head down in the golden

head down in the golden

anthers a honey bee collects

nectar and pollen

Mid-April and we've had frost the last few days. I left the fruit trees to their fate but did cover my potted house plants put out during the hot spell in March. The tree peonies are already in full bloom. In just two weeks they emerged from tiny, tight, purple-green buds into huge, flounced blossoms enclosing a golden tassel. This morning the fuchsia blossoms and the serrated green leaves hung limp, but by midday the flowers have lifted their faces to the sun. 
          Honey bees, attracted by the bright pink petals, are diving headlong through the fringe of golden anthers at the center of each flower to reach the nectary with its sugary solution. In the process, the pollen gets stuck to the bee's hind legs. As the bee crawls around it deposits pollen grains on the sticky pink stigmas, either on this blossom or another one, thus fertilizing the ovules at the base of the the stigma. 
          One bee keeps diving into the folds of the petals, fruitlessly seeking the path to the source of sustenance. She finally finds her way to the mother lode, already being mined by a fellow forager. 
          By late afternoon the magenta petals have closed over the golden heart of each blossom. One lone bee keeps searching for entrance, but the flower seems to be saying, "Closed for the day, come back tomorrow when the sun is overhead."