I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!

Especially during wildflower season!

NOT RELATED

I love finding and photographing wild flowers, especially "new finds" where I have to dig into reference books and the Web to learn its name.  But what truly stumps me is finding similarities in a wildflower (a native) and a commercially grown non native.

The first photo below is a wild Prickly Poppy indigenous to the high desert biome on the Eastern slopes of the Sierras.  These were photographed at the height of their blooming period, July, 2010.

In March, 2011, I came across this amazing, cultivated look-alike.  It is a Camellia that thrives in foggy, moist Pacific Coastal zones.  At first I thought it was a "Katie Wootton."  Alas..."Katie Wootton," while similar in appearance, is a double Japonica Camellia; the name of this one, photographed in Morro Bay, remains a mystery.

While their crepe-paper petals appear almost identical, each flower's leaves, pistils and stamens are decidedly unique.  You can see the differences easier when you click to enlarge the photos.

YES, OF COURSE WE'RE RELATED!

OH...THERE you are!

I'm on my way -- finally!
XXXOOOOOUUUU

THE BIG ISLAND, THE BIG KAHUNA, THE REAL DEAL

THE FLORA

I've never seen anything like this plant; it's almost primordial.  And it's well worth clicking on the center of the photo to see the amazing detail of this complex, unique flower.

THE FISH

(Yellow Tang in Swimming Pool-Clear Water)

PU'UHONUA O HONAUNAU

(A Place of Refuge)

THE FAUNA
Directing volunteers on how to clear out scavenger fish from the Place of Refuge ponds -- the old fashioned way!

ALOHA!

JUICY!

Isn't this a PEACEFUL green?

YOSEMITE JAZZ BAND....

proves once again, Park of the Sierras is not a sedentary old folks' home!

COUNTRY LIVING...

...CAN ALTER YOUR STATE

~~~~~~~~~~

The flowers at their feet

Tidy Tips 

Phacelia

Acres and acres of Phacelia