A Picture a Day of Lovely Hilo Town!

Wow! Has it been that long?

2012-01-12T18:55:00.000-10:00

Wow! Has it been that long? I just realized how long it's been since I posted a photo here...why have I been away so long? Guess I got super busy :) Resolution for 2012, get back to what I love and post here more often...

These young ladies where participants in Hilo's Queen Liliokulani festival down at the Queens park. Every year the festival occurs on the Queens birthday. Vendors supply tasty treats and goodies amid the many hula performers, but the piece de resisitance is a helicopter dropping a HUGE load of orchid blooms over the park! Can you imagine standing in this beautiful park surrounded by lovely hula performances, listening to wonderful Hawaiian musice while the sky rains orchid blooms? Wonderful memories :)

Double Rainbow over Hilo Hawaii...

2011-03-27T10:46:00.001-10:00

Double Rainbow over Hilo Hawaii...

I opened the door of my home early yesterday morning on my way to go paddle canoes in Hilo Bay and stopped dead in my tracks! There was this gorgeous, super bright, double rainbow filling up the sky! My husband quickly got a shot of it with his Palm Treo but it doesn't come close to showing how truly INTENSE the rainbow was. I was in Western Colorado during the Mount Saint Helens explosion and we had some incredible rainbows then (Like a Green one?) but this was extra special :)

Red Hibiscus...

2011-02-15T20:40:00.000-10:00

Some times you see something so intense it just grabs and holds your attention...the red of this Hibiscus was so striking against the deep green of the Hawaiian jungle that I just had to take a shot :) This Hibiscus lives in Fern Acres, a subdivision in the Puna District of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Aloha Braddah! Hung Kei Fat Choy! Celebrating the Chinese New Year in Hawaii

2011-02-12T17:24:00.000-10:00

Aloha Braddah! Hung Kei Fat Choy! I heard this today while at the Chinese New Year festival in downtown Hilo, classic Hawaiian pidgin greeting with a traditional Chinese prosperous new year wish :)

While watching the Keiki contest I noted again and again the incredible mix of races in Hawaii, especially in the keiki. As each child came on stage the announcer would read out the racial background (can you imagine that happening anywhere else?), for example... "this is little Kylia, she is 4 years old and she is Hawaiian, Chinese, Puerto Rican, Scottish, German and Chocataw Indian." Next child, "This is Brendan, he is 5 and is Portuguese, Korean, Irish and Tahitian", now the names have been changed but most often it was 4 or more nationalities and each child was cuter than the last. So sweet and well behaved. As with all children there where plenty of antics but no real misbehaving and the audience seemed to really enjoy the character of each child.

The group that struck my heart the most was the children of old neighbor of mine, she and her husband had adopted two little girls from China about 5-6 years ago, and are raising them to continue speaking their native tongue, as well as Hawaiian, English, Spanish and American sign language. And I had a hard time teaching my kids to be understandable in one language! A few years ago they had added a little boy from China to their family group and it was amazing to see how he had grown and how much more confident he is in only one year.

This face painter had set up a booth at the festival and she was the best advertisement for her art there could be, had a line 5-6 deep and was turning out the neatest face paint on the kids. Not your traditional unicorns and rainbows at this face paint booth!

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2011-02-10T07:24:00.001-10:00

Good morning Hibiscus :)

Mauna Loa Ginger...

2011-02-04T17:19:00.000-10:00

This unique and exotic looking ginger variety loves to grow in a area of the Big Island near the town of Volcano called Mauna Loa Estates... Hawaii has so many varities of Ginger! And each is more interesting than the last <3

Wild Bamboo Orchids in Leilani Estates Hawaii...

2011-02-02T10:10:00.000-10:00

This gorgeous Bamboo Orchid is growing wild (And thriving!) alongside the roadway in Leilani Estates (Hawaii/Big Island/Puna District). It always amazes me what we consider "wildflowers" in Hawaii :)

Lovely Fern in Nanawale Estates Hawaii...

2011-01-28T10:37:00.000-10:00

With my job I get out into the country alot! I mean a whole lot (Lucky me!) and I take bunches of photos for selling real estate, sometimes I luck out and a photo taken for my business will be so striking it can do double duty for my hobby :)

This Fern was growing on a vacant land lot in Nanawale Estates (Near Pahoa Village on the Big Island), the sun came through the Ohia trees just right and poof! Magic time!

Lucky I live Hawaii :)

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2011-01-01T17:01:00.001-10:00

Kadamotsu vases waiting for the new year :)

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2010-12-16T16:34:00.001-10:00

This little green "Kona" gecko was hiding out on a bed in a listing I was previewing. The cute thing is that he was hiding under the sign that said to please stay off the bed! Guess it doesn't apply to Geckos :)

Out Rigger Canoe Regatta in Kona Hawaii...

