Anyone who reads this blog knows how much my husband and I love Arabia Mountain. We just went back this week and hoped we would still see something blooming, something that would surprise us with its beauty. We were not disappointed.
There were very large bushes at the base of the mountain that were blooming with tiny white bell-shaped flowers, and we saw them all along the mountain and even at the very top. They have the most wonderful name, it is a Sparkleberry. (Vaccinium Arboreum). They are in the blueberry family and will actually have fruits this summer but apparently, they are not very tasty to humans but the birds like them very much indeed!
The other flowering plant that we saw was the Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Humiflora) and they had the most beautiful yellow flowers. Since I remember every spot that I saw the cactus, it was easy to go to those places on the mountain and admire yet another yellow flower! (The yellow daisies in the autumn, the yellow jasmine in the early spring and now the yellow cactus flowers !)
Just as the sun was going down and we were walking back down the mountain, a mockingbird landed on this dead tree and began to sing its heart out. In the distance, I could hear a bird, an Eastern towhee and it was saying "Rich-ard, rich-ard"... that is what it sounds like to me anyway.
Beautiful, Kay!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Jenny, that was my quickest comment ever!
DeleteThank you! And did you notice my new header photo, taken in England, in 2010 on that wonderful bluebell walk that I loved!
Prickly Pear Cactus always makes such beautiful flowers and there are so many colors of them.
ReplyDeleteDear Kay,
DeleteMany colors of them? I have only seen yellow, perhaps yellow is the only one that Georgia has, I don't know.
Amazing that such pretty flowers come from a cactus.
We have a night blooming cereus cactus that we have had for about 18 years now, that bloom is spectacular!
Lovely header picture but I do miss your Stone Mountain. I can see bluebells and primroses in our woods all the time - they are very beautiful but Stone Mountain - now that really is special! Glorious day here. Blue skies, no wind and very mild. Here on the Isle of Lewis we are having the best weather in the whole of the UK at the moment. Just off to walk Briagha along the beach.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day. Pat
Dear Pat,
DeleteHA! Isn't it funny, people here probably wonder why I put such a common sight as Stone Mountain on here! My inlaws said I should have a photo of myself on here, so there I am surrounded by bluebells. (I have made myself two years younger here, ha ha!)
I understand this has been the wettest April on record for the U.K., so you are lucky if you are having blue skies!
Take care!
Kay
I saw red flowers on the prickly pears in Sicily last year. Are those on Arabia Mountain edible? I love the sparkleberry; pretty name and pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteHey Tracey!
DeleteIsn't sparkleberry such a wonderful name? I think they are also known as farkleberry, guess which one I prefer?
The leaves of the cactus might be edible, I have heard that people eat them but of course, they are protected on Arabia and all should be left as it grows.
Oh my, I am madly in LOVE with the Sparkleberry plant. In love. Will need to visit Arabia when it's in bloom, for sure. Those yellow flowers are really gorgeous too. I love your new title photo ~ so nice to see your face!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Audrey!
DeleteYour reply is somewhere down below, don't ask me how I do these things!
Oh Kay, these are such pretty images! Every time you share them, I feel like I'm taking a stroll with you. Ah, Nature, how I love her so :) I LOVE your new header? Is that you? You are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteDear Martha,
DeleteGlad you like our trips to Arabia! Yes, that is me being very happy in all those English bluebells. Beautiful? Wow, thanks!
And what do you think, about the chickadee? Don't you know the sound that sounds like..RICH-ard, RICH-ard..one high note and then a lower note. Have you heard it?
Yes! I love chickadees :) They visit my bird feeders, but they hop around so much that it's too hard to photograph them. I hope by summer's end I'll have a few nice shots.
DeleteSuch beautiful flowers, I didn't even know the Prickly Pear bloomed! Gorgeous! I like your new header, also.
ReplyDeleteDorothy :D
Dear Dorothy,
DeleteThank you! The prickly pear flowers were really pretty against the grey stone of the mountain.
And I am glad you like my photo of a nut amongst the bluebells!
If i lived close enough to such beauty, i might be tempted to never leave.
ReplyDeleteDear Mimi,
DeleteI have said this to Richard so often, I would live on that mountain if they would only let me.
The Sparkleberry is gorgeous, like little bells! Prickly Pear Cactus grew on our farm in the Midwest, they had yellow blooms! You look so happy in those bluebells, what a delight!
ReplyDeleteHey!
DeleteYes, just like little white bells, so delighted to see them, and there were masses of them!
And yes, I am not a good actress, you can tell I am really happy to be in those flowers!
Dear Audrey,
ReplyDeleteI just KNEW you would love the Sparkleberry. When one of your girls is looking especially cute, you could call them a real sparkleberry!
HA HA, that photo instantly makes me two years younger, since it was taken in England in 2010. That's still my face though, I can't deny it.