I believe this was taken at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, which is maintained by the Allerton Trust. See this link for more information.
I love flowers.
In fact, I love them so much, I used to eat them as a wee lad. Not so much anymore. 
On this Easter Sunday, when it’s a bit colder than I like, I found this flower to warm up and remind me of the new life blooming in Spring.
We had a very nice service this morning, where Karen and I sang, and my sister Trish sang and played the bells. I muddled along on guitar, making up with enthusiasm what I lack in technique.
This afternoon, we shared a meal with Karen’s brother Tom, and his boys. Uncle Don came over earlier to share some wine and discussion prior to his going on to his main meal at his brother’s house.
Family is important, and family time is vital to keep that sense of family strong.
Jennie and Chris came over to share our meal after their earlier time with her folks.
It was a full house with good conversation, punctuated by watching bits and pieces of the Masters golf - Tom and crew are very much into golf. Chris got the bug from them. Not me!
Enjoy the beauty of nature wherever you are, and create the beauty of family, with those around you.
Flowers For My Karen On Her Birthday
Today is the birthday of my bride, my Karen Sue.
We are celebrating apart from each other.
Karen’s in Chicago, putting in some long days in her role as buyer for the hospital gift shops. That role is just one of many she takes on as Director of Samaritans for St. John’s Hospital. They are darn lucky to have her. So am I.
My Karen is my partner, my helper, my love. I’m filled with gratitude that we found each other and held on.
Karen’s grandfather worked with my grandfather in a local heavy equipment factory. Her grandfather was a foreman, mine a factory efficiency expert. After we had been married, and we both found out of this connection, he declared: “If I’d a known that Larry Hartley was your grandfather, I’d a thrown you out!” He said with a twinkle in his eye.
I am hopeful that Karen won’t throw me out, now that I’ve put this out to the world.
Happy Birthday, Karen Sue. I love you, now and forever. Hugs and Kisses too.
-Your Matt
Orchids
One from 2002. From my dearly departed Olympus UZ2100C which was forever wrenched from my grasp by some thief in an airport luggage handling incident (can you feel my angst?).
My mother’s favorite color was lavender or purple. I like it also if for no other reason than it was her preference.
This shimmers with life to me. What about your view?
I’m always thrilled and amazed at the orchids on display at the Washington Park Botanical Garden. It’s coming up on February 12-13. See this link for details.
Enclosed With Ice
This morning, I thought I would not be able to get out and about, because of an all night ice storm. It turned out that the temperature was not as cold as it could have been. The ice on my car came off easily and I was able to motor in my car just fine.
This is the second ice storm of this Winter season. Very Unusual.
I stopped by a bank to deposit some funds, and while exiting the parking lot, saw this small bush, almost totally enclosed with ice. I had my camera ready, and grabbed this frame, making the person in the car behind me only seconds delayed.
A forest of ice and tiny branches.
I hope tonight’s ice melts quickly and does not further bring ruin to Nature and man-made.
My sister was without power this afternoon. I’m going to call her shortly to see if it’s back on.
Brrrrrrrrrrrr.
Reach Out
Set manual, 8 second hand-held exposure with flash.
Playing around with light.
Flash froze the foreground branches from a close-by tree, leaving the 8 seconds to gather in all those photons from the sky and my neighbor’s tree. The orange glow is from the city lights - it was dark but you could see the sky, full of moisture, picking up the light reflected from the street-lights and such.
The branches look like they are tiny alien arms, reaching out.
Not what I expected it to look like, but I like it!
Waterpool - Kaua’i, Hawaii
Under the weather myself today, so I’m pulling a photo from the past.
For our 25th wedding anniversary, my bride and I traveled to the island of Kaua’i in the Hawaiian Islands. If you want to see Hawaii in it’s most natural form, I’ve been told that Kaua’i is the place to visit. We loved the beauty and tempo of life on Kaua’i. I highly recommend it if you want to relax and visit natural locations.
Among other highlights, Kaua’i is home to the spot on earth which receives the most recorded rainfall every year: The top of Mount Wai‘ale‘ale receives over 450 inches of rainfall each year. This makes for some great waterfalls all over the island.
This picture is of a waterfall, one of seven all served from a single water source at the top of the garden, in Allerton Garden. This garden is one in a group which comprise the National Tropical Botanical Garden in the United States of America. It is a garden paradise on the island known as The Garden Paradise.
We’re looking forward to our next visit to Kaua’i someday. Certainly it would be more comfortable than tomorrow night’s forecast overnight low here of 7 degrees Fahrenheit.
Contrasts make life sweeter.
Check out Kaua’i here
This is the link to the garden’s web site
Click here for more photos
Huge.
When I saw this, I had to try to get the whole flavor of the tree by taking a set of photos for a panoramic view. It’s gargantuan.
Full of “Spanish moss” which isn’t Spanish nor moss. It’s an air-feeding plant which is not parasitic (does not harm the plant).
The branches are so long that they dip down to the ground.
For perspective, look at the bench on the right.
Amazing.
