The cornflower, centaurea cyanus, is also known as the ‘bachelor button’ because young men use them for courting. They’re commonly found volunteering in wheat and barley fields, so they are associated with bread in folklore. The flower is studied today for its positive effects on tissue function. A popular color for millennia–revered in ancient Egypt–and commonly associated with the mineral lapis lazuli, ‘cornflower blue’ was a favorite hue of Johannes Vermeer, and chemist Robert Boyle made a dye from the flower in the 17th century.

High-flying swallows at sunset mean tomorrow will be a sunny day.