Where Have All the (Purple) Flowers Gone?

    When we were in the first few grades of school in Valley Falls, a springtime ritual for all us little girls was  picking violets to bring home to our mothers. Violets grew alongside many of the sidewalks, and in the ditches near the school, but the richest violet lode was adjacent to the Catholic Church.  There was an old wrought iron section of fencing between what was most likely the border of the church property and the shallow bank that was beside the little-used road.  We thought it was acceptable, not a sin, to pick the violets outside the fence, but would not venture inside the old piece of fencing to pick the flowers inside, though the fence was forgotten and guarded nothing.  We girls picked handfuls and handfuls of violets, and in those days, and years, violets were purple.  We were excited to find the rare cache of white violets.  They were much prized as an exception.  I couldn't say when was the last time I picked violets, or even paid much attention to them.  But it is a beautiful sight and a welcome harbinger of spring to see our lawn studded with violets.  However, for a number of years now, the violets are mostly white, with only a few purple flowers.  The white violets have spots of blue near the center, with yellow in the middle.  The purple violets have yellow centers, no signs of white.  I wonder why violets aren't violet anymore.......