2010-06-21T09:45:00.003-10:00

This was my Crew for the Novice A outrigger canoe race at the June 12th regatta in Kona Hawaii, great group of gals that Paddle with HEART! This is directly off the Kona pier, look at that water :)

Hawaiian Chickens! And I don't mean Huli Huli, though they are Wiki Wiki :)

2010-04-07T14:30:00.002-10:00

Hawaiian Chickens! And I don't mean Huli Huli (Rotisserie), though they are Wiki Wiki (really fast)!

The other day my oldest yelled to me that we had chicks! My first thought was "I knew that we weren't finding all the eggs!" One of the hens had gotten quite good at hiding them from us :) Sure enough, there she was, proudly displaying her 4 chicks. So cute & fluffy! Look at them trying to eat the pellets, it was all I had when they arrived and we have since put them on chicky crumbles.
The next day we had 5! I chose to let my free range hen raise them herself, and due to the natural attrition rate (our cats haven't touched them and appeared to be rather frightened of the hen that doubles in size and SCREAMS at them whenever they come close), we are now down to 2. But we do have Mongoose and Hawks and I think survival of the fitest has come into play as the chicks that didn't stick close to mom are the ones missing. :(
They seem to be doing really well and are fully feathered out now, heading to a new home this week. I will miss seeing them but I think one of the other hens is already looking for a new place to hide her eggs :))

Puna Canoe Club! Hawaii's AAA 2009 Champions...

2010-02-23T18:04:00.003-10:00

Puna Canoe Club has announced its practice/work schedule for the upcoming 2010 season.

It includes:

* Feb. 27-28: Canoe repair and maintenance.

* March 1: Conditioning program for youth groups, with boys practice from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; and girls from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

* March 3: General membership meeting, 4:30 p.m. at Hilo Bayfront halau.

* March 15: Race practice starts for youth groups.

* March 20: Novice B men and Novice B women practice, 5 p.m.

* April 5: Men/women practice, 5 p.m.

For additional information, call head coach Afa Tuaolo at 965-7614 or youth coach Joe Kalima at 895-0430.

I bet that paddle fits your hand! Come meet with some of the paddlers and GET IN THE WATER!

P.S. The picture is of the winning Novice B Womens crew from 2009, the short strawberry blond is me :)

Hawaii's Puna Canoe Club General Membership Meeting tonight!

2010-01-22T09:48:00.004-10:00

Would you enjoy being a member of a organization that is challenging and rewarding? Where you will be engaged in intensively physical activity in one of the most beautiful environments on earth while meeting the most incredible people? Develop friendships that will last your entire life? Then you want to be a Paddler! Puna Canoe Clubs General Membership Meeting is tonight, January 22nd at 4:30, if you are in the area come on down and see what all the buzz is about :)

This picture is of Punas open women at the end of the awesome 2009 Queen Liliokalani race on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii... Strong minds/Strong bodies/Strong hearts <3

Hawaiian Whales say Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T10:07:00.005-10:00

Is this cute or what!? I have always loved this mural (painted on the lower wall of a home on Paradise Alakai in HPP), but this year the home owners really made a cute statement! Humpback whales and dolphins are commonly seen off the coast near this home, sometimes you can even hear them sing when it's real quite at night. And this year they are helping to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Gecko Brothers...

2009-12-15T10:27:00.004-10:00

This little guy was hanging out in my conference room the other day, wonder if he thinks the "Big Gecko" will protect him? He really wanted to stay with him... we have lots & lots of geckos in Hawaii. On the Big Island there are two primary types, we call them Kona geckos (west side and I think they are actually Madagascar day geckos?) and Hilo geckos or Blond geckos. The Kona geckos are bright green with blue, red, etc... very colorful. The Hilo geckos are like this guy, very washed out or "Blond". But... the Hilo geckos change their coloration to suit the environment, kind of like a Chameleon but not as dramatic, they also have a geometric pattern along the spine which they can darken to stand out or lighten to be unnoticeable. They usually just get lighter or darker and can range from grey to brown in hue. They are very timid by nature and love to lay eggs behind switch plate covers. The Kona geckos are much more aggressive and have been known to EAT there Hilo brethren, blech! I found two eggs on top of my bag of chicken feed the other morning and I have them in a tea cup in my window sill so they can hatch, I will try to post pictures if I catch them in the act. :))

Hilo Landmark Comes Down!

