Snapdragons in the Sky

It was a windy, blustery day in late May when a shot of bright purple color, high in the trees, caught my eye.  I was working with my head down and my collar up, and only seeing what was right in front of me.  I was lost in my thoughts, frustrated with the weather and barely seeing the patch of garden I was weeding.

But somehow, my brain registered the color purple, high in the treetops. I looked up to see the Empress tree in full bloom.  The glorious, short-lived snapdragon type flowers of the Empress tree give us the illusion of a tropical forest for the short time they bloom.  I love them.  And I almost missed them this year.

They blooms are already fading but I captured a few with a telephoto lens...

Bees flying high to reach the Empress blossoms

An unexpected color in the tree canopy!