I tend to think of shades of green on St. Patrick’s Day, and this year, I knew I had a lovely image I’d been keeping under wraps that I want to share today.

Shades of green - Leafy Fantasy Horse, USF Botanical Gardens, Hillsborough County, FloridaShades of green – Leafy Fantasy Horse, USF Botanical Gardens, Hillsborough County, Florida © 2005

I took this photo in February 2005—more than 20 years ago now. I used a Nikon bridge camera for this image while my best friend, Patty, and I explored the USF Botanical Gardens in Tampa, Florida. We explored a lot of Florida together when I lived there.

While we were wandering a plant with huge green leaves caught my eyes and I decided to take close up, kind of abstract photos of the leaves. The dark background behind the leaves added a touch of drama.

As I moved around the leaves taking photos, I saw this through my viewfinder, stopped, took a breath, then captured this frame.

I don’t recall the name of this plant—it might have been a deliciosa—but that isn’t important to me now. What mattered to me then, and still does today, is that I saw a fantasy horse, or maybe even a leafy green dragon, in this image—complete with an eye, nose, and an ear!

I can’t unsee it. That’s called pareidolia—when the mind picks out a pattern or image in something random, like spotting a face in clouds or on a tree trunk.

The leafy horse or dragon is in shades of green, which fits perfectly with the color scheme of St. Patrick’s Day!

Maybe you see a horse, a dragon, or something else besides a green leaf. That’s up to you.

I thought this image was simply wonderful for St. Patrick’s Day!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my flower, shrub, and tree photos.