April and it’s all change. On Saturday I was whinging about the snow that had invaded our early morning landscape. By Sunday we were sitting coatless on Benthall Hall’s tea room terrace, and consuming carrot cake and hot chocolate with the sun on our faces. It was February when were last there, and grey and stormy, with no possibility of sitting outside. Now we were in danger of overheating with a nice grey hen pootling around our feet, and the air filled with bee-hum. Later, when we ambled around the gardens, we came upon these newly opened rhododendron flowers and a very happy bumble bee. To say it was gorging itself is an understatement. Up to its armpits in pollen it was. Food at last. Bzzzzzzz.
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Check in at Cee’s Flower of the Day for more floral displays.
Tish Farrell 
What lovely crunkles you’ve captured in the flower, and fantastic detail in Mr Uptohisarmpits. This changeable weather is hard to get used to: us too. Back in my coat and thermals today after a T-shirt Sunday. I’d forgotten about rhododendrons. That’s a treat in store.
Yes, any time now for the rhododendrons. Azaleas maybe first though.
Gorgeous macro. A happy bee indeed!
Have to agree, Tish, that you caught wonderful detail on both flower and bee. I’m so glad to hear you were able to enjoy some marvelous spring weather along with some tasty morsels.
janet
Nice! I love the veined pattern on the wings of bees. Sometimes it reflects blue on a species of carpenter bee over here.
Here’s to Spring in England. Something to smile about. 🙂
🙂
Absolutely beautiful rhodie. 😀 😀
Cee, Tish used to live on Kenya, so she can’t be a Rhodie. ( person from Rhodesia).
😉
Thank you, Cee.
Hahaha Your gluttonous bee made me laugh. 🙂
I’m now stuck with the image of a bumble bees armpits, thanks Tish 🙂
Tried to capture some rhodos today (and big fat bees) but I wasn’t having a good photo day. Love this one!
That particular bee was so busy guzzling, it stayed for ages which, as you know, they don’t usually do. Must have been a very delicious flower, or a very greedy bee.
What beautiful patterns on the wings
What a marvellous capture 😀
Oh happy bee up to it’s wings in pollen.