Blue Sky Vine

Blue Sky Vine

Thunbergia grandiflora

(thun-BER-jee-uh) (gran-dih-FLOR-uh)

Synonyms: Bengal Clock Vine

This beauty was waiting for me in the petting zoo at Gatorland. We usually see this vine blooming when we get to Florida and this year was no different. Gatorland has really upgraded since I was last there 15 years ago. It truly is one of the few old roadside tourist attractions in Florida. It was the only place I saw live gators during the whole trip. Another interesting about these photo is it was shot using the 18-70mm zoom lens. Technically it's called the Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IFAF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens.

On the D700 camera (full frame) this lens auto crops down to 5 megapixels (instead of 12) since it is built for the smaller sensor cameras. In the view finder you can see where the edges of the photo will be but it still is a little tricky to remember to use those lines instead of the whole viewfinder. The lens came as a kit lens with my first DSLR a Nikon D70s. I almost didn’t buy it to save the $99 but said what the heck. Since getting that camera I have switched over to using fixed or prime lenses almost exclusively. It was fun to have some zoom and you can see that the lens is sharp with good color rendition and you can’t ask for anymore than that.

Karen put a big scratch in this lens by accident. It didn’t show up when taking most pictures but I didn’t like it being there. After using the lens as a paperweight for a time I took it down to the repair shop and asked if they could fix it. They had the part in stock and did the job for $58, which I happily paid. They also check the lens for specifications and adjust as needed. It is a very nice lens that I am happy to see it in my bag.

I am always a little irresolute in recommending vines in tropical climates. This one was beautiful and seemingly under control and gets good reviews from people growing it. Of course I am a sucker for any blue flower.

African Tulip Tree

African Tulip Tree
Spathodea campanulata
(spath-OH-dee-uh)
Synonyms: Fountain Tree, Firebell

Here is the first shot from the 80-200mm 2.8, used lens I got over the holidays. It was fun to be able to shoot this picture, as the flowers were many feet above the ground. The lens seems really sharp and auto-focuses well, which are two things I look at when evaluating a lens. It is not perfect but I am glad it is in my bag now.

This tree was blooming in the garden at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West. It is a definite must see attraction while visiting the island. This is a beautiful tree that has a few problems with its cultivation like being weak wooded and invasive. Those are minor problems compared to the beauty it brings to the tropical landscape. The bright orange flowers and deep green foliage is a striking combination.

I have the 18-70mm Nikon lens that was repaired before we left home here also. The front element was replaced due to Karen putting a deep scratch in it. For $63 it was well worth it. This lens came with my D70s as the kit lens and it is one of the best that Nikon has offered as a kit lens. Here is a quick picture of a Tropical Hibiscus that was shot with it. It is a sharp lens that has even a bit of a macro effect to it. It was weird having both the 80-200 and 18-70 on the cameras at the same time. I hardly ever use zoom lenses and it was taking a bit of getting used to.