I am back, for now anyway. I have a new camera which I got when I cashed in some bonus awards. The picture above, taken at dusk of our hibiscus, is record. Not bad for a barefoot hacker, right?

The mighty hibiscus doddered near death after a few wicked winter frosts. In late spring I cut it way back and hoped for the best. Hibiscus thrived during the hot dry part of the summer and feasted during our warm, wet monsoon season. The ground remains warm as the air has dried and nights longer. Now, hibiscus is throwing off buds like no one's business.

The specimen above displays the majesty of the hibiscus bloom. Notice the white ring around the epicenter of the bloom. The same bush will throw blooms that have a green ring in the middle or a red ring in the middle. Freaking spectacular!