CALIFORNIA LUPINES ARE BLOOMING!

I took this photo yesterday, while walking Angus, in a nearby neighborhood.  Coincidentally,  I saw them blooming, earlier,  on a hillside, at the opposite side of town.  I thought it must be very early, but we had all that rain recently, which encouraged them to bloom. Also, I read they can bloom anytime between February & July.

Amazingly, there are 82 different species of native LUPINES in California,
with white, various shades of blue, or reddish-purple flowers.  It seems 
the flower begin white & then change to the other colors.  I can see it in the flowers of my Blip.

The name "LUPINE" means "wolf" because this plant had a reputation for stealing nutrients from the soil;  however that is not correct.  They actually add nitrogen back into the soil..  They are in the Legume family, so I will see seed pods later in the year.

I've tried to grow them without much success.  Last year I planted
 the SILVER BUSH LUPINE in my new front yard garden; but it 
failed to thrive, even though I doted on it.  So now,  I just enjoy them
in the wild.  With all our recent rain, they will be plentiful, on the hills & mountainsides. I made a date with a neighbor to hike in the hills next week.
I hope to see them.

These flowers make my heart sing!