After the Bloom

A time to bloom a time to dry out.Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms drying out, 8-1-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
And then the blooms turned from yellow to burnt orange.

There is no place to go but down.
Agave Century plant in bloom, bloom litter on agave leaf, 8-1-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Gravity knows no conqueror. Blooms become litter caught by a drooping leaf.

A time to fall, a time to dry.
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms on ground, 8-3-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Two buds, two stages, one life, one cycle.
Now, sitting outside one listens to buds falling to the ground.

8-10-12, the bees are gone.
Agave Century plant in bloom, no more bees, 8-10-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
The constant buzz is no more. bees and birds no longer visit the agave.
The buds are drying out.

When is the moment that growth turns to decay?
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms drying out, 8-3-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Maybe there isn’t a moment in the circle of life’s process.

And then there were stubs again.
Agave Century plant in bloom, drying blooms , 8-10-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Change is happening high in the agave.

A fall from branches to leaves.
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms on ground, 8-10-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Drooping leaves fill with fallen blooms.

To catch a dropping bud.
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms on ground, 8-10-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Moisture is leaving these agave appendages.

Natural patterns on the concrete driveway.
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms on ground, 8-10-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
The way things fall and how they lay fascinates me.

8-14-12, falling, falling, falling little flowers.
Agave Century plant in bloom, blooms on ground, 8-14-12, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
There are no ants or flies attracted to these fallen flowers,
flowers that dry quickly under a hot sun.

8-19-12, transformation are underway from top to bottom.
8-19-12, blooming century plant leaves begin to go soft, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Subtle coloring and collection of debris are the current state of affairs.

Flower litter decorates leaves and cevices.
8-19-12, blooming century plant leaves begin to go soft, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Organic material turn to dust in hot humid summer air.

Close to the trunk new leaves will not grow out.
8-19-12, blooming century plant leaves begin to go soft, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
Colors change with the prevailing light’s nature.

9-4-12, the spear leaves have been drooping.
09-04-12 agave leaves are drooping after century plant blooms, San Diego, CA. Photos by Anders Tomlinson
Two tales of one trunk: strength is drying-fading out.

No longer are the driving forces upward.
09-04-12 agave leaves are drooping after century plant blooms, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson
The bottom leaves are close to touching the ground.

The Agave century plant is again a perch.
09-04-12, birds return to perching on Agave century plant, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
For nearly three weeks no birds were seen in the plant.

From here one can comfortably see all-around.
09-04-12, birds return to perching on Agave century plant, San Diego, CA. Photo by Anders Tomlinson.
A pair of birds have been here every morning when I go out to fetch
the morning newspaper. This is a nice way to start the day.

9-8-12, this epic saga turns the page into a new chapter.
09-06-12, agave century plant starts to dry up. san diego, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
Today I started to cut the wilting leaves-spears from the agave
trunk. The process of removal by man has begun.

Leaves and bloom litter begin to fill a refuse can.
09-06-12, agave century plant starts to dry up. san diego, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
Up into now when I cut into a leave it oozed a moist gel.
Each leaf-spear was surprisingly heavy, loaded with water.
Today when I cut dry sawdust is produced.

And there goes the agave bit by bit, cut by cut, sweep by sweep.
09-06-12, agave century plant starts to dry up. san diego, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
The carnival sprouted up, up up and blossomed into the biggest
show on the block. With a tinge of sadness I begin to dismantle
this magnificent agave century plant.

Now I can get closer to the main stalk.
09-06-12, agave century plant starts to dry up. san diego, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
Cutting the bottom row of spears allows me to the approach the spire.
What was once a blue moon sets at sunrise. Another day has begun.

Here today, gone today.
09-06-12, agave century plant starts to dry up. san diego, ca. photos by anders tomlinson.
In a week or two the mail carriers will agin be able to use
the shortcut path that recently has been blocked by the drooping spears.

Forward to A Time to Fall.
Back to A Time to Bloom.

©2012 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.