Gratitude 11

Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.  

So in that fashion, I am thankful for flowers and bees.  I am sharing these photos to "show my appreciation."  

The yellow flowered goldenrod is such an interesting plant considering what most goldenrods look like.  Many have a very small flower amid a huge cluster.  It's a very pretty plant and has other attributes I appreciate, but the stiff leaved version has a special place in my heart.  The leaves are velvety soft and have rounded edges, unlike most other goldenrod genus.  And the flowers are huge.  Look at it compared to the bee.  The stamens are out so high it looks like little upside down fairy legs.  Words can't fully express the smile I get on my face when I find this plant.  

Stiff-leaved Goldenrod with bee

The pink turtlehead is another flower that I have enjoyed too much some might say.  The flowerheads are larger than a bee (unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the bees the day I took these photos as it was close to dusk and the bees tend to settle down somewhere warmer.  The turtlehead grow where the ground is damp and rather shaded.  The bees were up on higher ground settling in to sleep among the thistle flowers.)  During warm, sun infused visits to the turtlehead flowers I have witnessed the bees crawling into the flowers through the "lips" to get to the nectar.  When they go inside it's easy to hold the flower closed.  It usually takes the bees a moment to realized they can't get out and you can feel them buzzing.  The thrill of fear runs up your arm, you take a step back without releasing the flower and then let go.  The bee comes out quickly and flies to another flower.  The process starts all over again.  Now what really makes me giggle is while the bee is inside drinking nectar the flower "turtle head" appears to be eating the bee.  Silly, but the smile is genuine.  

Turtlehead