Warmed by the morning sunlight, this nice Cosmos flower shows its symmetry and order that prompted the Spaniards to give it the name Cosmos, which means “ordered universe.” This one is the first from some starter plants we bought a few weeks ago, and is quite large – about four inches (10cm) across. Click the thumbnail image for a larger view.
August 2007
Marriott Fountain
Now that I’m going to transfer to another facility, I will no longer have some of these pleasant places to walk to on my noontime walks. This is a panorama I made of the fountain in front of the Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel. I will miss the nice places, but I’m still committed to take the walks, scenery or not. Click the picture for the big view.
Another Hibiscus Flower
This is another flower on the same Santana Hibiscus bush that we acquired last week, but the color of this one isn’t the light two-tone yellow and orange of the first blossoms. It’s sort of hard to believe that this is the same bush, but it is. We’ll have to wait and see what the rest of the many more flowers to come will look like.
A Colorful Beetle
This hard-to-describe beetle perched on a basil leaf in the patio, so I grabbed the camera and got a couple of shots of it. I couldn’t quite describe it to Bob, so creepy or not, a picture was in order. This Halloween-colored critter certainly doesn’t blend in the foliage like other more stealthy bugs. Click on the image for a larger view.
Stargazer Lily – A Favorite
I’ve posted about my favorite flower, the Stargazer Lily, before. For whatever reason, the flower concession at our local supermarket has been devoid of ‘gazers. Over the weekend, however, we went to another store and found a nice bouquet of three stems for under $10. This one opened over the weekend and is so pretty. It’s nice to see ‘gazers back on the dining room table. Click the thumbnail for a larger view.
From FloraPedia:
The stargazer has added a new layer to the already rich legacy of lilies, which have been a significant floral symbol for centuries. In ancient mythology and in folklore from around the world, the lily has appeared as a deeply spiritual and philosophical metaphor. Developed in the latter part of the 20th century, the stargazer lily is a recent addition to the lily family, but this unique and rather exotic hybrid has rapidly risen in popularity to become one of the most adored and sought-after of all lily varieties.
