Blooming for Friday

 

Gorgeous brassavolas are so delicate and wispy here and yet the colors are so vivid, contrasting in their deep purple petals and white stripes offset by the white throat and yellow stamens.

 

They look like precious little medallions ready for a corsage or buttoneer

 

Or better yet, just left to its own intact and longer lived while attached to the plant.

 

These star shaped orchids come from Central America like bright but filtered light, they exude a light citrus smell in the evening hours to attract moths to help pollinate the flowers….hmm they are attracting my attention instead.

 

For other fertilzer blooms go visit tootsie at http://www.tootsietime.com

Pau Riders for Today’s Flowers

 

 

Pau riders in Hawaii are today’s flowers presentation. These amazing riders come from all the islands of Hawaii to participate in the annual Merrie Monarch Parade which caps a week of celebration for Hula Dancing.

 

These riders are for me the most exhilarating part of the parade.

Beautiful headdresses and lei ornamentation, and the huge leis draping each horse is painstakingly made with natural materials and fresh exotic flowers from each island.

 

 

I love this amazing combination of purple and red chrysanthemums, roses and

carnations on these amazing and huge leis draping each horse.

 

 

I could never get enough of these beautiful riders from each island.

 

 

 

 

 

This last one is one of my favorite celebrants to the parade and quite a ham.

 

 

To visit other flowers for today, go visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Morning Time in the Southern Part of Hawaii Island

Its just morning time and the clouds are still dense, but the sun is stretching out to the sky and wanting to break open through a small opening and showering warm rays on the still quiet corner of Whittington Beach in the southern part of the island.

The light reflecting off the dark silhouette trees onto a tranquil fish pond used by the ancient people to feed her people.




I just woke up early enough to see a magical moment and capture the waters reflecting a double sun image into this magic fish pond.





Aaaah, its going to be another windy day and I’m hopeful that it will be sunny enough for me to take out a kayak or even snorkel in her beautiful ponds and hopefully find some underwater gems.




I’m just glad to have a sweet spot to camp close to the ocean and watch the day unfold and enjoy the company of friends.


To see other Skywatch Fridays go visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Wow..Wee, my Hibiscus is Blooming

I call this my Whowee hibiscus flower....its just a crazy combination of orange/red to yellow, they celebrate their short lived displays of color with gusto!

Say hello to hibiscus Chad, I purchased this from a local hibiscus grower who creates some amazing combinations and hybrids of hibiscus plants in Hawaii.  I will have to make a post on my visit to this grower.


Nothing truly spells out tropical like this hibiscus flower, it exudes hot colors and a wild streaks of red/orange to yellow patches, like the brilliant sunset colors we have in Hawaii.

To view other posts on Today's Flowers go visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Fresh Leis for Aloha Friday

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've never smelled anything so intoxicating and sweet as a flower stand in Hawaii during the Merrie Monarch Festival.  Its almost impossible to not stop by these amazing display's of color and dazzling combinations of leis on display.

 

 

 

Then you get hit with hints of exotic smells of plumeria, ginger and unusual fragrances that draw you in and welcome you....you must stop and look at these leis and see the loving hands that crafted each and everyone on of them.

 

 

 

You need to see and smell almost everyone before you decide which one will be perfect...

not an easy decision.

 

 

 

 

 

How about something exotic and blue like this blue lei made with many petals of the

blue jade vine, a rare beauty only to be seen at this beautiful festival of aloha.

 

 

 

 

Yes to receive a lei from someone special is a wonderful gift...but giving one away is even more true with the meaning of lei giving and sharing your aloha.

 

 

 

To view other fertilizer posts go visit http://www.tootsietime.com and be surprised.

A Grand Celebration – Hula Style

The week after Easter on the Big Island of Hawaii marks one of our largest festivals on the island called the Merrie Monarch Festival. This is named in honor of King David Kalakaua,  who brought back the traditional dance of hula to his people during the victorian age and christian missionaries, who shunned this public display of skin and "sexy dancing".  King David was a pure believer of Hula as a beautiful form and primary means of communication and enjoyment. It is a large part of his people's heritage and should be shared by his people in all its forms.

This annual celebration spans an entire week marked with the main hula competition, the Merrie Monarch Parade, art exhibits, dance demonstrations, crafts fairs and everything Hawaiian.  People from all over the islands, the mainland, and many international countries come to the Big Island, just to see this event and share in the aloha of its people.  Every event is filled with travellers and admirers of the hula. Visitors come to enjoy the dance,  comraderie and  feel the (mana) spirit of this magical craft.





The main event is the Merrie Monarch dancing competition of the hula halau's ( hula dancing troups) coming from Hawaii and around the world that have been doing this competition since its inception.  It is an amazing venue to be in, with everyone tightly packed in shoulder to shoulder, intense lights and a loud boisterous crowd.  Music is typically played with amazing live bands, live chanting, celebrity performances and even group participation in many of the chants and lively sing-a-longs.

(Following is a video of female hulas winners from Oahu and their 2009 performance)




The entire audience is deadly silent at the start of each performance and captivated by the swaying, and hypnotic dances unfolding and in the end the entire auditorium stands at their feet, shouting cheers at the top of their lungs with teary eyed adjulation for each and every performance. I'll be writing about some of these special moments and amazing events that happen during the week in upcoming posts. It truly will give you a better idea about why living here in the Big Island of Hawaii is special, including her people.

(Here is the video of the men’s 2009 winners in the competition.)





The final competitions are at the end of next week and I’ll be posting those including some fun events, parades and fairs that happen during this beautiful festival…stay tuned.

Words that Inspire - An April Challenge

 

 

I never had any other desire so strong, and so like to covetousness, as that one which I have had always, that I might be master at last of a small house and a large Garden.  ~Abraham Cowley, The Garden, 1666



This is our monthly quote for April. Please take the time to reflect on this quote and at your convenience and timeframe post your own interpretation.  This could be a photo, or it could be a gardening experience you would like to share, I think just interpreting this to your place and time is what we want to read about.

I’ll be posting a new quote at the start of each month and hope that the words chosen inspire you to create your own interpretation with your garden views. 

There’s only a few instructions if you would kindly follow to participate:


1)  Please Include the quote or poem at the start of your post or on the title so we (your readers) can find it easily.

2) You can use any photos old or new, or written thoughts may work with this month’s theme.

3) Please kindly link back to this meme for others to enjoy different interpretations of the theme.

4) Be creative as you can!

That’s it, are you ready for the challenge?  Well those are the words up at the top of this post, please, come share your interpretation in the comment section below.



To take a look at others interpretations of this months quote please see the comments below for the URL of the participant.