These trees line the avenue where I live. Just about every yard has one. They're beautiful and very fragrant almost a sweet perfume aroma. My neighbor said she thought it was a wisteria but I've seen and smelled a wisteria it was more willowy and it's fragrance was different than this. My guess is it's a lilac of some sort but then again everythings a lilac to me as I'm just guessing. I can tell you this, the bloom only lasts a couple of weeks or so and then the rest of the spring and summer it devotes to proliferant large seed pod production . Can you tell what it is? Thanks; you wonderful botanist.
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Here's one I'm familiar with it's called Nopal Cactus. Down here in San Antonio just about any taco joint worth its salt has tacos of huevos con nopalitos or scrambled eggs and these cactus paddles. They're a chore to clean and prep. I'm not too awful fond of them myself just like I'm not a fan of Cilantro. Some folks use it liberally when they make salsa verde a green chili sauce but I prefer if they left it out. Don't get me wrong, if I had to eat 'em both, I'd eat 'em. These cactus are said to be packed with antioxidants and vitamins so I guess you could say they're a health food.
You guys eat cactus? What the heck!? Not even Desperate Dan could eat cactus, but he did once get the upper hand in an encounter with one — but hey, he was Desperate Dan, so no contest.
Hey Trevor, cactus man looks more like this one of which again; I haven't the slightest clue what it's name is? I guess I'll just call it "Cactus Man" from now on. Thanks
What this one called. This is the last cactus that's planted in the yard.
So where do you all live that you have cacti growing in your yard/gardens? I once drove from San Diego to Phoenix, and was astonished with the variety of landscape, but the classic cowboy cacti are what stood out, as I'd never seen anything like it before. That whole trip was a total culture shock. Driving through the mountains on a highway where the west bound lane, was half a mile north of the east bound lane. Mountains made from gigantic boulders piled up by giants. A memory that stands out was leaving San Diego's coastal climate, and not getting out of the air conditioned car till we needed gas (see? I can speak American 
) and being hit in the face by a solid wall of heat.
Heading North out of Phoenix a couple of days later was also outstanding. Dead straight roads where you had to watch out for the bear-in-the-air who would catch you speeding. Driving over a rise and being confronted with the painted desert — it felt like you could blink, and see a line of wagons heading west to the promised land. BTW How did the wagon trains get over the Rockies? I'm going to have to go Google that now.
We have a nice climate here, but nothing like the US southern States. We do have a wee anomaly by way of a Bird of Paradise (Paradisaeidae) that the locals say shouldn't grow this far south. It's right under the eaves and just sheltered enough to escape the occasional light frost we get here.
In case anyone is interested, I have a secret weapon for photographing flowers. The Lumiquest III mini softbox that I first found out about on David Hobby's Strobist site. I use it with a 580EX in ETTL mode via one of those coiled hot shoe extension cables. You have to hold the camera with one hand, and the flash with mini softbox in the other, and because you can position the softbox so close to the subject, you easily shoot at F22 with low ISO. Being in eTTL it's all fully automatic, and to keep that true of the ambient light, I have the camera set to Av as usual, and set about -3 stops of Exposure Compensation, but you can decide how much ambient to allow.
The other side of getting the light so close is that it represents a large light source with small subjects, so no nasty flash artefacts. This giant weta was shot the same way, but there was no false background with this picture, so I had to shoot manual (which I hate because it is what photographer snobs, who don't understand how to light, swear by). Moments after this was taken, the weta had eaten that entire hand and was nibbling half way up the arm it was attached to.
Right. How did the wagon trains cross the Rockies?
Here's a picture of our Orchids that are in bloom. Took this shot with my new Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 lens that just arrived via FedEx all the way from Ontario Canada. Only took 4 days from last thur to mon. I love the bokeh this shot is set at f/2.8, 1/125 ISO 400.
Haven't tried cactus, but I've wondered what it tasted like. Got one like your first post in a pot by my front door.
Cool shots, Trevor. Never cared much for insects, and that one I'm sure I wouldn't like.
I can't help it, and I'm not apologizing either I love flowers and plants of all kind and now that I'm armed with a wonderful camera and the flowers around here are blooming I'm not letting this opportunity to share with you their beauty in two roses I call the "Yellow Rose Of Texas" and "The Pink Rose of Texas" I wish you could smell their wonderous fragrant aroma it would linger in your mind the day long.
I planted this miniature rose bush 4 yrs ago and this is the first year it's had blooms. This one is the first of the season and I am beside myself happy.
Wisteria has a different leaf shape and color.
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