Bees and Vipers

Out in what we refer to as "The North Field" on our family property is where we have largest of the garden plots, but it's sort of in the middle of a big, grassy area dotted with wildflowers and occasional islands of trees that have been surrounded by wild raspberry canes (they grow up where my brother can't get the tractor for mowing).

 
While out tending the garden one day, I heard the humming of bees and walked over to investigate.

There was a lovely little patch of viper's bugloss blooming and the bumblebees were happily buzzing along from blossom to blossom.

I like viper's bugloss - it's a sweet and simple little flower that has lovely pink pistils that harmonize beautifully with the blues and purples of the petals. They're also pretty common, growing wild in fields and along roadsides, feeding bees and decorating the world.   

I did wonder about the unattractive sounding name, though, and in reading a little about this plant, I learned that it got its name from the spotted stems, which some folks apparently thought looked like snake markings. That wasn't my first thought or reaction, but everyone is different. The bugloss part of its name comes from the Greek word meaning "ox tongue" and refers to the tongue shaped leaves.  So, Shakespeare was onto something when he waxed eloquent about "What's in a name..." -- this is still a lovely little flower, in spite of its unfortunate moniker. :)