Late spring in Juneau was filled with wildflowers sprouting from the grass. Gentle breezes would bring salty air across these fields of vibrant color. My grandmother loved the little clouds of cottonwood grass blooms. She would collect these catkins by the bundle and keep them in a vase year-round. These tufts would look brilliant, the same as the day they were picked, for far longer than their more colorful cousins.
The nostalgia of my grandmother's china hutch holding these vases of pale cotton candy inspires more than just memories. They inspire the whimsy of spring, the idea of freshness year-round, and something simple and delicate coming from something hardy.
