Tree of Life?

Well, maybe not, but I love the combination of  sun, water, and branches.  For more sky photos from around the globe, please visit Skywatch Friday.

A told B and B told C...

“Dare, double dare, you can’t catch me.  I’ll beat you to the top of the coconut tree.”  Whenever I see this photo, it reminds me of a popular children's book - anyone remember it?

Mele Kalikimaka

is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you!

For other sky images from around the world, please visit Skywatch Friday.

My Hawaii

This photo encompasses much of what I love about Hawaii:  the greens, the blues, the foliage, the water, the beauty, and the contrast. 

Banyan Tree

Can you believe this is all one single Banyan Tree?  It is amazing, and I've wanted to see it for awhile - finally found it this past weekend.  Like Papailoa Beach, it was also used as one of the filming locations for "Lost".

Avocados

My next door neighbor's trees are producing giant, delicious avocados right now, and she shared some with me!  For the past few days I've enjoyed avocado and turkey wraps, bacon stuffed avocados, fresh guacamole...I'm sure you get the picture :)  At our previous house here we had our own tree, and I've decided it's time to plant one at our new house too. 

Foster Botanical Gardens: 3 of 7

It's Skywatch Friday - click HERE to see sky photos from around the world.

Foster Botanical Gardens: 2 of 7

I think the Cannonball Tree is the most bizarre tree I've ever seen.  Here are some things I learned about it:

-The fruit (round and heavy, hence the name "cannonball tree") grows directly from the trunk, instead of from branches as other fruit typically does.  When it falls from the tree it makes a loud explosive noise

- The flowers grow in huge bunches up to 12 feet long, and smell very sweet

- The fruit, on the other hand, smells terrible when opened (I haven't personally experienced this!)

- Hindus regard it as the sacred tree because its flower petals resemble the hood of their revered snake "Naga"

A closer look at the flowers.

Foster Botanical Gardens: 1 of 7

After a recent stroll through Foster Botanical Gardens, I decided to devote a whole week in pictures to it.  This is the trunk of one of the palm trees - and yes, it is really that green (I did not edit the photo).  It's a variety called Roystonea, or "Royal Palm".

To see some great close-ups and macros, please visit Macro Monday.