I Want to Go to There

I've been thinking a lot about Hawaii lately.

Sadly, I did not take this picture.

Not too sure why. Even though I live in Florida, I'm not particularly beachy. I do, however, love a good waterfall, rain forest, and constantly moderate climate. Florida has none of these.

This totally reminds me of Gilligan's Island. But it's not.

Furthermore, there are cute sea turtles...

... like this guy, found here.

And a laid-back, easygoing lifestyle.

The "aloha spirit" found here.

Three years ago, I bought a couple of plumeria plants. Now, I am decidedly NOT a plant person. Plants fear me, and rightly so. But I was  pretty determined to keep these bad boys alive. We went through three freezes, and each was a little hairy. But they survived. The guy I bought them from said they'd bloom in three years. He wasn't lying, and finally, this year they produced spectacular blooms.

This really is my picture.

Plumeria are what Hawaiian leis are made of. When I bought them (just like now) I had images of the islands in my mind. Don't they make you think of tropical isles?

La Isla Bonita

In my mind, I imagine moving there. My son grows up in paradise, "hanging ten" on the weekends, and surrounded by people who resemble him. I'm pretty sure this is just a pipe dream, but I glance at that possible future when I see my plumeria.