The pincushion protea is a very popular cultivated flower on Maui. It is often included in floral arrangements. They can be readily viewed at several of the floral gardens throughout Hawaii. These particular pincushion protea were seem at Kula Lodge on the slopes of Maui’s Haleakala Volcano. The lodge, in addition to rooms and a restuarant, has a delightful garden with various flowering plants.
Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Angiospermae (Angiosperms: Flowering Plants – all Plants bearing flowers and covered seeds)
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae (Dicots, all Flowering Plants with seeds giving rise to two seed leaves)
Superorder: Rosidae (Rose Superorder: includes Rose, Pea, Gum, Holly, Spurge, Vine, Citrus, Geranium and Carrot Orders and Families)
Order: Proteales (containing Oleaster, Buckthorn and Protea Families, but more recently considered to be most closely related to other Families)
Family: Proteaceae (Protea Family)
Subfamily: Proteoideae (Proteoid Subfamily – with one flower per floral bract, also Grevilleoideae Subfamily – Banksias and Grevilleas – with two flowers per floral bract)
Tribe: Proteae (All African proteas, except Brabejum – this delimitation of 13 genera is probably incorrect, and some Australian genera probably belong here )
Subtribe: Proteainae (Hairy seeded proteas: Protea and Faurea, vs Featerbush and Pincushion Subtribes)
Genus: Protea (Sugarbushes, with about 120 species)
A Morning Turtle Swim
/0 Comments/in Fauna /by Ken Fields2018 Highlights
/0 Comments/in Flora /by Ken FieldsHaystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon
/0 Comments/in Other Scenic Locations /by Ken FieldsIn the northwest corner of Oregon lies Cannon Beach, which has been attracting visitors since 1806 when Captain William Clark (of Lewis & Clark fame) dropped by to purchase 300 pounds of whale blubber from local Indians. Named for a cannon that washed ashore from the shipwrecked USS Shark in 1846, Cannon Beach offers visitors an abundance of activities to enjoy. Its postcard attraction is Haystack Rock, a massive 235-foot-tall chunk that sits on the beach behind the downtown area. It’s reputedly the world’s third-largest freestanding monolith (after Australia’s Ayers Rock and Atlanta’s Stone Mountain).’ National Geographic Magazine named Cannon Beach “one of The World’s 100 Most Beautiful Places” in their June 2013 issue. At the base of Haystack Rock during low tide, one can view a variety of tidal pool life. Seagulls, pelicans, herons and even puffins can be seen in this area.
Composed of basalt, Haystack Rock was formed by lava flows emanating from the Blue Mountains and Columbia basin, several hundred miles away, about 15-16 million years ago. The lava flows created many of the Oregon coast’s natural features. Haystack Rock was once joined to the coastline but years of erosion have since separated the monolith from the coast. Three smaller, adjacent rock formations to the south of Haystack Rock are collectively called “The Needles”.
The Pincushion Protea
/0 Comments/in Flora /by Ken FieldsThe pincushion protea is a very popular cultivated flower on Maui. It is often included in floral arrangements. They can be readily viewed at several of the floral gardens throughout Hawaii. These particular pincushion protea were seem at Kula Lodge on the slopes of Maui’s Haleakala Volcano. The lodge, in addition to rooms and a restuarant, has a delightful garden with various flowering plants.
Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Angiospermae (Angiosperms: Flowering Plants – all Plants bearing flowers and covered seeds)
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae (Dicots, all Flowering Plants with seeds giving rise to two seed leaves)
Superorder: Rosidae (Rose Superorder: includes Rose, Pea, Gum, Holly, Spurge, Vine, Citrus, Geranium and Carrot Orders and Families)
Order: Proteales (containing Oleaster, Buckthorn and Protea Families, but more recently considered to be most closely related to other Families)
Family: Proteaceae (Protea Family)
Subfamily: Proteoideae (Proteoid Subfamily – with one flower per floral bract, also Grevilleoideae Subfamily – Banksias and Grevilleas – with two flowers per floral bract)
Tribe: Proteae (All African proteas, except Brabejum – this delimitation of 13 genera is probably incorrect, and some Australian genera probably belong here )
Subtribe: Proteainae (Hairy seeded proteas: Protea and Faurea, vs Featerbush and Pincushion Subtribes)
Genus: Protea (Sugarbushes, with about 120 species)
Fun with Food Photography
/0 Comments/in Food /by Ken FieldsFood photography, to be done right, is highly specialized requiring certain lighting and preparation. Plating the food becomes one of the more critical factors, making sure the food looks appetizing, mouth watering and delicious. High end restaurants plate their dishes so the meal is visually appealing. It can be a fine opportunity for anybody, even with a cell phone, to capture images of well presented food. Of course, you necessarily need to use available light, and don’t have the luxury of creating a backdrop which augments the presentation. Still, capturing a well plated dish can be rewarding, and fun to share with others. These images were taken with a DSLR in available light as presented to the table.