Heartsease

My favorite flower is the pansy. It’s a member of the viola family, like violets and Johnny-jump-ups. Pansies come in orange, yellow, white, cream, and burgundy, but most will be some shade of purple or blue. Pansy flowers are edible. They can be used in stuffing for fish or poultry, and they’re a colorful addition to salads. I’ve even seen them in candies and desserts. The heart-shaped leaves are eaten raw or steamed, much like spinach. The word “pansy” comes from the French word for “thought,” possibly because the pansy looks like it’s thinking really hard about something. When a person is called a pansy it means he’s weak or cowardly. But pansy flowers are anything but weaklings. They withstand the rockiest ledges and nastiest winter storms. They continue to bloom long after the other autumn flowers have given up, and when the snow finally melts in the spring, there they are again, as if nothing had happened.