Queen Anne's Lace II Opening Bud

I thought yesterday's write-up describing the life cycle of the beautiful and fascinating Queen Anne's Lace was an interesting exercise in writing. So much for that. It may have been a good description, but I had it all backward!

Dana pointed out this morning that upon further study of her iPhone shots, the "basket phase" actually follows the full bloom phase, as the individual arms fold in to enclose the seeds within the basket. Clearly they are seeds and not little flowers.

The bloom begins with a small bud which opens out into the full lacy flower which I pictured yesterday. I offer the opening bud today, and am now committed to the entire life cycle of Queen Anne's Lace in pictures--which are worth 1,000 words!

In other news: Three guys have been working all day with a jackhammer, sledge hammers, shovels, buckets and a wheelbarrow to demolish the "foot pool"and cart it away. It is not going without a fight. The first few sledge hammer blows revealed rebar within the sides covered with solid cement and stucco. We had hoped it would be hollow concrete blocks covered with stucco.

Good thing we didn't try to do it ourselves….

And in the sports world.
Poor Brazil. What happened?
Poor Froome. Found himself on the floor today.
Tomorrow: Fear and Loathing on the cobbles of Stage 5.