Texas Wildflowers

Texas Bluebonnets - Photo by MWL

In Central Texas, we have many wildflowers. Each April, the star of the show is the Bluebonnet. They are so numerous, and so beautiful, that we made them The State Flower of Texas. My cousin Connie Barr and I are both fans of photography, and both big fans of Central Texas, so we organized a bit of a Photographic Expedition (a few hours in the car on Saturday) to see what we could see.

Unfortunately, we didn't have the sunniest of days. 

We started out at Connie's house before dawn,

and headed for the church in Dubina, Texas. 

Finally, the sun started to break through...

We decided not to mess around in this guy's pasture !!

The Sun breaking through the haze was pretty,

but it didn't make good light for shooting flowers.

Frequently, Bluebonnets by the millions spread out as far as you can see.

Churches and Cemeteries make good backdrops.

Perching high, singing loud and proud,

this little guy (a Mockingbird, The State Bird of Texas)

reminded all that this is his Cemetery.

Finally, we started to get some sun. 

Bluebonnets grow about 12" (300mm) high and eventually spread out across a pasture.

   

Not all pastures have Bluebonnets. 

These flowers are brilliant yellow.

No teeny-tiny little bugs were harmed while sitting for photographs.

These little guys are intensely red.  Hard to spot because they are not very tall, they are concealed by the taller plants around them.

These purple flowers are about an inch (25mm) across.  We call them Wine Cups,

Their sisters with pink petals and a soft yellow center are called Butter Cups.

So, come on down.

Take a drive through

Central Texas

in early April.

See what

you can see.

- Mark W. Laughlin