Posts Tagged ‘in my mother’s garden’
In My Mother’s Garden: Neem Tree; Miracle Herb from India
Neem Tree in My Mother's Garden in Hawaii
Dot’s Thots: I love plants as sources of health, nutrition, sustenance, beauty, awe, and a faith in a higher states of existence. Sometimes I feel one should aspire for the purity of return that a plant gives you for nurturing, feeding, and loving it.
Close Up Look at Neem Leaves, Honolulu, 31 August 2009
Neem, Herb from India: My Husband’s Toothbrush and Tongue Cleaner
Just a short note — when I got back to California, I found that I had not posted about the neem tree in my mother’s garden. For years I have heard about the miracle of neem as a powerful antiseptic aid and had heard about how my husband used to use neem twigs for dental hygiene. He used to chew on the bitter stems of this herb from India until he got the fiber softened, rubbed his gums and teeth clean and split the twig to get a slender tongue cleaner with which he scraped the gunk off his tongue. All his life he had told me that teeth were like stones to him — toothaches were an unfamiliar and therefore frightening concept.
I have also seen neem shampoo, soap, and ointments in the Indian shops.
Scene in Hawaii: Neem at a Nursery
One day I found this plant in a nursery in Hawaii and since I could not have it shipped back to me in California, I bought it for my mother. She is infinitely curious about plants and has fostered this in her garden. When I can get the hubby over there, I am going to ask for a demo on the neem toothbrush and tongue cleaner. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Aloha, DoT
Related Articles and References:
- Neem (in Wikipedia)
- Temperature Affects Pakalana Blooming
- Wikipedia: Alpinia zerumbet
- Flowers of American Samoa
- Wikipedia: Prosopis pallida
- Growing Bougainvilleas
- Prosopis pallida: kiawe, keawe, algaroba, mesquite by Kim and Forest Starr
Related Posts:
- Vegetarian Recipes: Star Anise Flavored Boiled Peanuts
- Scene in Hawaii: View from My Mother’s Hospital Room
- Scene In Hawaii: Rooster at the Shopping Center
- In My Mother’s Garden: Pakalana, One of My Favorite Fragrant Vining Flowers
- Cooking in Hawaii: Manoa Lettuce, My Favorite Salad Greens
- In My Mother’s Garden: the White Hibiscus Dad Gave Mom
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ginger Oil Chicken
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ahi Sashimi with Shiso, Chili Pepper, and Shoyu
- In My Mother’s Garden: Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
- In My Mother’s Garden: Red Ginger in Hawaii
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Kiawe Tree Revisited
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
In My Mother’s Garden: Pakalana, One of My Favorite Fragrant Vining Flowers
Pakalana Blossoms on the Vines Found Among the Red Ginger
NOTE: DoT has been posting from Honolulu since late July when she left California to help her mother through some medical procedures. She will be doing so until she can return to Orange County.
DoT’s Thots: They say that the sense of smell is perhaps our most evocative sense. I do know that the scent of certain flowers affect my sense of well-being in a deep way. Pakalana blossoms always makes me feel refreshed in a gentle way.
Pakalana Bud Details
Fragrant Vining Flowers Make Lovely Scented Leis
While looking at stalks of red ginger, I was so very pleased to find some pakalana blossoms on vines twined around the red ginger stalks. The modest pale green and light orange blossoms are so pleasantly scented as to invoke freshness, light and pleasant, never cloying nor heavy-handed.
My father, who died in 1996, loved these blossoms for their fragrance. He tended to like blossoms for their scent rather than for their colors or shapes — yellow and white ginger, gardenias, jasmine, and these pakalana blossoms. These fragrant little blossoms make a very pleasant lei to wear, one that is quietly dignified and smells fresh and refreshing.
Aloha, DoT
Related Articles and References:
- Temperature Affects Pakalana Blooming
- Wikipedia: Alpinia zerumbet
- Flowers of American Samoa
- Wikipedia: Prosopis pallida
- Growing Bougainvilleas
- Prosopis pallida: kiawe, keawe, algaroba, mesquite by Kim and Forest Starr
Related Posts:
- Vegetarian Recipes: Star Anise Flavored Boiled Peanuts
- In My Mother’s Garden: Neem Tree; Miracle Herb from India
- Scene in Hawaii: View from My Mother’s Hospital Room
- Scene In Hawaii: Rooster at the Shopping Center
- Cooking in Hawaii: Manoa Lettuce, My Favorite Salad Greens
- In My Mother’s Garden: the White Hibiscus Dad Gave Mom
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ginger Oil Chicken
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ahi Sashimi with Shiso, Chili Pepper, and Shoyu
- In My Mother’s Garden: Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
- In My Mother’s Garden: Red Ginger in Hawaii
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Kiawe Tree Revisited
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
In My Mother’s Garden: the White Hibiscus Dad Gave Mom
White Hibiscus Pair of Blossoms 22 August 2009
Single White Hibiscus Bud 22 August 2009
White Hibiscus In My Mother's Garden
NOTE: DoT has been posting from Honolulu since late July when she left California to help her mother through some medical procedures. She will be doing so until she can return to Orange County.
