This flower was a bit off the beaten path. I found it on a walk to the Vets Center one Monday evening. It was against a fence on the side of a driveway. The discolorations, I think, are from car exhaust, or car exhaust and dirt from the roadway. There was exactly one bloom against this fence. There was no pick and choose involved. I walked back, snapped the shot, and left. Flowers don’t decide to get dressed up or comb their hair based on who’s invited or who might be there. They give 100% every time. They dress to the nines even if no one’s there. And they shine through dirt and grime as if that was specifically what they were designed for. I had dressed down for dinner. The flower had dressed up for it's short eternity.