For my last day on Maui, I really wanted to explore the sea life a bit more. Ranked among the top 25 U.S. aquariums on TripAdvisor, choosing the Maui Ocean Center was a no-brainer. Everything about this

I photographed this flowering Texas barrel cactus, Ferocactus hamatacanthus, while at a succulent and cacti garden. Some other common names for this cactus include Turk's Head and Giant Fishhook, though

Haleakala National Park is located on the eastern side of Maui, and is dominated by the shield volcano Haleakala. Peaking at a height of 10,023 feet above sea level, this dormant volcano can be seen from

This photo of the tiger lily was taken while on one of the many hikes I did in California. It was just hanging there in the middle of the path, beckoning me to photograph it. Grown from bulbs, the tiger

I photographed this very interesting plant while on a hike in California. This is the cobweb thistle, a native species of California. I am not sure of the exact reason they got the name "cobweb

While hiking in the Sierras, I saw a group of these beautiful purple flowers growing out in a meadow. I thought they had such a unique shape and brilliant color. Turns out, what I photographed was the

I was lucky enough to find myself at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles just in time for their Butterfly Pavilion. Inside the enclosed area was many butterflies flitting about. They also had the

After a long day of exploring Santa Monica, I figured the perfect end to the day would be to watch the sunset. For me, there is something so wonderful about watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon.

I recently visited San Diego, and like many, found myself exploring Balboa Park. As a lover of nature, I found myself predictably drawn to the Botanical Building. Did you know that they care for over 2,100

Located in the southern portion of Maui, a little ways past Hana on the Hana Highway, lies the Seven Sacred Pools. This is actually just one of the monikers associated with this area, and is also referred

While visiting a botanical garden in California, I happened upon a group of these bright red flowers I had never seen before. I thought they looked just like ladybugs! Come to find out, they are actually

I found this jade vine, also called turquoise jade vine, growing along a fence at a local botanical garden. This woody vine is native to the Philippines and is actually closely related to beans. The colors

Taken from the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail, this is a view overlooking the beautiful southeastern shoreline and Koko Crater. I always find this view of the crater interesting, as you can make out the entirety

So today I decided to do something a little different. I usually like to include with my picture some information about what it is that I took; however, I have no idea what the name of this flower is.

I was visiting a local botanical garden when I spotted this bright red in a sea of green - I had to take a photo of this! As I approached closer, I noticed that this was in fact a pineapple. Now, most

I took this photo of a purple passion flower, or lilikoʻi as it is known in Hawaii, while on a recent hike. Did you know that there are over 530 species of passion flower? That is quite a lot! These plants

This photo was taken while I was hiking in Sequoia National Forest, located in California. The beautiful Silvery Blue (at least, what I believe to be a Silvery Blue) caught my eye, as it really stands

The Hana Highway is a very popular destination for tourists, as it is said to be one of the most scenic drives you can take. And rightly so! There are beautiful lookouts, lush tropical forests, and a multitude

I captured this photo of a green anole while I was working in the garden. At the time, it was stalking a beetle that I had accidentally unearthed while digging. Interesting fact: The green anole is sometimes

I took this photo at Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park, while driving around the leeward side of Oahu. It's not very well known, meaning I had the beach all to myself! The hill you see in the background is Mauna