Dueling Dahlias

Bro 1 is one of those people who happens to be very talented at almost everything he does, even his hobbies. (Thankfully, he has many other good qualities to balance this out.) Just in case we thought that the dahlia he brought to me last week was a fluke, a one-shot wonder, Bro 1 sent us all this picture of the next flower, produced by the same plant. And it is just as gorgeous, isn't it? We don't have a ruler in the shot to verify, but it sure looks as big as the previous flower, which was eight inches across.

Mom is normally a very easygoing sort of person, but apparently this sparked her competitive streak. She believed her flowers were every bit as impressive, and that she should be recognized for her efforts. Who knows how many hot summer hours she spent in the back yard, how many gallons of Miracle Gro were used, all to tenderly nurture her dahlias...? But Mom finally sent us a picture of her finest flower:
Good on you, Mom!