What's Blooming 02-19-25

I have been able to walk KoKo several times this week, getting out in the sunshine and enjoying the flowers feels so good. The rain last week has washed off the dust and erased the sidewalk art work, making everything look new and clean.  The landscape roses, almost all are white, are always blooming in some density, rather sparse right now.  Regular roses were pruned in the last few months and are just leafing out.  But there are always perennials and succulents in bloom. 

 

Osteospermum  Also known as Cape Daisy, African Daisy, Cape Margarita. 

It has several color variations.

Delosperma. Trailing iceplant.

And a sneaky dandelion!

Coral Aloe

Bougainvillea

Almost always blooming in abundance. The flower is the small white blob deep in the red brackets.  No fragrance.

I am still not over the RSV, the cough is worse at night.  I managed three hours sound sleep this afternoon, which I hope to add to tonight. Still sleeping sitting mostly upright, otherwise the draining starts the cough. KoKo on my lap, of course.

 

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Flowers 06-13-24

I realize that every year about this time when the kangaroo paws start blooming, I post a picture.  The blooms just fascinate me, they are just so different from any other  that I have seen.   They must have been  imported from Australia in the last twenty years or so and are now everywhere in Orange County, CA.  They may be growing across the USA, but these days I don't go much of anywhere else.  I do see them in San Diego  County on my infrequent  visits there..

This plant is in the  parking  lot at a  Dana Point restaurant.

The shapes of these "petals" do resemble kangaroo's paws.

In  the upper center you can see one of the unassuming little flowers.  Looks a bit like a  multi-pointed star with a ring of stamens in the center.  I have never detected  a fragrance.

There are also many red plants.  Here you can really see a flower.

This pink bush at Trader Joe's was one of first plants I ever saw  and pink  is not very common. 

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Just a flower day 06-04-24

 

And my favorite -  the rose "Brandy".

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Twenty years ago - June 2004 05-30-24

The yearning for a road trip is getting me down,  but I cannot go right now, maybe in late June.   These phots are from June 2004 when I was driving cross country and wandered off the main highway.  Nice to stop and look around and take some photos.   Not sure where I was, could be the very top NW corner of Texas or New Mexico.  Lots of wild, wide open country there. 

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More Flowers 05-25-24

Temperatures are rising, but only in the 70s, and the bougainvillea are great piles of color.  They grow  into great piles or walls of color and with the support of a wall can attain 40' or so.  The thorns are vicious, requiring great care when trimming.  I will never have them in my yard again - too treacherous.  The vivid color red/pink/burgundy/orange/white  is from the bracts supporting the flower, that tiny white dot that is hardly noticeable.  They do not have a fragrance. 

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Flowers 05-20-24

There are always flowers blooming somewhere along our walking paths, but most of the yards are rather evergreen with rather large bushes, some with blooms.  

The very common hibiscus,  some of which have blooms most of the year.  Loving yellow,  as I do, this one is my local favorite. 

Right nest to the yellow is this simple red-orange that doesn't bloom as profusely.

For indoor flowers nothing beats the waxed amaryllis bulbs.  This white on bloomed early in April and I loaned it to a neighbor to enjoy while I went to Empty Spools.  She returned it about a week ago and now it is blooming again.  I will plant it outside in the pot with the red ones. 

Bird of Paradise is a very common plant here.  Frequently seen in parking lots and inside and outside of malls.  They do have peak blooming periods, but there seem to by a few blooming anytime. 

They do come in different varieties.  Maybe this is a double...or a triple!

The Mexican Bird of Paradise will be blooming soon.  This photo was late May several years ago in Lake Havasu City.   Quite a different plant that just Bird of Paradise. 

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Flowers of Spring 05-18-24

Oh, dear me.  Does anyone have as many computer problems as I?  On Thursday evening I typed a long post on my medical problems and  as I went to post it, it  disappeared.  It was not in drafts or sent or anywhere.  So, you  were  left  dangling, sorry about that. I am just dealing with old age problems, nothing new!  I'll  have another spinal shot on June 6th and hope it lasts as well as the  one I had last June. When I have time I will try to reconstruct that doctoring post.  It is late tonight, so I will just share our neighbor's spring flowers.

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Foxglove

Oriental Poppy

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Flowers, 05-13-24

These days I don't seem to do anything very interesting. Just keep up with all the different doctors that are required this old lady world.  Orthopedist, Cardiologist, Urologist, Dentist, Ophthalmologist, Podiatrist, Dermatologist, and soon!  Somehow they all need to be seen in May.  Of course, I take care of KoKo and do our two walks every day.  He sees the vet tomorrow for a wellness check.  But in the morning I go to Surfside Quilters Guild where we celebrate our 15th birthday. Might have some interesting news tomorrow night.

On May 1st I posted a photo of white landscape roses. These are the same blossoms turning pink in their old age.  The are speckled, but they will lose their petals before the entire blossom turns.

They make me think of fairies and butterflies.  

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Miscellaneous 05-01-24

 Just a few views of our everyday life.

When we walk in the morning we stop to put several papers on the doorsteps of our neighbors.  KoKo will "Sit & Stay" on the sidewalk while I go up to the door.  He is just that little dark spot beyond the landscape roses.

We were stopped at a signal when this great egret flew close in front of the windshield to perch on the wall.    

I don't know if he is the one that some neighbors call "Willie".  However, he  may be one of several that visit our yards this time of year, searching for lizards and other nibbles.

Here is a picture taken last year in a neighbor's yard.

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Sometime since January I bought this white, waxed Amaryllis and it bloomed justas I was leaving for Empty Spools.  I knew it wouldn't enjoy a car trip  so  I "loaned" it to a neighbor who I knew  would enjoy it.  She will return the bulb and I will plant it in my big amaryllis pot - white among the Xmas red.

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From Quilts to Roses! 04-26-24

Although there were many roses blooming before I went to Empty Spools at Asilomar, now they are in riotous delight.  These are in two different front yards on our walking route. 

This one is closest to the sidewalk, growing in precise little squares in the driveway.The brick edging divides the driveway from the neighboring yard. 

The roses below surround this fountain/statue that is not connected and planted with succulents.

Pink is by far the most popular rose color in this neighborhood.

This is in my yard, Brandy, my favorite. 

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