Record setting, late summer heat & unseen chewing insects almost immediately "had their way" in the destruction of this beauty. It was shocking. I'm not sure of what was going on with the deformity in the middle. As the day wore on, the flower became unrecognizable.

This is how the flower normally should look: https://pbase.com/image/172984926

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It was very difficult getting through today. I'm really, really suffering from the heat. With temperatures increasingly going up even more & more tomorrow and Tuesday, I can see the inside of our house hitting 90 degrees without A/C. Unfortunately, fans aren't helping much. But it's still cooler than outdoors...