Alice Looks Great In The Buff

One of my favorite songs we play in my band, King Bee, is Randy Newman's 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' made popular by Joe Cocker. It's one of those grinding, skanky, sweaty sounding grooves that make you want to get your naughty bits moving. "Baby take off your dress, reeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaal slow." 

I can't say I get as erotically stimulated looking at Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden in the winter, but there are plenty of luscious images that are worth a look. Once again, I grabbed my trusty point and shoot and surveyed the natural beauty of Santa Barbara's premiere botanical park. 

Alice In The Buff, posted at Edhat.com. There are more shots at my Flickr photo site.

Citrus & Aloe

Citrus & Aloe
Originally uploaded by gardenwiseguy

This cluster of aloe flowers caught my eye while I was researching a garden for an article. I don't know the aloe species, but the background is a navel orange. Wonderful how these serendipitous moments arrive while I've got my camera and my wits about me.

Click the photo for more shots at my Flickr.com site.

What I Did On My San Francisco Vacation, by Billy Goodnick

Martha Stewart calls it "repurposing." That's when you find the enamel lid from your mom's old Maytag washer, whip out your Swiss Army plasma torch, transform the shiny white square into a cut-out of Casper the Friendly Ghost and plant it in your foundation shrubs at Halloween.

Fortunately, I don't need super-nova heat to recycle last week's Edhat.com column. Click this and you can read about the adventures of Billy and his lovely but dangerous spousal support unit, Lin, as they take their first 'alone' vacation in 18 years. Then follow the bread crumb trail to my flickr.com site filled with photos from the Strybing Arboretum at Golden Gate Park.