THINGS HAPPENING IN MY BACK YARD

The first time I saw these flowers was on the Island of Catalina off the coast of Los Angeles.  I was so disappointed when I discovered their name -- the Potato Vine.  Such a beautiful flower with such a common name. Over the years we have planted three of these bushes in our back yard. I love this picture of a spray from this vine taken this week.

When I finally get back to painting, this is one picture  I want to paint. The one below would also make a good painting subject.  I think I once decided I wanted to rename this flower Midnight Star.  The purple is the midnight and it has a yellow star in the center.

Last year we had so little sun that my plumeria didn't bloom at all.  This is the beautiful, sweet smelling flower from Hawaii that is often used for the leis with which the islanders honor their guests.  In past years my plant has produced many blooms considering its size, so I have been watching it very anxiously.  It looks like we're certainly going to get some flowers this year.  It usually blooms  in August.  This branch is the furthest ahead so far and I do see some more buds beginning to form. 

About a month ago I complained on this blog about the  ground squirrels  that had completely denuded one of my hibiscus bushes.  Well we got rid of the squirrels ( please don't ask how!) and now the bushes are a mass of buds and quite a few flowers. The color is called Chinese pink, I think.

 

In the mean time we had to take down a very large Yucca tree.  The stump still has to be removed.  It is four or five feet high and while we have been debating who will do it and how, the Yucca decided to have a say in the matter......

There must be at least eight new shoots springing up.  Haven't decided what to do with them yet.

Below is the latest addition to our yard.  It is called the Fire Bush, at least that's what they said at the nursery, but the young man who served us didn't seem too sure.  But it is supposed to be drought resistant so we put it on the north side of the house which gets the most sun. We don't have sprinklers on that side of the house and it isn't really finished off too well.  We...well I... forget to water over there. There are no windows on that side of the house, so it's easy to forget.  I'm in charge of the watering when MOTH is away of course, and the last time he was away I forgot about the new bouganvillea he had planted there.  So the Fire Bush   has replaced the bouganvillea.  MOTH has just returned from another trip and I'm happy to say the Fire Bush is thriving.

The Lily below is actually not in our back yard.  It was the sole flower in a strip mall that is suffering somewhat from the economy.  There are many empty stores and the the flowers and plants that should be thriving to make the area attractive are looking uncared for.  But in the middle of a row of dreary looking plants and bushes I saw this beautiful Lily.  The color has reproduced quite well.  I often find that reds don't come up with the true color on my computer.  This one might still need a shade more brown to tinge it, but  I think it is near enough.

The green back of the fly helps the contrast !

Have a great weekend !

 Remember God is good, all the time and all the time God is good that's why we  can trust Him.