At first glance it looks like a lotus leaf and pod, but that is what I wanted you to see. The truth is that I was really trying to find something to use today and threw out some old fading leaves. But as I was tossing the last leaf out I took a careful look at it, this beautiful leaf of Japanese butterbur that I held in my hand had some promise. So I fished the other leaves out of the trash and combined two to make one big leaf that looked like…..a lotus leaf. I thought it would make a great arrangement and got a dried lotus pod to combine with it and a few vases. A sake bottle was the best choice and I place the materials inside to produce the arrangement you see. The lesson for today? Examine any old materials before discarding them, take a long look at them and see the potential they hold before you throw away a visual treasure.