Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Visiting the Bluebonnets - Better Late than Never


We usually visit Texas in the winter for the holidays, but having missed the spring wildflower show for the past 18 years, I thought it was time to see it again. Luckily Parker's spring break in California timed well with the flowers this year. 

I'd been feeling like a poor excuse for a Texan mom because I had never gotten a photo of my child sitting in the bluebonnets. So now was our chance.

As soon as we left the airport, the roadsides were full of bloom. I immediately made Jay pull over so we could explore.

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We saw Coreopsis, Indian Paintbrush, some kind of cool thistle thing, and Verbenas. I'm afraid I didn't learn my botanical latin until moving to California so you'll have to put up with common names on these Texas wildflowers. 

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The pink buttercups were lovely - Oenothera speciosa, I think. And every now and then we would find a very light blue or white bluebonnet. (Lupinus texensis - I do at least know that latin name.)

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As a youngster I had never noticed the amazing smell of walking through a field of bluebonnets. It's quite delicious.

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Mission accomplished. I've now fulfilled my duty as a Texan mom.
We tried to get Parker to do the Longhorn symbol with his hand but it ended up being the "hang loose" symbol — California boy through and through.

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Hopefully we'll visit Texas again during the bluebonnet bloom. Maybe someday for a photo of the grandkids? Or maybe just to walk through that delicious scent again.

5 comments:

  1. Wow, you certainly hit it at peak bloom! Where did you go for all these great photos, Kelly?

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    1. Pam, some were taken between Austin and Houston on 71. Although, I think a couple of the wildflower closeups were taken on the NASA grounds in Houston. The best field with the solid bluebonnets was just outside Austin on 290. (And just FYI these photos were from 2014 - like I said, better late than never.)

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  2. Oh, I missed that they are from 2014. That makes more sense. The wildflowers were good this year, but these are spectacular. :)

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  3. Ditto to what Pam said, Kelly. Those are great shots - so glad you got to check the kid in the bluebonnets picture off of your list!

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