The photos of flowers and butterflies this week are all from April, 2012, Austin, Texas, 78757. I moved on February 1 to a different area in the same part of town. I've been fascinated by the flowers and phenomena in my new backyard. These flowers, and the funny deep blue flowers I posted earlier this month, are new to me. I haven't watered them but once back in February. We've had very little rain, yet they thrive in the dry earth. The blue ones, for such tall plants, have very short roots.

I don't see pistils or stamen in these orange ones - they may be hidden deep in the blooms I suppose. I'm hesitant to dissect a bloom and find out. There are similar plants in the neighborhood with bright yellow blooms. (I'm so very grateful to see flowers this year. There were almost none in the heat of spring 2011.)

The former residents left a couple of small gardens in the backyard. Some kale they planted lasted without much growth or deterioration from early February to mid-April, the same plant, fresh and green. Finally, in the last couple of days, I think the snails have got to them, the leaves turning to lace. I hope to get good photos of these colorful snails with shells a full inch in diameter. The snails when I lived in central Texas in the past were tiny and white. These are more impressive, and if they're what's doing the eating, they have appetites.