A different kind of Thistle...

These are the frozen remnants of globe thistles. Don't they look adorable in their coat of snow white frosting?

Living Spikes...

You cannot imagine how full of life these plants were - it was just humming and buzzing - bees, bumblebees, wasps, bugs, flies - all of them in perfect harmony without molesting each other, simply feeding on the nectar...

"Echinops ritro" (Asteraceae)
globe thistle, Blaue Kugeldistel