This Phalaenopsis Orchid has nice reddish-pink color in it’s labellum and column (I had to look up orchid’s anatomy for those names, but it’s the little colorful thingy in the middle). The color reminds me of the color of salmon steak, flamingos or a coral reef. I took this picture in the hothouse of our local Lowe’s Garden Shop. Click the picture for full-sized view.

Did you ever wonder what would happen if they didn’t pick artichokes for the produce department? That question was answered for us last weekend when we visited the Botanic Garden. If they are left on the stalks they produce these giant blue flowers. Click on the image for larger view.

Whirligig is the nickname given to this Trailing African Daisy (osteospermum fruticosum). I snapped this picture last week at the Botanic Garden. Click on the image for the full-sized picture.

The Whirligig is a member of the Aster family, closely related to other mums and daisies with a single-tier of petals. It propagates well from cuttings and does well in the Southwestern United States. According to the Desert Tropicals website (Phoenix, AZ) this flower suffers in hotter climates like Phoenix, but is hardy when it comes to tolerating frost.

When I first saw this photo that Verna took last week at the Botanic Garden, I thought it resembled undersea kelp (seaweed). Just for grins, I futzed with the color balance to render this illusionary kelp forest.

Roll your mouse over the picture to reveal that it is actually a large cereus cactus (one of the largest I’ve ever seen). Photo credit - Verna (as usual). JavaScript/PHP credit - yours truly.

While making plans to celebrate our anniversary in Avalon (on Santa Catalina Island) later this year, I ran across this picture I took of Holly Hill House during a previous anniversary trip (click on the picture for a larger view).

The charming Queen Anne style cottage on the bluff over looking Avalon Bay has been a local landmark since 1890. The third oldest house in Avalon, its history mirrors that of the town. The house has always been a private residence and the current owner has restored it and furnished it with turn-of-the-century antiques.

Is the story true that the builder/owner of the Holly Hill House refused to let women on the property after his bride-to-be jilted him, because she didn’t want to live in such an isolated place?

Lookout Cot (later Holly Hill House) was built in 1890 as a private residence by Peter Gano, a retired engineer from Pasadena. His sister was to come live with him, but she never did. He did allow women on the property.