Christmas Tumbleweeds

 

Today it was exceedingly windy, and as we were driving on the 5 Freeway, many large tumbleweeds were blowing across the road. We've lived in Southern California for 40 years and have NEVER seen tumbleweeds on the freeway. Freaky!

Green

 

Dotty

How weird (and cool) is this plant? It's a begonia (Begonia maculata).

Droplets

 

Skipper Time!

 

I love these little butterflies...today there were two of them flying together, on and off of the plants. Too cute!

Lovely Lavatera

 

Isn't this gorgeous? While it looks a lot like a hibiscus, it is in fact a rose mallow (lavatera). The bees love it! (Not mine...in a friend's garden.)

Succulent

 

Bedraggled But Beautiful

 

This lovely monarch has definitely been through some things: it is missing part of a hind wing and its wing scales are scratched and worn. It--and it is a male ("dots" on hind wings identify it as such)--is still very beautiful. And it has found the "Monarch Magic" ageratum plant at the nursery!

'Tis the Season

 

Silhouettes

 

Bird (of Paradise) and Bee

World Record?

 

I feel as if we need to contact Guinness to see if the size of this African basil plant qualifies for a world record...one plant here! (The bees adore it, so that makes me happy...)

Variety Pack

 I can understand how folks become obsessed with orchids...they are such amazing flowers with seemingly endless varieties. 

They will never take the place of dahlias in my affections, however. Dahlias forever!

Vibrant

 

Starbursts

 

I am not sure what this plant is, but I love these!

Groovy!

 

How is this even real? It is so very Flower Power, yes? (Gaillardia flower, I think...not in my garden.)

Sharing Is Caring

 

Hey, caterpillars, we didn't need that parsley anyway... (these will turn into black swallowtail butterflies).

Ahoy, Skippers

 

This gomphrena plant is attracting multitudes of little skippers...so cute!

Details

 

A sweet borage flower...

Stalking

 

What a cool flower stalk on this succulent (agave?). And yes, I am aware of its phallic properties, LOL...