{"id":113706,"date":"2023-06-08T01:47:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T07:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=113706"},"modified":"2024-02-09T05:34:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T12:34:01","slug":"im-a-dandelion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/06\/08\/im-a-dandelion\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m A Dandelion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because I was and always will be a Military or Army Brat, I will always identify myself as a Dandelion. I bloom wherever I set down roots.<\/p>\n

\"DandelionDandelion gone to seed – Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 photo<\/span><\/p>\n

Dandelions are able to grow and bloom just about anywhere their roots are planted. Not only that, but they symbolize happiness, joy, perseverance, endurance and hope<\/span>. That is why they are the perfect representation of a military child.<\/em><\/p>\n

A few days ago I was in Virginia. I was there taking care of some important and heart wrenching family matters.<\/p>\n

I did take time each day to view, appreciate, and take a few cell phone or tablet photos. Those moments and the support of my family and friends kept me going even when I felt that I couldn’t.<\/p>\n

When I saw this dandelion gone to seed, I knew that I wanted photos of it. Only this one photo turned out. The rest were blurry because the wind was blowing.<\/p>\n

When I feel the winds of my personal life pushing on me, I only need to remember that it will be alright. It’s all good.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

To my dear friends in Virginia: I am sorry that I couldn’t spend time with you. I wish I could have. I simply had too much on my plate, much to do, and only a limited time to do it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Because I was and always will be a Military or Army Brat, I will always identify myself as a Dandelion. I bloom wherever I set down roots.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":113705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7407,5347],"tags":[13940,11806,3818,6519,13931,5341,2135],"class_list":["post-113706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-virginia","category-wildflowers","tag-brat","tag-common-dandelion","tag-dandelion","tag-dandelions","tag-garden","tag-seedhead","tag-seeds"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230605_104416.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-tzY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":143144,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/04\/26\/dandelions-in-spring-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":113706,"position":0},"title":"Dandelions In Spring Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"That\u2019s when I noticed these two dandelion seed heads side by side, one still full of fluff, the other already spent.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Side-by-Side Dandelions in Spring Grass, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dandelion-fluff-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dandelion-fluff-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dandelion-fluff-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dandelion-fluff-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":89095,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/26\/spring-male-american-goldfinch\/","url_meta":{"origin":113706,"position":1},"title":"Spring Male American Goldfinch","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I photographed this male American Goldfinch and thought about how he is as bright as the dandelions that are blooming now in the mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring male American Goldfinch, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0680.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0680.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0680.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0680.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52275,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/05\/26\/focusing-on-american-goldfinches-feeding-on-dandelion-seeds\/","url_meta":{"origin":113706,"position":2},"title":"Focusing On American Goldfinches Feeding On Dandelion Seeds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The day I photographed the Green-tailed Towhee singing up in the mountain canyon I also had an opportunity to take a nice series of photos of what appeared to be a mated pair of American Goldfinches.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female American Goldfinch eating dandelion seeds, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/american-goldfinch-female-dandelion-mia-mcpherson-2056.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/american-goldfinch-female-dandelion-mia-mcpherson-2056.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Cassin's Finch foraging for Dandelion seeds, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-dandelions-mia-mcpherson-0126.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-dandelions-mia-mcpherson-0126.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-dandelions-mia-mcpherson-0126.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-dandelions-mia-mcpherson-0126.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":132600,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/17\/cicada-shell-and-the-photographer-who-took-the-image\/","url_meta":{"origin":113706,"position":4},"title":"Cicada Shell And The Photographer Who Took The Image","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This cicada shell on a pine tree was photographed by little old me in Arkansas yesterday. The photo of me taking this image is by my dear friend, Steve Creek.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cicada shell on a pine tree, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cicada-exuvia-shell-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-2449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cicada-exuvia-shell-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-2449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cicada-exuvia-shell-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-2449.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cicada-exuvia-shell-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-2449.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25452,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/06\/12\/cassins-finches-of-the-centennial-valley-of-montana\/","url_meta":{"origin":113706,"position":5},"title":"Cassin’s Finches of the Centennial Valley of Montana","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Cassin's Finch males look to me like they have been dipped in raspberry juice and that color is very vibrant especially in sweet light.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Cassin's Finch perched on a lichen covered fence post in the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-male-lichen-mia-mcpherson-0008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-male-lichen-mia-mcpherson-0008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-male-lichen-mia-mcpherson-0008.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/cassins-finch-male-lichen-mia-mcpherson-0008.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113706\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}