Not coincidentally, since we have butterflies on the mind, Lanny choose the Butterfly Park adjacent to Bentsen State Park in Mission, as our destination this week.
Perfect weather.
Warm, not hot.
Light breezes.
A short ride to work up an appetite for lunch at Jason's Deli
(which Jim & I had to miss to do some serious volleyball net shopping).
There was a very nice turnout of participants.
There was a very nice turnout of participants. The ride was mostly on a paved, level road
with only the last quarter mile over gravel/dirt.
Some take their bike attire more seriously than others.
Nice shorts.
The Butterfly park itself is a mixture of landscapes, some groomed, most very natural.
Nice shorts.The Butterfly park itself is a mixture of landscapes, some groomed, most very natural. We were taking note to try to duplicate the look here at Sandpiper's.
Lots of flowering ground cover...a weed is just a flower nobody loves.
Lots of flowering ground cover...a weed is just a flower nobody loves.
In the United States, Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri) occurs in the wild in very few locations. Historically, this Texas beauty grew no further north than certain lower Rio Grande Valley counties, including Hidalgo, Jim Hogg and Willacy. It is native to no other state in the United States. Trees may live well over 100 years.
Kathy, Roy and Annie were really studying the Texas Olive. This is a great hummingbird plant. The yellow-throated, tubular/funnel-like white flowers attract hummingbirds, who ardently claim an individual tree as their own.
Who said those little fellows are only attracted to red-colored flowers?
Butterflies, also, are very fond of the nectar from the Texas Olive blossom clusters.
This beauty caught my eye.
Had to look closer...
Something Senecio...I really should take notes.
**
The birds were scared off when we approached.
We could call this a Texas Grapefruit Tree.
Sherry was patiently awaiting the grand unfurling of the wings on a pair of butterflies.
They never did cooperate!
Everywhere we turned we saw flowers....
And bugs....the mosquitoes did not pose for pictures, but these guys did.
I think we need one of these trees here at Sandpipers....maybe more than one.
They never did cooperate!Everywhere we turned we saw flowers....And bugs....the mosquitoes did not pose for pictures, but these guys did.I think we need one of these trees here at Sandpipers....maybe more than one.I believe it is the Lime Prickly Ash, if I remember right from the plant sign over at Bentsen S.P.
Sure is pretty against the blue sky.
We sure had a great time!
We sure had a great time!
2 comments:
That "lime prickly ash" tree is what is called "Retama". It's green bark holds a lot of chlorophyll to help make food for the tree.
Very prickly.
Prickly, huh? I suppose I should have known from the name. Guess Jay would absolutely hate it, being antagonistic towards painful plants. As if we would pet it!
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