In the beginning of August, one stalk began growing buds rather than leaves. And it was at that point I realized that someone was looking forward to the flowers far more than I was.
 
 
Yes, that's Patience up above. Her waist is too slim to be a yellow jacket, and obviously, her colors are more so than a typical wasp. Whatever type of wasp she is (perhaps a "trumpet vine wasp"?), Patience is very patient. Day and night she hung around the buds as they grew and grew.

Eventually the green buds began to turn somewhat orange, and the bud profile resembled a flower more than a bud.

About a week after I took the above photo, half the buds opened into flowers, but Patience keeps exploring the unopened buds while going in and out of the opened flowers. The photo below, from last year, shows part of the display, with many more buds in the lower-right-hand corner.