Saturday, April 25, 2009

loaded










Hummm.

Much to the delight of the local ruby-throated hummingbirds, the trumpet honeysuckle, a.k.a. coral honeysuckle, growing near the Visitor Center at Ijams is loaded with flowers this spring. Loaded. A dizzying number of portals for a busy hummer to pause and sip, pause and sip, pause and sip. All day long.

Although it looks tropical, this is a native vine. The tiny shimmering, emerald green hummingbirds (they only weigh the equivalent of two dimes) also have a torrid, exotic nature as witnessed by Henry David himself:

"There, along with me in the deep, wild swamp, above the andromeda, amid the spruce. Its hum was heard afar at first, like that of a large bee, bringing a larger summer. This sight and sound would make me think I was in the tropics." [I this case, Thoreau is referring to andromeda the plant, not the galaxy.]

- Henry David Thoreau, journal entry dated: 17 May 1856.


2 comments:

Abhishek said...

Wow, Nice Flower... very different and beautiful, haven't seen anything like that... Flowers in India are very different from the ones you post regularly.

Stephen Lyn Bales said...

Good morning Aby. Or rather for you, good afternoon.

Really? Do you have a camera? Is there a park in New Delhi? Could you take a couple of photos of some of your favorite Indian flowers and send to me?

Enjoy your day.