Growing up in the same house for most of my childhood, I never really learned to appreciate the oasis that surrounded me. When friends and relatives came to visit, they seemed to be in awe of our little botanical garden. People were always coming over to collect clippings of plants for their yards (especially mondo grass) and my botanist friend came over to collect samples for her studies. I even remember complete strangers drove by once and offered money for a large fern we had in the front (they were declined.) But to me, it was just “our yard”. And then something incredible happened: I got a digital camera for my birthday. At that point, I began to see the world through a whole new light - through the eyes of a lens. Needing subjects to experiment with, I began snapping away in my parents’ yard - plants, flowers, creatures, moss, dirt, dogs... there were so many neat things that would make great pictures. My weekly family visits turned into photo sessions as I became rekindled with a beauty that I’ve never truly known before. For over thirty years, my mom has nurtured this small plot of land into a Hawaiian Garden of Eden filled with some of the most beautiful tropical plants I have ever seen. My dad contributes occasionally with the harder tasks such as cutting the hedges or tilling the soil. But my mom is the one who loves to spend time in the yard, and her passion for plants can be seen in every corner of this little paradise. If you tell my mom how beautiful her yard is, her usual humble response is "There's still so much left to do!" I think it's perfect the way it is... weeds, bugs, slugs, and all. To The Backyard>>