“Flowers are those little colorful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark somber skies blanket our thoughts.” – Dodinsky
Travels With Maggie
Echinacea, or purple cone flowers. -- Photo by Pat Bean
Echinacea is more than a pretty flower. It’s also a popular herbal health supplements. My fictional friend, China Bayles, or her creator Susan Wittig Albert, could tell you a lot more about it. In fact they probably do in one of Albert’s cozy mysteries, which I’ve been reading the past year.
China gave up her depressing life as a former criminal defense lawyer to run a quaint herbal boutique in the fictional town of Pecan Springs. The rural city is located in the Edwards Plateau landscape not too far from Austin, where for one reason or another, China’s always getting involved with dead bodies.
I read Albert’s books because I’ve come to know and care about her characters, because I love her descriptions of the hill-country landscape, and because she’s more into the who-done-it genre of Agatha Christie than the detailed blood and gore of so many of today’s murder mysteries.
I want to be able to figure out who the murderer is in a mystery book before I’m told, and to do so without upchucking my lunch.
This bee was enjoying the echinacea as much as me. -- Photo by Pat Bean
I also read Albert’s books – the current one being No. 13, “Dead Man’s Bones” – because plants fascinate me, and I want to learn all about them and their names.
But this day, one in which I was working in the entrance kiosk at Lake Walcott State Park, where I’m a volunteer campground host, I was simply into the purple cone flower’s beauty.
Echinacea plants were blooming all around me. They were at their peak, deep pink in color with petals all still attached – and I wasn’t the only one attracted to them.
Bees were busy exploring their tastiness while I drank in their beauty. The bees were particularly interested in the flower’s large cone, so much so that they ignored my presence when I got close to them with my camera.
I think I got some pretty good shots? What do you think?
Pat Bean's blog 
I think you’re a fantastic photographer! Whether you’re snapping close-ups of lions or American bees, your shots are breathtaking. You bring the wonder of the world to life with your photos and your words.
Great shots, Pat. I’ve been trying to get some shots on bees on plants, but to no avail. However, I did get a great shot of the bees which had taken up residence in the walls of our house. Love bees, but not as squatters!!
You did get some great close-ups. I am still enjoying my Echinacea, though they are waning, but not as much as the goldfinch! Thanks for the tips on
Albert’s mysteries. My grandmother had a collection of Agatha Christie books and we read them all in high school.. I shall look into reading this author.
I hope you enjoy the Albert books. I do. When I came to the park in May, the goldfinch here were numerous, now there are just a few around. But yesterday morning while walking Maggie, a brilliantly yellow one sang to me from the top of a tree. Nature never stops amazing.
Pat, I think these are beautiful shots. They seem to be a big attraction to the bees and photographers alike.
I think you got some wonderful shots, Pat. 🙂
Thank you for the brief review of Albert’s books. I was recently looking for mysteries that didn’t involve a lot of gore.
Echinacea is a very pretty flower and since it blooms a little bit later in the summer, it does not have a whole lot of competition.
Echinacea is known as a medicinal plant that cures just about everything. I have picked and dried things like raspberry leaves for tea. Do you know which parts of the echinacea plants are used?
I don’t sorry. Thanks for commenting.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
Here’s a link to a post all about using echinacea for herbal remedies.
http://www.gardensablaze.com/HerbEchinaceaMed.htm
And always remember: just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s good for you any old way and in any old quantity. Death Angel mushrooms are natural, too. 😉