As spring makes its way into summer, I’m happy to greet sunlight and joy in this issue. We bring you pieces about the love of nature, including Clementine Lewis’s memoir about discovering the wonders of the ocean on a snorkeling trip in the Caribbean. And we have flowers—so many flowers! There are flower photos and paintings, flower poems, such as the clever “Flower Punctuations,” and even a trickily titled story, “Zinnia Elegans.”
I call that title tricky because although it’s the name of a flower, this “Zinnia Elegans” is a science fiction piece about a self-driving car. Of course, there really are robotaxis in some cities these days, but this story takes the concept just a bit further. In your writing and art, I challenge you to think about scenarios that are a touch beyond what is happening in today’s technology. Sometimes the best science fiction is only a step away from reality.
With a smile and a lot of sunscreen,
