Fake flowers in a Dixie Highway pothole bring unexpected dose of positivity

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A pothole is bringing Louisvillians an unexpected dose of positivity.

What used to be a typical pothole is now filled with dirt, fake orange flowers, a pinwheel and a balloon. It's right outside the doors of a Baptist Health primary care center on Dixie Highway, in the parking lot for everyone to see.

Fake flowers planted in pothole outside primary care office on Dixie Highway

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," said Miguel Ninham, who was walking through the parking lot with his family Friday morning.

Autumn Caskey, a receptionist at the office, said a fellow receptionist is the one who came up with the creation.

"We were just kind of joking around about it, and then, come in the next morning, and there it is," she said. "At first, it was a stick and a branch. And then it got creative with the flowers and balloon and the pinwheel."

Caskey said the goal is to make people smile, laugh and spread some positivity. At the same time, she's hoping it will help draw attention for patients and prevent them from tripping as they walk to the doctor's office.

"(The pothole is) a hazard to our patients, especially the elderly ones that walk through," Caskey said.

She made a post on the I Am Dixie Highway Facebook page that's gotten hundreds of reactions. Caskey said she never expected that much attention from the post.

"I'm kind of glad it did, though," she said. "Because you always see a lot of negative stuff on there. So it was something good, something positive and funny."

Several people driving through the parking lot Friday slowed down to look at the flowers filling the pothole. Some people were walking through the lot going to various shops or offices and stopped to take a picture with their cellphones.

Ninham said his family saw the post on Facebook.

"My wife and mother-in-law were just talking about it this morning and weren't sure where it was," he said. "Then, as we were coming through, we saw it there and just laughed because it's all decorated with balloons and it's got the little spinner thing."

Ninham said it "dresses up" the parking lot.

"I think it's really neat people do that," he said. "It's an eyesore, so if it's an eyesore, you're already looking at it. You might as well make it something nice."

Caskey said it makes her feel good, knowing this small gesture is creating smiles for other people.

There are orange lines in the parking lot, looking like this pothole and others around it could be getting a more permanent fix soon. In the meantime, it's growing attention with its dirt and fake flowers popping up out of the ground.