In bloom this week

                                                                                                                



                                                                                                                                                   

Hog plum (Prunus umbellata) in full bloom, decorated with a yellow skipper sulfur (thanks for the correction, Maureen!), slurping up nectar. Update: Troy, on the other hand, thinks it's this: "Southern Dogface or Dog's head butterfly Colias (Zerene) cesonia." No lepidopterist I, I welcome all identifications.

This pretty plum tree grows at the edge of our woodlot and always puts on a show at this time of year. On Sunday, Dolly, a rancher friend, brought me a jar of hog plum jelly and another of prickly pear and apple--and two Caribbean habanero pepper plants for Bill. He and Dolly are both chileheads. Me, I'll stick to hog plum.

Today, I'm guest-blogging over at Cold Climate Gardening, another gorgeous garden blog. (You're getting a tour of the best garden blogs in the country. You know that, don't you?) My topic: the first in a series of five posts on the herbs in the books. I hope you'll keep coming back until you've read them all! You'll find the Cold Climate link here, with the links to Monday's and Tuesday's posts.

Meanwhile, I'm driving to Pearland (south of Houston) later today. Tomorrow, I'm speaking at the annual Red Hat Literacy Luncheon, then driving back tomorrow evening. Please post your questions and comments on Cold Climate, and I'll check them out when I get back.

Oh, and a bit of good news. Nightshade was chosen by Mystery Guild as its alternate monthly pick! Look for it, all you Mystery Guilders.

Reading note. I never ask about sales. It’s better not to know. I feel like I write a book, I give it to my editor, then I go back and write another one. That’s what I do.—Alice Hoffman [Not exactly true for me. I like to know about sales. It's good to face the facts, whatever they are.]

Comments

[Dawn]

Sweet sulphur. I had not heard of 'hog plum' before. The flowers are lovely.

[Troy Mullens]

Great shot. To be specific the butterfly is a Southern Dogface or Dog's head butterfly Colias (Zerene) cesonia). The dog's head or face is on the upper side of the wind but shows through with back-lighting. Again, that's a fine shot. Nice plum tree too.Troy

[Maureen Akey]

The butterfly is a yellow sulfur.

[Nancy Bond]

That tree is plum gorgeous!