Spectacular openings

The Fox cooked yesterday, a beef in ale casserole. By the time it was almost complete it was still too early to eat but not enough time to do anything much. We decided to switch off the cooker & sit outside over an aperitif or two before dinner, watching the birds flitting to & fro from their feeders.

When we came in, the Fox got the casserole back on to warm it up & put some potatoes in the microwave for jackets. Suddenly I shrieked, "Look! Look!"

He turned round alarmed. He thought either I'd had an accident or he'd done something wrong. It was neither of these. Instead one of the tiger lily buds had started to open. The first petal was unfurling.

From then on we kept looking from time to time. By the time we'd eaten, it had opened up further. The stamens were protruding. These seemed 2-3 times as big as those on the already open flower.

By the time it was nearer 9pm, the Fox insisted I had to get up from the settee I was sat on in the lounge and see something amazing. Now both buds were open. The first one was wide open, even beginning to curl back in the characteristic way lilies, especially tiger lilies, do. The full glory of the orange-red tips & spotted orange-yellow centres was apparent.

So it was eagerly I got up this morning. Now both buds are fully opened & curled back. The stamens are still larger than the earlier flowers. They seem both fatter & longer. Is this just because no insect has yet visited collecting some of the pollen? I wonder. Whatever the cause they are magnificent.