I know it’s been a while. Life got complicated. I tried to write a post several times, but it didn’t feel right. I’m feeling better now and wanted to let you know I’m okay. I am working on learning how to deal with complications better.
Besides life’s complications, the weather has been wet, and last night’s storm was a whopper. It’s interfering with going hiking. It is genuinely mud hiking season. Remember last year’s mud hike.
A little muddy, Poamoho April 2022
But with rain comes beautiful blooms in Cora’s garden.
Top row, left to right: my pakalana is coming back; now there are clusters of flowers amongst the vines; the air plant has a reddish glow with orange-red blooms; the pakalana has a seed pod; pink and white bougainvillea from a plant that I trimmed back hard this winter.
Cora’s pikake is in bloom. Pikake, also known as jasmine, is a drought-resistant plant that grows better in hotter weather. Waipahu is a perfect place for it. This leggy plant shares a pot with gifted papaya from the birds.
Mom trimmed it about a month and a half ago, and it recently started blooming. She’s so proud that she told me to share it with you. This plant’s variety is the double-flowered rose pikake.
The bougainvillea are also blooming. I’ve trying to be more attentive to the ones in the front yard recently. They need trimming and weeding, and have been fighting a good fight this hot summer during water restriction. These are shots from a couple that I’ve been taking care of.
I’ve been a bit lazy about posting lately. There have been a few beautiful blooms that I thought I would share.
Lots of pinks
I’ve in charge of the general maintenance of the yard these days. Parents don’t spend much time out there because it’s a fall hazard. I’m feeling pretty proud of things blooming. There have been few fatalities along the way. And don’t ask about the grass. I’m trying my best, and at least it’s green.
Currently in Cora’s garden there are 2 sections of sticks stuck in pots. All bougainvillea from when we did the spring trim the front bougies (as mom calls them).
Cora is growing sticks
When I first got home these sticks in a pot made me laugh. I would ask what they were and if they were dead. They are just of funny looking to have in the someone’s garden.
Well, my mom takes the trimmings and give them a good soak in water then sticks them in some rootone and put it in a pot a soil with rock for support. It takes a long time to root but it does happen.
I think this is a flower on stick–hahaleaves sprouting
I have to give it to her, she has a green thumb as she can make a stick with rocks and sprout leaves and flowers.
Killing time as my parents get ready for an outing to Costco, I roamed around our small front yard and decided to take pictures of the flowers in bloom.
Desert Rose
Desert Rose
There’s a row of these rimming the front of the yard. They are odd looking plants. The stem and base are grayish, gnarly, and tangled with leaves here and there topped with bright dark pink blooms. Mom likes these plants they are all over the yard. Notice in the bottom left corner of the image, the orange-yellow pile of stuff are the papaya that Mom feeds the birds in the morning and then turns into compost.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea
The bougainvilleas are potted and run up the side of the front yard. They are very old and a few have worked into bonsai by my dad. Most of them in old cement pots some of them made by my dad (That’s another post). There are all sort of colors from this fuchia to lilac to orange.
Cup and Saucer
Cup and Saucer
The finches favorite, at different times of day they come to get the nectar from the flowers and play. These birds blend in with the plant and are hard to get on camera–no pictures. I usually know there because the cats are staring out the window at the tree.
Ice Flower plant
Ice Flower Plant
This beautiful intense magenta colored flower is so delicate and last for a day. The plant looks like a succulent and I don’t know why it’s called ice plant when it seems to love the hot dryness of Waipahu.
CAT BREAK!!!
Orange watching me. And yes that is purple on the trim and I had nothing to with that choiceLady’s Slipper
Lady’s Slipper
Since I arrived I wonder what those long leafy plants were. There were no flowers. Mom told me they were lady’s slipper and will bloom in the winter. As winter starts to arrive, buds start poping up. Then these fabulous flowers appear.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea
Almost missed these, the flowers almost blended in with the leaves. Just that little hint of pink made me give it a second look.
Azalea
Azalea
These bloom like crazy in NJ in the spring but it’s in the middle of February in HI there are few blooms on this azalea bush. Big blossoms.
Rose
Rose
Last but not least this pink rose plant. Two buds plus a bloom on the plant. The bloom was already spent so that’s why took a picture of the bud.
Princess Hot Flash 