Tracer Lull Goldenrod

Old French tracier, to trace — sharing root with English trace and track. As a color modifier, tracer implies a saturated-and-streak-of-light quality, the bright color of military-tracer-round and long-exposure-photography light-trail visual streak. Sits at the bright-and-active end of the grid, parallel to flashing and streaking in usage.

Middle English lullen, to-sing-to-sleep. As a color modifier, lull implies a hushed-and-pacified-and-cradled quality, the visual register of cradle-song-and-vesper-lull hand-cradled-and-rocked cradle-and-cot-and-crib hand-rocked-and-sung-to-lulled-and-cradled lulled-and-cradled surfaces under cradle-song-and-vesper hush-and-quiet-and-still bedside-and-nursery-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to hush and soothe in usage.

Solidago, the late-summer wildflower of North American meadows whose tall sprays of small yellow flowers signal the end of the growing season. The color refers to the flower head at full bloom: a warm, slightly muted yellow-orange with the matte finish of small clustered florets. Cooler than mustard, deeper than dandelion. The state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska, a pollinator magnet, and the original native dye for early American homespun.