Lily Lake, in the grounds of Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, is a tranquil spot which I particularly enjoy for the reflections it provides. On my last visit, the koi in the lake made an appearance and added to the spectacle. As I moved back and forth, on the walkway alongside the lake, the koi followed, clearly hoping I was about to throw a little food their way.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This dead tree on the slopes of Pu’u Wa’awa’a did not die of natural causes. The pale strip near the bottom of the trunk is where the tree was girdled.
The tree is, I’m pretty sure, a silk oak. Native to Australia, these trees were introduced to Hawaii around 1880. When in bloom, they present a mass of brilliant orange flowers, but they seed prolifically and also produce an allelopathic substance that inhibits the growth of other plants. Because of this, they can crowd out native plants, of which there are many on Pu’u Wa’awa’a, so trees in areas where they have become too dense or are not wanted, are girdled.
For more information about Pu’u Wa’awa’a and its trails, go to puuwaawaa.org.
An assortment of power lines crisscross beneath fluffy clouds and a deep blue sky.
A close up of a green turtle flipper as it hauled its way through the sand, back toward the water.
A leaf, illuminated by the sun, floats just below the surface of the water.
I like how this web mixes repeated patterns and some pretty random connections.
I enjoyed seeing this sign at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. I guess the storm was severe enough to knock the sign over.
For more information about Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, go to nps.gov/kaho/index.htm.
A green turtle takes on a different appearance as it swims through the waters of Kiholo Bay. The original photo (above) already has an impressionistic look, but I experimented with a few effects and quite like the subtle difference of the posterized version below.
Graham's Island 