My Gift from the Islands

I love tropical flowers and plants, and being in Hawaii is like heaven on earth when it comes to beautiful plants. Wild orchids grow along the sides of roads, and the high-end / high-dollar plants you might be lucky enough to find in some nurseries and florists are yours for the picking there.

I can't resist stocking up on the (legally) exportable cuttings you can bring home, and have done so on every trip. I'm also lucky enough that my friends and family who travel to Hawaii usually bring a little something home for me.

My Hawaiian White Ginger plant, which was a small cutting when I received it as a gift from Hawaii, is blooming like crazy. (Yay!) Not only are the flowers delicately beautiful, but they are so highly fragranced that one small flower can perfume a small backyard.

This morning I couldn't resist picking a couple to bring inside. I don't know how these blossoms will do once picked, but I will within the next day or so.

Here is a photograph of my morning bounty of Hawaiian White Ginger...

Aloha...

Back to School

Yep, it's that time of year again, folks. Everyone back to school.

Hub is on the last leg of his Master's - which is finishing up his thesis. The soccer moms are not quite ready to rock the roads, but we're waiting for the local elementary school grand prix to begin any day now. (Is that the sound of SUV engines revving in the distance??) And I have managed to commit the negative time I have into a little more negative time by signing up for a portrait class.

I haven't taken classes for awhile now, and I really kind of miss it. I also miss having access to the darkroom, so that was a big plus in my decision to go back to school.

Why a portrait class?

I want to learn some new lighting techniques, and I love having assignments that force me out of my comfort zone.

Off I go...

The Student

New Picture - "The Secret Door"

While walking to the beach I stumbled upon this secret door, almost totally hidden from view by foliage.

Seal Beach Boogie!

Took a little mini-adventure up to Seal Beach yesterday - mostly, because I realized a few weeks ago that I did not have any pictures of the Seal Beach Pier.

Problem solved.

I'll be adding these pictures to my website shortly, but I wanted to share them on my blog first.

Australia - Yeah, baby!

Finally...a vacation! I'm so looking forward to seeing this awesome place. I've been scouring the Internet to make sure I get pictures of as many places as I can.

Wait, is it still a vacation when I plan on taking a gabillion pictures?

Hmm...

G'day!

B

New Picture - "Star & Moon"