[Adan]  It's times like these that I am grateful for the Toylog's extremely broad scope.  Sure, pictures of a lotus may not fall squarely in the middle of typical topic ranges, but they're enriching nonetheless.
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There it is, in situ.  That's the cascade in Jennifer's grandmother Fran's back yard.  You would not BELIEVE the garden of which this is a part.  It's the most glorious accomplishment, really outstanding.  It's not just a garden, it's the whole yard.  It's not just a yard, it's a gorgeously designed experience, and an ark containing representatives of a freakishly huge percentage of the world's plantlife.  But we're talking today about just a single plant amidst the thousands.
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Fran called me this morning, and I just happened to be finishing some errands that had taken me near her place.  The light was perfect, and I went by to help her document this marvel.  My little Nikon is hardly an adequate tool for this task, but I did what I could.  She had her Canon on hand, so fear not: there are better pictures than these available.
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Apparently it's been like this for several days, and another bloom already came and went before this one.  The seedpod on a lower stalk (visible in the first two images) is all that remains.
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That cone in the middle of this blossom will morph into a similar object all too soon, I'm told.  Note also the little antennaed black spot amidst the pollen.  That's a tiny bee, the kind I've always called a "sweat bee" though surely there's a better name.  This flower was very popular with those of his ilk.

Well.  It was really something.  I was enthralled by the sight, and I hope some of the excitement is internets-communicable.