In honor of the Epiphany/”Little Christmas”/Three Kings’ Day, here are poinsettias in their natural habitat, which, in this case, was Burma! They put my potted version to shame.

These were growing wild on a walk I took last year in the town of Kalaw. I wasn’t expecting them, didn’t know they grew there. Which was even better than if I’d been looking for them.

They were tall, a bit gawky, but their deep crimsons and maroons stood out among the greenery. It was my only afternoon of leisure and I was able to walk into town, mosey around the market and find a path on the way home that led into the hills.

They were the natural part of that country’s beauty. Here’s another part: the Golden Pagoda seen on a balmy night last November.