The Asiatic Lilies are just beginning to bloom

This first Asiatic Lily is called Lollipop.

I also received it from John and Lindsey's first yard. Their yard had all kinds of flowers, and they were young and did not want to be bothered with them. So I have benefitted from their flowers year after year. So have several of my friends. I gave flowers away for 2 years from John and Lindsey's yard.

I just have to get close.
I love the centers of the Asiatic Lilies

This lily does not match any of the lilies in the brochure of Breck's Lilies so I assume I also got this one from John and Lindsey.

Don't know the name of it though.

Again, I had to get close.

My yard starts in the spring with the daffodils and the iris have started blooming by the time the late daffodils are finishing. Now the iris will probably be blooming for another week and the lilies have started. The Asiatic always start first, the daylilies are right behind them (have a couple of blooms now), and the Oriental Lilies come next. The daylilies bloom until frost. So to have blooms from spring until late fall all you have to plant are daffodils, iris, lilies, and daylilies.

This time of year is so hard to stay inside to post at the computer. Still struggling to find enough time for blogging, but I visit as often as I can. Would love to make some stained glass pieces too. Not enough hours in the day.

A bloom not quite open yet, the same iris fully open.

Notice the color change.

Then I decided to get up close, like I tend to do.
This iris was bought as a pink iris. Not!

Everybody wants to get a pink, the next one I bought as a pink turned out to be peachy. I should learn my lesson and give up on a pink iris.

The last macro doesn't even look like an iris. The iris bloom is so large that it just fell open, and this is the inside of the bloom.

Ladybird Beetles

We always called these Ladybugs, but have found out the correct name is Ladybird Beetles. There are 350 species in the United States.

I went outside during a break in the rain yesterday (no photos today, it is pouring the rain) and was trying to get photos of my iris blooms. Not sure how they are blooming in all the rain, but they are gorgeous this year. Looked down and saw the Ladybug on the ground, so I picked it up and placed it on the iris.

The wind was blowing (bringing in more rain) and the first photo is not quite as sharp as I would have liked. Snapped the 2 photo, and then the Ladybug was blown to the ground. Didn't even see where it went, photo session over.

My 15 month old grandson is here today, while his mother goes to Bible study, and he is suppose to be taking a nap right now. Know how hard it is for a Granny to let him sleep while he is here? Specially when he doesn't want to. I decided to get this post ready so I could TRY to ignore him for a few minutes. It hasn't worked very well, and I am going to get him to play for a while. When Mason is here I don't even care that it is raining, yet again!

Lavender Azalea

My favorite color for an azalea is the pale lavender. This little one is in my front yard down at the tree line. I started it from an azalea at John and Lindsey's first house.

At least this year it does have about 10 blooms. Year before last it was doing a little better, before we had a real late freeze in the teens. Thought this one was a goner, so right now I am just happy it is still alive.

As normal, I had to get closer.

Someday my azalea will look like this one that I photographed in Knoxville last week.

I have already sold this photo in 2 cards, the Happy Mother's Day and a sympathy card.

Hibiscus - St Pete Beach

These Yellow Hibiscus photos were taken June 2008, at St Pete Beach, Florida.

You know me I have to get up close.

Just thought you might be needing some sunshine today. Since I am currently on a trip to St Pete Beach, hopefully I have some sunshine today.

Various insects taken summer 2008

I am very interested in this first insect. The top photograph is taken on the milkweed in the field behind my house. The day I took this the butterflies and bees were all over the milkweed. Even had a monarch that day. The one below is on a day old daylily bloom. It looks like a butterfly in the making, but I can't find it in my reference books for insects or butterflies.
The rest are just some macro photographs of insects I took all during the summer.

The Spotted Cucumber Beetle is the only one I could find in my reference book, not a very big reference book.

Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Zinnia Collages in different stages

Have so many photographs of zinnia blooms decided to make collages of them.

Now we will have to wait until 2009 for more blooms. Tomorrow I will be back to winter scenes.

The life of zinnia

The zinnia buds are so unusual. That black just looks out of place. I love it, so I just keep taking photographs of the buds. Probably have another post with just the buds. Side view with the zinnia middle trying to pop right through.
So many different colors out of one package of seeds. Although I cannot guarantee that since I plant several packages of zinnia. I want to attract the butterflies.

Attract is putting it mildly. Most of my butterfly photographs are at the zinnia blooms.

Then they begin to fade.

This is what they look like at the end, when the wind is sending seeds everywhere for next year.

I am tired of the cold, just had to remind myself what to expect when the cold is gone again.

Cactus in the attic

My Christmas Cactus blooming in the attic. Blooming in time to be called a Thanksgiving Cactus instead of Christmas Cactus, which mine do most years. I bring them down on the day of visitors, so the buds don't drop from coming into a warmer area.

Mine are not as large as Dorothy's blooming cactus. The blooms are gorgeous, but my plants are not large like Dorothy's.

I have a friend that has one that has been passed through 3 generations in her husband's family. It had not bloomed since she had received it. I told her to put it outside in the summer in an area well protected from the sun, leave it until the buds set in the fall. Be sure and bring in before any chance of the cold killing it. She has now had blooms for 5 years. I have read they have to have certain hours of dark and light. I have learned they just need some cool air to set their buds. If you can put out in early spring (well protected) they will also bloom at Easter. I put my on my glass porch after the coldest weather is over, and then I have 'rebloomers'.

Just have to take the close ups.