JAN 9, 21 .. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE .. BOTANIC GARDEN

While we were visiting and living in Irkutsk, Russian Siberia, a very good / best of friends took us several times to visit the Irkutsk Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk State University. 

Just in case you would like to re-visit two of the Posts showing the Botanic Garden, below are links back to them.

http://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2019/03/mar-5-19-part-1-of-2-botanic-garden-of.html

http://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2019/03/mar-5-19-part-2-of-2-botanic-garden-of.html

Several days ago, this friend sent us several recent photos he snapped there this month of January 2021. It is amazing that, in the heart of the Russian Siberian Winter, the Botanic Garden is still functioning.

We hope you enjoy the below photos. We certainly enjoyed them.

Thanks so very VERY much for your photos Sergey.

Cap and Patti

SEP 4, 19 .. IRKUTSK .. FLOWERS FOR PATTI

Last July I published a Post showing an amazing display of hollyhocks along the side of the road in front of our apartment building here in Irkutsk.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2019/07/jul-25-19-some-irkutsk-flowers-for-patti.html

Now September has arrived and I wanted to show some more photos of the same area six weeks later. When I left to go to Vladivostok on August the 20th, I myself was curious as to what the hollyhocks would look like when I returned.

Below are a few photos to refresh your memory of what it looked like when I left August 20th.

Ah yes! Out I stepped this morning and looked up the street.

"Did I just hear a squeal from Patti?"

What on this good earth has taken place this past two weeks?

Whoa! Who are you 'yellow flowers'?

Have we suddenly returned to Spring here in Russian Siberia?

Study the left side of the above July 25th photo and then the left side of the below September 4th photo.

Who exactly are you 'yellow flowers'? Where have you come from? Showing up here like gangbusters in September?

Calling Gullible : What are they and why are they coming out in September?

Do all of you see the Bee (above and below) doing what Bees do?

Both of us are already missing all of these joys and surprises that we are finding in Russian Siberia!

Cap and Patti

The Jury Is Back With A Verdict :

Patti (the Jury Foreman) thinks the 'yellow flowers' are 'yellow asters'.

https://www.google.com/search?q=yellow+asters+flowers&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS816US816&oq=yellow+asters&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.9532j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

JUL 25, 19 .. IRKUTSK .. FLOWERS FOR PATTI ..

Back last May, Patti said to me that she would like to return to Alaska in early June. Then she changed her mind saying that if we were to do that, since she wanted to see Hong Kong and maybe Mongolia, we would have to leave Irkutsk soon and that she would miss seeing the trees green out here in Irkutsk.

Long story short, we stayed in Irkutsk until July the 5th when we flew to Hong Kong, missing a visit by Patti to Mongolia, but here in Irkutsk, Patti saw Spring and the green arrive to her wonderment.

However she missed seeing one particular group of plants green out and bloom. When we left July the 5th she sort of 'sighed' saying that she would miss seeing them bloom.

Truer words were never spoken. She did indeed miss them blooming because they are now (would you call them late bloomers?) in late July in the process of exploding in color.

Patti did not seem to recognize them. I said that I thought that they were Hollyhocks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcea

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS816US816&q=hollyhocks+images&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlr42l1M_jAhVpwsQBHSvsBDwQ7Al6BAgHECE&biw=1366&bih=625

My Dear One, I could not believe my eyes when I saw them this afternoon as I walked past them on my way to the store to get some groceries.

Are you ready?

As you will surely notice as you look at the close-up photos, they are NOT done flowering out. There are numerous buds waiting to explode in color.

Just look at all of the the buds still waiting to bloom!

The above links indicate that Hollyhocks can grow to 5 feet in height. Let me tell you, some of these are well over 7 feet in height!

Well Hello Mister Bee!

A Bee doing what Bees do.

Just a little gift-of-love for you My Dear One.

Cap