THE MIGHTY CENTURY PLANT - PART TWO

Just about a month ago I told you about the Century Plant and showed you photos of it's beginning and growth.  You can find that post here if you'd like to refresh your memory.  I'll be right here when you come back.

So anyway, the plant begins to put out clusters of blooms.

 

As you can see when you look closer, these are what I would call bloom pods.

These are the antepenultimate stage of this mighty but doomed plant.

Now we move on to the penultimate stage, where the red pods open and the true blossoms burst forth in a blaze of . . . surprise . . . yellow color.

Once the plant has fully bloomed it's bye-bye, baby.  The mighty Century Plant, having put on a fabulous show, will die.  As my friend Phil commented, it reminds him of the salmon in the Pacific Northwest that spawn and then die.

SATURDAY SILLINESS

It's been a quiet week here in Lake Wobegone.  NO WAIT, some other guy is using that line.  Sorry Mr. Keillor.

Well, it has been quiet around here though there is occasional activity in the menagerie that holds forth in my back yard.  As evidence, click on the link below.

LIFE IN MY BACK YARD

All right.  In my constant Wild Kingdom-like search for interesting life on our planet, I must now venture forth.  Until we meet again, stay interesting.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Something new this week to kick off the Friday Funnies.  An actual video of the exciting activity around our birdbath and hummingbird feeder.  Brace yourselves.

O.K.  Take a minute or two to calm down from that and I'll proceed with the rest of this week's humor.

And, no, I didn't forget the cats.

Keep the chuckles going, folks, and have a great weekend!

THROWBACK THURSDAY

1971.  My new MGB . . . and a flat tire!  (Dig those pants!)

Later, up and running and smiling once again.

(Along with mutton chops and a hippie headband!  Ah, the 70's!)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

NEW TENANTS

We have a couple of new tenants with more on the way.

We watched a male and female finch build this nest atop a pillar under our front porch a week or so ago.  Once it was built, they disappeared. I thought they'd abandoned it.  But SWMBO consulted her bird books and the Almighty Google and then said that they were "on their honeymoon."  Apparently they leave for a couple of days to feed and mate.

And she was right.  After about 48 hours the the female returned to the nest several times for a period of time, apparently laying her eggs. Now she's been perched on the nest continuously for most of a week.

SWMBO says it may be another week before the eggs hatch.

I keep watching.

MEMORIAL DAY 2014

As the numbers continue to grow . . .

. . . we continue to mourn.