3 2009-07-22T00:18:14-07:00 false Among the many things that have been happening these past few weeks is the blooming of the amazing purple salvia (I think it's a salvia) that I bought from Orchard a few months ago but apparently never entered into my database. I think I have the plant tag somewhere still (I hope so). Nevertheless, the blooms are brilliant, and there is a _huge_ black bee that comes around and lands on the flowers close to the base. I presume he is chomping a hole in the tube to get at the nectar, as the flower is much too small for him to take the conventional route. I am amazed that such a colored flower wo uld attract a bee so. He doesn't seem to pay any mind to the somewhat lighter blue lobelia I bought (and also didn't enter) for the window boxes, though other, smaller bees frequent them, or indeed, any of the other flowers on the balcony, only the blue salvia. Both shots of the salvia flowers include the bee, though it is hard to see. These were the best shots I could get too - I couldn't get too close or he flew off, and he didn't ever sit still, even when on the flower. My blueberry crop has come and gone. It wasn't much of a crop, maybe a cup total berries, but I am so pleased to have grown my very own! This bush is only 3 years old, and was in its first year producing. This was compounded with a fair amount of neglect last year, so the bush itself had looked quite sad until I embarked on my new fertilization regime (it's doing much better now). I had planned to get a second bush this year but never got around to it. Maybe next year. The first photo is on the buch from July 5, and the second is in the bowl on July 13. Finally, look who started flowering when I wasn't looking! (Hint: they are growing within the tomato cages, but aren't tomatoes.) :) 3 false 4 65289 false false false Entry 2009-07-20T17:00:00-07:00 DMY 75691 Public 2009-07-22T00:20:48-07:00 1342 57 F