Orange Invaders

The plants i am featuring here are very common plants with wide range of temperature tolerance. They are normally seen in parks and gardens for a very long time that we don't even think that they are not natives. I chose them here either as easily grown and/or invasive. But even if they are invasive, they are still grown for their beauty and their role with the insect population specially butterflies.

Ixora originated from India and Sri Lanka, now popular in tropical America like Florida and Texas and other tropical countries of the world. My orange Ixora is gathered by my mother from relatives and neighbors, now already a permanent resident in our garden, as it is planted on the ground as hedges.

 Lantana came from the tropical regions of America and Africa, later introduced to almost all places in the world. My orange lantana above is from a far province in the Visayas, which is Bohol, an island just recently hit by 7.2 magnitude earthquake. This is loved by our butterflies.

 Four o'clock, Mirabilis jalapa is also called Marvel of Peru because it came from South America, maybe one of which is Peru. It got the name because if opens in the afternoon and remains open till early morning the next day. It produces lots of seeds and also a root that also remains alive even during droughts. These characteristics make it an invasive species.

My niece and the daughter of my cousin, when they met after several years. My cousin's daughter is an OFW and come home only once-in-a while. They explore places, so i consider them invasives...hahaha!

NF-Blo-Ma

Orange You Glad It's Friday

Today's Flowers

Skywatching Non-stop!

Non stop skywatching! If you are living on the 5th Floor, with a window facing the west overlooking a landscape with patches of buildings here and there, an overpass at a distance crossing a major big highway, normally full of vehicles, potpouri of trees with houses, and a big sky; where will your attention be drawn into? I look at all of them, sometimes one patch at a time.

But of course, the sunset is what i always wait to capture. And sometimes i cut office hours to just anticipate its nice performance at the end of the day! I am so privileged to have this view, so i am happy always to share them with you.

When i am sitting on my sofa, this is my picture frame, adorned with my plants purposely planted for effects. The plants' ability to filter the pollution from the vehicles nearby is just secondary. At the right are ginger plants, while at the left are hippeastrum, all plantboxes placed on top of the airconditioning unit. 

 A few minutes after sunset, my picture frame becomes this, the highway lined with streetlights with the farthest tall structure being the church of Iglesia ni Kristo (Church of Christ). 

 The morning after a full moon night, i always wake up with a moon at the west, a few meters before setting in the horizon. This eventually fades fast because of the rising sun at the opposite end of the sky.

 Even with some clouds in the horizon the full moon still gives a lovely view. If i didn't tell you that this is the setting moon at the west, you might mistake it as sunrise or moon at the east with those colored rays.

Occassionally, i am also privileged to see a rainbow in the morning. In my three years of living in this building I have seen rainbow many times. Sometimes however, it is already fading when i look outside, just like this one which i suppose is longer and brighter a few minutes ago. Just like changes in sunset colors, rainbows also quickly fades. I might not be able to locate the pot of gold at its end, but the lovely feelings i have everytime is just like finding some gold, though just only a few ingots instead of bars!

My Sky

Skywatch Friday