Summer Rains and Flowers

We’re in the height of summer when it is expected to be hot and dry, but we’ve had two rainstorms in the last week. What a welcome surprise, and it seemed like the lawns and fields turned green overnight.

It rained like crazy on Friday afternoon. I went out on my bike thinking I could beat it, but got caught on the way home. It was quite a workout fighting that wind and I was soaked. Thank goodness the rain is warm here and it doesn’t matter.

Yesterday, again, we had another downpour! I was home though and only had to worry about keeping things dry in my “outside office” because again, the wind kicked up quite a bit.

With summer comes changes in the landscape. Things that are usually only green burst into flower.

I first noticed this tree because it was buzzing. Then I noticed the carpet of purple petals on the lawn.

When I looked up to find the buzzing, I saw masses of beautiful purple flowers.

If you look closely you’ll see one of the bumblebees who were creating the buzzing. They would burrow into the flowers so you could only spot them when they were flying.

I also saw this tree covered with hanging somethings.

This is one of the “somethings”. What an interesting and different…. flower? bud? seed pod? I will have to keep an eye on it and see what develops.

There are a lot of these trees with yellow/orange flowers right now.

I caught a few of the flowers hanging in the sunlight.

When you get close you can see the details of the flowers.

Most interesting of all were these pretty trees.

When you look closer, you can see bits of bright red-orange.

They aren’t flowers, but some sort of seed pods. Today I noticed black seeds coming out of the pods. I picked up a couple and they are very much like olives – black, smooth, and firm but slightly soft to the touch.

and a few other random photos –

I have planted a number of pineapple tops in my yard, and now one of them has a baby pineapple!

I passed this beautiful horse yesterday.

The lot next to my friend’s house has an interesting new lawn mower.

Surprisingly enough, while this post was in progress this evening we had a bit more rain! Can the dry season be coming to an end already? Maybe it’s making up for last year when the rains returned so late it was a problem for the country.