August 17, 2018

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Coleus flowers outside the hotel.

On our way home.  Google took us down a country road rather than back through Petoskey.  I'd rather see fields than strip malls..........

I don't think I've mentioned how dry it was in Petoskey.  We had a very dry July in Ann Arbor, but have had measurable rain several times in August.  I don't think Petoskey had had any measurable rain within several weeks of when we were there.  The ground was dusty..............

We've turned east toward the big road.  There are blurry trees everywhere..........

When we were a couple of hours south of Petoskey we stopped at a rest area.

Maple.

There were lots of bees in this bright yellow stuff.  (Maybe this is heliopsis?)

See one?  (Same pic as above, with circled bee.)

I'm still surprised -- and pleased -- when the phone camera (with its teensy lens) manages to get this much detail from as far away as I was when I took the pic above.  This is a closer crop of the image above, not a different image taken closer to the bee........

I don't remember ever seeing this before.  I wonder what it is..........

Update -- one of my Instagram buddies identified this as  Monarda punctata.

Looking straight down at the same plant as above.

Closer crop of the image just above this one.  All those "hairs"..........

I don't know what this is.  The flowers look thistle-y but the plant doesn't.

Here's a look at the plant.  That sort of dusty green stuff with the small leaves.  No spikes on this.....

One last plant before we head back to A2.  I don't know what this one is, either.

Closer crop.

An even closer crop.  Love my "slow magnifying glass"............

We had an uneventful if damp trip home.  We came through quite heavy rain a couple of times.

All was well at home.  It's good to go places and do things....................


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