Non-surfin' Turtles at Laniakea Beach

This is one of my favorite places to bring visitors.  The turltes come up and lounge on the beach, and it's always fun to see somebody discover that not all of those "rocks" on the beach are actually rocks!

Mahalo (thank you) to the Malama na Honu (Protect the Turtles) volunteers who are always on hand to educate the public and help keep our beautiful turtles safe while they rest on the beach.  Many of the turtles are tagged and identified.  I didn't get everyone's name today, but I do remember seeing signs up for Olivia-Dawn (Hawaiian name: Ipo, Tag L-04) and Wooley-Bully (Hawaiian name: Lopeka O Holokai, Tag L-07).  

Surfin' Turtle at Electric Beach

You have no idea how many pictures I have of waves without turtles in them, but, finally, I got this!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day-May 2011

Happy May, everybody!  It's the 15th of the month, and you know what that means--Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, is showing off garden blooms from all around the world.  Stop by to see what else is blooming or to share your blooms.

Today, making its first GBBD appearance is my canna, Cannas Picasso.  It had a hard time getting started; every time it would poke its little head up above the ground, the snails or slugs would come along and mow it right down, but we finally managed to get it past that phase, and big enough to bloom.  Yay!

Putting on a pretty constant show on my back porch is my Blue Daze, Evolvus glomeratus.

This red ginger will soon be making an appearance in its own Progression Obsession post.  I've been documenting its unfurling since about the middle of April. 

Still blooming like crazy are my white spider lilies, Crinum asiaticum

Even though it's gotten floppy and fallen over into its neighboring pot after all the recent rain, I still love my rose, (Mardi Gras (Jacfrain)) and I'm glad it lasted just long enough for Bloom Day.    

In that same pot, my sweet alyssum is gaining ground again after a harsh pruning last month. 

 My bouganvillea usually doesn't have a lot going on, but, again, thanks to the heavy rains, it is full of color right now.

My plumeria continues to put out one or two flowers a day. 

My poor plumbago never gets any attention here because it is always in bloom--it's like the good kid who never gets any attention because he's *always* good, but I thought it deserved some love today.  

I think these snapdragons are getting darker with age, but I like the deeper burgundy tones that are setting in after the lighter pink has "faded". 

I always try to plant zinnias, and they always do well for a few weeks and that's about it, so this might be the only appearance this one is going to make here.   

Next to my zinnia (see them in the picture above?) are my little lobelia, which, despite what the guy at Home Depot tried to tell me, are not Johnny Jump-ups. 

Another constant bloomer, my Golden Shrimp Plant, Pachystachys lutea

This Hardy Ice Plant, Delosperma, is another new addition that I hope will last longer than one GBBD. 

Same goes for this Gazania.   

And, finally, the lizard population always seems to be blooming  in my yard.