Editor's Note: The wrong photograph of the author was inadvertently posted with this article. The corrected photograph as published in the print version of the newspaper is shown below. The Appeal regrets the error and is happy to set the record straight.
Have you seen them? Did you say no? Are you kidding me? You must be looking past them. Maybe you see them, but you are in denial. After all, who believes naked ladies are all over the place. Maybe you are looking through them. They are all hiding in plain sight, watching you stare at them. They are EVERYWHERE!. On Main Street. On Church Street. On back streets. ON front streets. On fresh cut lawns. On overgrown grassy lawns. Trust me, they are all over the place. I saw them in Hickory and Chunky. I saw them in Lake, Forest, Morton, Pelahatchie, and Brandon. Last week, I saw some in Madison and Ridgeland. Four days ago, on my way back from Decatur, I saw hundreds of them at a home on Hwy. 15. I had to circle back and get another look. They have been ‘struttin their stuff’ for over two weeks.
If you missed them while bingeing on the idiot box or texting, facetiming, tik-toking, Facebooking, googling, oogling, or just staring at the smartphone, your time is running out. Don’t miss the final curtain. The naked ladies are getting ready to take a bow. If you should miss them, see the photo above.
Emma Rebeca
Note: The wrong photograph of the author was inadvertently posted with this article. The corrected photograph as published in the print version of the newspaper is shown here. The Appeal regrets the error and is happy to set the record straight.
Not the naked ladies you had in mind? Remember this is a family newspaper. These naked ladies are fall blooming bulbs with many common names, which include spider lily, magic lily, surprise lily, schoolhouse lily, hurricane lily, and my favorite, naked ladies.
In a violent profusion of color, often in groups, they very quickly, overnight, pop out of the ground, inviting surprise and awe.
The bloom appears before the foliage, so the flowers are perched on slender stalks, unadorned and unabashed in their beauty.
Research says they are associated with final goodbyes. So, hurry outside, find some naked ladies, take a last look, and say a final goodbye to Summer. Then plant your very own naked ladies and look as much as you’d like next September. It’s good for your health.
Emma Rebecca is a resident of Newton and published author.
