoted as saying it was not the spectator's fault. Next time he wouldn't ride so close to the crowds. Well, that statement said it all. What a “roll” model. Sometimes it takes more elbow grease than others.

God Bless. OM

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