What’s yellow and brown and green all over? A field of brilliant cone flowers whose diversity creates an unusual sort of harmony.

What’s black and white and reaching to the sky? A field of colorless cone flowers against a gray background.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly prefer to look at the vivid colors of these Echinacea plants. There is something energizing about color. Although I find B & W photographs interesting, and sometimes even more so for their excellent contrasts, a world without color would become rather drab after a short while. Whether we are dealing with nature, people or the universe, color is essential to our well-being. Like the hypnotic aqua blues of a paradise island, the brilliant yellow-orange blaze of a sunrise, the myriad palate of colors of birds and flowers, or the degrees of color on human skin, color is vital to our existence. So is harmony. I wish there was more of it these days.