Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON
Okay, so they’re not the sort of flowers you would expect, but I could not resist this shot. It was taken in the Yukon late last year, as we drove from Fox Creek to Dawson City. It was a quick refuelling stop and as always, I wandered around looking for unusual sights.
This was in Braeburn, which, as a nearby sign proclaimed, is one of the checkpoints in the famous Yukon Quest.
These metal flowers on a bench caught my eye immediately, not just because of the quality of the craftsmanship, but also because the blue and silver contrasted so beautifully with the wooden border.
It was only later, when we got back into the 4WD and drove off, that a thought occurred to me. Given the solitude of the Yukon and the tiny communities that live off the historic landscape, there was a fair chance that these flowers were crafted by someone who lived locally.
I should have gone inside and asked the owners if they knew who the craftsman was. There is always a rich story behind any piece of art. It’s up to us to seek those stories out.
Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.
