Foster Botanical Garden

Chocolate Lilies

/ Quilly / 34 Comments

As I was walking through Foster’s Botanical Gardens, I kept getting whiffs of warm chocolate — the delicate, expensive, buttery kind.  I figured it was coming from one of the shops across the street, especially since I caught the scent much more consistently as I approached the Vineyard Boulevard boundary of the garden.

Tree Lilies

Tree Lilies

Then I saw the most incredible flowering bush and approached it for a closer look — and smell. This is the source of that rich, though subtle, buttery, warm-chocolate scent! Tree Lilies, Portlandia dominensis, a slow growing, flowering bush native to Cuba and Jamaica.

All the trumpets point downward, so I did what any self-respecting photographer would do — I laid down on the ground and took a picture!  It was approaching noon, the sun was straight over head and shining very brightly through the foliage.  I couldn’t get a clear sharp image focus that didn’t wash out the edges of the petal, so I decided instead to go for this soft focus shot — and I love it.

Tree Lily

Tree Lilies

In case you’re wondering why I didn’t wiggle a bit further under the bush for a more shaded shot, I had already stretched out on freshly watered, still wet lawn. Any further under the tree and I would be in  mud.   I guess, that means I am more dedicated to my car’s interior than I am to my photography.  Alas.

Comfy With a View

/ Quilly / 24 Comments
Resting

Resting

It’s late and I’m tired.  Today was a very busy day (it’s still Wednesday here for a few more minutes) and I’m tired.  I was up early and off to a job interview.  The interview, complete with skills tests, took a couple of hours.  I was hired.  Yay!  (I won’t be teaching.  More about that, later.)

After the job interview my darling took me out to lunch and I had a scrumptious Prime Rib sandwich at Eagle Cafe.  The receptionist where I interviewed said the cafe had great food.  I wouldn’t give it the “great” sanction, but it was tasty and filling — and our waitress was fun.

Then OC went to work and I went to Foster’s Botanical Gardens.  Have I got pictures to share!  Wait’ll you see the Sky Watch I’m going to put up tomorrow afternoon!  Foster’s is an exotic flower paradise.

Halfway through my garden walk, the batteries died in my camera.  No prob — I just reached for my camera case, opened the side pocket and — empty.  No problem.  Irritation, but not a problem — maybe.  I went back to the front gate and asked the ticket lady (they take your money but don’t actually give you a ticket) if I could run to my car for batteries, and come right back in.  She said yes.

I grabbed a new set of batteries — no, I don’t always keep new batteries in my car, but I’d tossed two in my purse that morning not knowing for certain what was or wasn’t in my camera bag — and retraced my steps to the center of the garden, where I spent a half-an-hour with the Cannon Ball tree (more on that later, too).

I took photos of many other lovely things which I will also share in due time.  I don’t think I covered even a third of the garden so I will definitely be returning.  Today was a special treat because for some reason they were light on visitors and I spent a goodly time in the garden alone!  (Well, the guy from the information booth followed me around for awhile because he was bored, but mostly I was blessedly alone.)

After leaving the garden I grabbed a mocha frappachino at that really expensive coffee selling place, and headed for the university to pick OC up after work.  I got there before he was ready to leave, and stepped outside.  I set down on the edge of a huge cement planter and reviewed the day’s photos.  When I came to the end of the review and switched the slide show off, the image above was showing in my view finder.  It looked like a lovely picture, so I snapped the shutter.

Now for those I didn’t get to — most of you — I’ll see you tomorrow sometime between licensing the car, doing the laundry, and editing photos.