Prickly beauty...

It is a Winter now. No complaints, not too much snow and the weather is not too cold either. But everything is grey-brown and not as bright compared to the Summer time. So, let's travel back, to the hot summer day, filled with colors and flowers. And first, let's go outside early in the morning and find a White Prickly Poppy, the beautiful flower so common for Colorado.

 

Actually, I found a lot of prickly flowers that day, but before we are going to look at them, let's take a look at a morning glory - Spider Wart or Charlotte's Web. I knew nothing about this flower (but stopped to look at it every morning), but thanks to a friend of mine, who gave me the name... Small blue flowers, so cute and don't like to stay open overnight. Even more, they don't like to stay open in the bright sun and soonafter lunch the plant closes the pods and becomes literally invisible. Even knowing the exact location where Charlotte's Web can be found, I was missing it a couple of times ;) Anyway.. I really like two long sprouts that every plant has just under the buds and striking far away and stopping by to say Hi before they go to sleep :)

Soon after I took some pictures of Charlotte's Web and passed a bush of Cholla, I found a blooming prickly pear. And more... and more... Yellow flowers just pop up through the green surroundings and attract the bees. I don't know... probably blooming cactus looks gorgeous only for us, northern people, who only heard that cactus can bloom, but never seen it in real life... And finally - we can enjoy watching this miracle every day ;) but... still... did you expect such a fragile and tender flower from this spiky green cactus? There are a couple of pictures of this beauty below.

What else? Not much... a flower here, the leaf there... a couple of roses... 

Lupines - this is a memory from my childhood... My parents tried a plant or two, thinking it'll be great to have them in the garden. Who knew they overgrew, invaded and occupied all surrounding areas and we spent years trying to get rid of them before succeeding.

And hot summer sun, toasting everything and making walking almost impossible. Every day I expected to come back home roasted to well done condition... But... this was a Summer and, I guess the sun was expected. And don't tell me it's a Winter now. Only looking at these pictures I feel much warmer and just put on my sun shades.

Pictures were taken on June 04, 2020.