Eventide- 28

Sun sets at La Jolla

La Jolla (pronounced ‘La Hoya’) is a beautiful seaside town of San Diego. Don’t know whether ‘town’ is the right word to describe the place; it is as quiet and serene as a village!
I witnessed the sunset from the Coast Walk Trail of the Shell beach in La Jolla.
Being a cloudy evening, the finale of the spectacle was not visible. Even then it was so enjoyable with the sunset glow lighting up the sky.
Cloudy or clear skies, sunsets are always enjoyable. These pictures are in the sequence of the unfolding event.

Smile of Earth- 27

Hibiscus flowers

The genus Hibiscus is a popular ornamental plant of the tropics. With showy flowers in myriad colours these are ubiquitous shrubby plants. The common species is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. In tropical climate the species requires least care compared to other ornamental plants.
Though the flowers are not scented their colour attracts nature lovers and others alike.
I read that Hibiscus is generally considered quite a feminine flower and in certain cultures these flowers are usually given to or worn by women.
In Victorian times, hibiscus bloom was gifted to acknowledge the receiver’s delicate beauty by the giver.
The colour of the flower is also considered to indicate certain emotions- like, yellow hibiscus is often associated with happiness and good luck. Red hibiscus is a symbol of love and passion. Pink hibiscus stands for friendship and love of friends.
Hibiscus tea from dried petals or flowers and their extracts in raw state were traditionally thought to help everything from heart disease to the common cold to luxurious hair growth!