Fresh Mint from the Garden

Several years ago, my neighbor gave me a mint plant in a small pot to look after for her while she was away for the summer. The plant grew steadily, and we finally transferred it to a larger pot. When my friend returned she was amazed at how much the little mint plant had grown. She said, "I think that plant likes you better than it liked me, so you should keep it."

It has since been repotted twice more, and it's still flourishing in the middle of my herb garden. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

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Name: Mint (Mentha sp.)
Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
Camera: Nikon D40x
Focal Length: 46.0 mm
Exposure: 0.017s (1/60)
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO: 200
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

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Royal Poinciana Blossom

Back in May, I posted a photo of buds on a branch of a Royal Poinciana tree in my garden. The trees now are in full bloom, bearing masses of brilliant red-orange blossoms. In this wide-angle photo of my back garden, you can see the Royal Poincianas in the background. Today's photo shows what an individual blossom looks like. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

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Name: Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)
Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
Camera: Nikon D40x
Focal Length: 105.0 mm
Exposure: 0.008s (1/125)
Aperture: f/6.3
ISO: 200
Lens: Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED

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Buster In Profile

Our cat, Buster, is one of my favorite photo subjects, but as I have said before, he's not always a cooperative model. Often, he turns his head just as I press the shutter release. This time he actually held still while I zoomed in for this close-up profile shot. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

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Name: Buster, the cat
Location: Kohala oast, Big Island, Hawaii
Camera: Nikon D40x
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Exposure: 0.008s (1.125)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 100
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

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Moon and Clouds

This photo was taken a few days ago, just before sunset. The moon had just risen over the garden, and some grey clouds were starting to roll in. The bougainvillea, at left, made a nice contrast to the greying sky. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

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Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
Camera: Nikon D40x
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Exposure: 0.017s (1/60)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 180
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

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Gold Dust Day Gecko

This is the Gold Dust Day Gecko (Phelsuma laticauda laticauda) -- probably the most colorful lizard living in Hawaii. A couple of months ago I posted a macro image of a Gold Dust Day Gecko's face, so I thought it was time now for a 'full body' specimen shot. When you look at this photo, you will understand how these lizards got their common name, Gold Dust. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

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Name: Gold Dust Day Gecko (Phelsuma laticauda laticauda)
Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
Camera: Nikon D40x
Focal Length: 105.0 mm
Exposure: 0.013s (1/80)
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO: 800
Lens: Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED

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