DoT’s Thot: Depression kids without much, there were few material luxuries; no fancy gifts, but Dad once gave Mom something she treasured, a white hibiscus cutting.
The White Hibiscus, Dad’s Gift to Mom
In a large pot, there is a hibiscus bush that sits near the garage in my mother’s garden. The blooms are a small, single white hibiscus. The blooms are pure white, rather dazzlingly so. The yellow pollen is the only contrast and the very simplicity of the flowers appeal to me. In a way, they reflect the direct sincerity that my parents have always had. They committed to their beliefs and whether I always agreed with them or not, I respect that straightforward characteristic.
Back View of the White Hibiscus with Buds
In My Mother’s Garden: a Memory
My father is gone now, but this white hibiscus plant is a good memory for mother. Dad’s gift keeps blooming in its pot and I look forward to seeing the white hibiscus on every visit.
Aloha, DoT
Related Articles and References:
- Wikipedia: Alpinia zerumbet
- Flowers of American Samoa
- Wikipedia: Prosopis pallida
- Growing Bougainvilleas
- Prosopis pallida: kiawe, keawe, algaroba, mesquite by Kim and Forest Starr
Related Posts:
- Vegetarian Recipes: Star Anise Flavored Boiled Peanuts
- In My Mother’s Garden: Neem Tree; Miracle Herb from India
- Scene in Hawaii: View from My Mother’s Hospital Room
- Scene In Hawaii: Rooster at the Shopping Center
- In My Mother’s Garden: Pakalana, One of My Favorite Fragrant Vining Flowers
- Cooking in Hawaii: Manoa Lettuce, My Favorite Salad Greens
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ginger Oil Chicken
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ahi Sashimi with Shiso, Chili Pepper, and Shoyu
- In My Mother’s Garden: Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
- In My Mother’s Garden: Red Ginger in Hawaii
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Kiawe Tree Revisited
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
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In My Mother’s Garden: Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
Shell Ginger, Honolulu, HI 12 August 2009
NOTE: DoT has been posting from Honolulu since late July when she left California to help her mother through some medical procedures. She will be doing so until she can return to Orange County.
DoT’s Thot: It has been said that you can’t go home again, but it is true that you can visit and remember times and things past. Here is another flower from times past.
Shell Ginger Hidden Among the Red Ginger
I was taking pictures of red ginger in my mother’s garden when I noticed some white among the green and red. “What could that be,?”, I thought to myself, pushing aside the red ginger stalks. Hidden among all the red ginger was this one blooming stalk of shell ginger.
I took the pictures, put them on my computer to show Mom. She was utterly surprised, telling me that the shell ginger had apparently disappeared some time ago. The stalk of blossoms is modest for the shell ginger, but we were so pleased to see the blooms. So, here is our garden scene in Hawaii to share with you.
Shell Ginger Closeup in My Mother's Garden
Close Up Details of the Shell Ginger
When you look at an individual shell ginger blossom, the name becomes even more appropriate. The pearly white outer petals, which look like little white shells, open to reveal a very pretty red veined yellow center. This ginger does not have the fragrance of my father’s favorite ginger, the fragile yellow ginger, but is a very pretty one to look at. This was a nice surprise for both Mom and me.
Aloha, DoT
Related Articles and References:
- Wikipedia: Alpinia zerumbet
- Flowers of American Samoa
- Wikipedia: Prosopis pallida
- Growing Bougainvilleas
- Prosopis pallida: kiawe, keawe, algaroba, mesquite by Kim and Forest Starr
Related Posts:
- Vegetarian Recipes: Star Anise Flavored Boiled Peanuts
- In My Mother’s Garden: Neem Tree; Miracle Herb from India
- Scene in Hawaii: View from My Mother’s Hospital Room
- Scene In Hawaii: Rooster at the Shopping Center
- In My Mother’s Garden: Pakalana, One of My Favorite Fragrant Vining Flowers
- Cooking in Hawaii: Manoa Lettuce, My Favorite Salad Greens
- In My Mother’s Garden: the White Hibiscus Dad Gave Mom
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ginger Oil Chicken
- Cooking in Hawaii: Ahi Sashimi with Shiso, Chili Pepper, and Shoyu
- In My Mother’s Garden: Red Ginger in Hawaii
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Kiawe Tree Revisited
- Scene in Hawaii: Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller in a Supermarket Garden Shop
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Bougainvillea “Dragons”
- Scene in Hawaii: Hawaiian Snowflakes, Rainbow Shower Tree Haiku
- A Note on Monarch Butterflies in Hawaii
- Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
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