Underwater Garden

Underwater Garden with freshwater shrimp, Aquarium Society Show, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. When you mention shrimp, most people think of the saltwater shrimp that you buy in a bag at the grocery store or get with cocktail sauce at the restaurant. However, the prawns that you buy are largely freshwater or brackish in origin. There are, as you might expect, a nice variety of freshwater custaceans that you can have in your aquarium in a wonderful assortment of colors. The same holds true for freshwater plants in a whole menagerie of shapes and colors. Keeping your fish from eating both your shrimps and your plants, however, may be challenging.

Beautiful Blue Beta

Beta splendens, Aquarium Society, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park. A stunning blue Beta Splendens with a striking white picotee/halo around his fins. These have certainly come a long way from the fish that lived in mud puddles in Southeast Asia.

Casa del Prado Theater

Casa del Prado Theater, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. The del Prado illustrates a fanciful re-invention of Spanish Baroque and Churrigueresque towers based on 17th and 18th century Spanish Baroque architecture.

Have you seen a Ghost?

Ghost Catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis. These little guys come from Borneo and Indonesia. They are transparent because they have no pigment and no scales (most catfish have no scales). They prefer the shade of caves, plants and logs and may be finicky eaters, preferring live food.

The Holy Ghost

Peristeria elata, the "Holy Ghost Orchid" or La Flor del Espiritu Santo. This is the national flower of Panama, where it is protected. It is nicknamed the Holy Ghost Orchid due to the alabaster white column and petals that resemble a white dove. It is also called the dove orchid. If you have a chance to see one of these, stop to smell it's wonderful fruit-like fragrance which is every bit as notable as its beauty.

White's Tree Frog

White's Tree Frog, Litorea caerulea, at the Aquarium Society Show compliments of Pet Kingdom! What a stunning turquoise! These guys are native to Indonesia and Australia and can live for up to 15-20 years of age! They are hardy and make good pets. They are also nocturnal, spending their days in one long siesta.

Happy Halloween

Halloween Urchin, Aquarium Society Show, Balboa Park. Credits to Chris for the handiwork on the urchin! So, from one urchin to another, Happy Halloween to one and to all!

Sweet Bread Recipe

Yummmm....

Ingredients
7 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
2/3 cup sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup pineapple juice
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
1.In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, potato flakes, sugar, yeast, salt and ginger. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, butter and pineapple juice to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2.Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
3.Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Shape each into a ball. Place in three greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4.Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Spiny Stuff

Close-up of a Jimson Weed Fruit, Datura meteloides. Jimson Weed is a common roadside plant that is related to petunias, tobacco, potatos, peppers, eggplants and tomatos. You can recognize them by their furry (hirsute) leaves. All are a bit toxic. Some more than others. I've been told that the toxin in tomatos and peppers causes allergic reactions in some people and joint pain in others. I'd guess that, in nature, the toxins keep bugs from making a meal of these attractive plants. In any case, Jimson weed is quite attractive with huge, tubular, trumpet-like flowers. It is also highly narcotic and has been known to be fatal. The fruit are spiny, resembling a green rambutan, but the resemblance obviously ends there. Still, they make nice photography subjects.