The blue spiky flower the bees like could be a bachelor button flower. A nice job on the photo's. Bees are not easy things to get shots of and you got some real nice ones. I kind of like the fly shot also. I don't think I have many good shots of flies. Dandelion's I don't know why so many people see them as a weed, they are pretty much one of the most useful plants out there. The leaves for salads, the yellow flower heads for wine, the roots for eating, and then the fluffy stage for childhood memory making of blowing them apart and chasing the chutes.
Yep, I think you are right, it is a "purple mountain cornflower" but goes by many names.
Really? Never heard of that.
Flies are the poor man's bee. :D I have some okay shots of them over the years and they are kind of cool, as they look like something Giger would have created.
Dandelion wine is supposed to actually be good for you;
Just three from a 'dandelion wine health benefits' search. An alcohol that might, just might actually help the liver.
"I drink for health reasons" :)