2009-11-08T12:02:00.003-10:00

It was a fire hazard, a rat trap and termite ridden! But we will still miss it! This is the corner of Keawe Street and Mamo Street, it was the site of Ohana grill for many years as well as numerous little shops and lunch counters over the decades...it really was a mess and needed to come down before some one got hurt, but it looks kinda naked around here without it :) Not sure what the owners are going to do now, really ought to leave it as parking which downtown desperately needs.

Partridges in Hawaii?

2009-11-07T13:58:00.003-10:00

Partridges in Hawaii? Well, yes...at least I think they are Partridges? These cute little guys hang out in the Kohala Mountain region, a area most people would not recognize as Hawaii at all :)

This shot is taken from a road in the Kohala Ranch subdivision, this is where the Partridges like to live, lovely view but windy and dryer than most of the Big Island (Except the Ocean View area of Kau)...thats whats great about the Big Island, 11 of the 13 recognized climate zones! Something for everyone!

Lovely Hawaiian Ginger...

2009-10-16T15:31:00.004-10:00

This lovely Ginger is growing in Hawaiian Acres in the Puna district, not far from Hilo... Most people are familiar with ginger from their ginger bread or ginger snap cookies, but most varieties of ginger either can not be eaten or have little if any flavor. But they do have some spectacular blooms and striking foliage!

The drive from Keaau to Volcano is lined with patches of White Ginger, Yellow Ginger and Kahili Ginger...the aroma is fantastic! Makes for a lovely drive...

Best Jewelry Booth at the Hilo Farmers Market...Honest!

2009-10-01T15:41:00.011-10:00

This is Kahili Hahn of the Jewelry making duo of Kahili Hahn and Mara Mayo at their open market booth this past Wednesday...Kahili and her mother Mara make some of the most exquisite jewelry I have ever seen!

Most of the items are made with precious or semi precious gems and gemstones...

Mara does the beadwork...while Kahili focuses on more "fun" pieces...

I adore the blue necklace above but I think the Green one below is my favorite...

But the center piece of this necklace just takes my breath away!

If you are interested in any of these pieces or would like to see more of their work, just drop by the Hilo Farmers market any Wednesday or Saturday, you are sure to be impressed and delighted!

Outrigger Canoe Club Quilt...

2009-07-23T19:58:00.004-10:00

Aunty Maile helped make this quilt many years ago...it is very very cool! Every "Patch" is the design from one clubs Logo, and they where taken from each clubs cotton jerseys so the quilt is nice and soft. You can see my clubs patch, it is on the top row second from the left (the green one). It was hanging from the judges stand during our Moku O Hawaii regatta on July 18th, this regatta was the Aunty Maile Championship for which teams are the Big Island Champs. And I am very stoked because my crew won Gold in our race and helped the club bring in enough points to rank second in the regatta! Which meant we qualified for the State Championship race being held right here in Hilo Bay on August 1st! This is going to be sooo fun!

Awesome Car Show in Hilo Hawaii!

2009-07-14T08:54:00.007-10:00

Isn't this just the smexiest car you have ever seen?

And if that doesn't make your heart beat faster, how about this one?

Or check out the snake skin interior of this one...

But this nod to the classics takes the cake!

This car show is held on the Bay front lawn in down town Hilo, right across from Hilo Bay. What a great day; tradewinds, blue sky, ocean waves, palm trees and gorgeous cars!

Orchid Lei Making in Hilo Hawaii...

2009-07-13T08:57:00.002-10:00

Some of the Puna Canoe club wahines making orchid Leis for the 4th of July Regatta at Hilo Bay. These ladies had dozens and dozens of Orchid Leis strung soooo fast! We made the braided Ti leis the day before and I chose to do the Red Ti leaf which proceeded to ooze purpley red sap all over me, I looked like a bad scene out of "Carrie" or something.

What a fantastic day! Antique car show, Bar-b-que cook off, the outrigger canoe regatta and the awesome 4th of July festivities on top of the normal busy Saturday schedule. Followed by an awesome Puna Potluck! Lucky I live Hawaii!

Outrigger Canoe Paddling On the Big Island of Hawaii!

2009-05-19T18:42:00.002-10:00

Isn't it gorgeous, Koa Canoes are incredibly beautiful and horribly expensive, we just don't have Koa trees big enough anymore...We sure enjoy this one!

This picture is from Saturday May 16th, I recently joined Puna Canoe Club and this was not only my first race but the first race of the season! It was held in beautiful Kona Bay and the Dolphins & Honu (Sea Turtles) came to watch! And some seemed to want to race with us as they came right in close, actually the whole pod was between the finish line and the judges booth for quite awhile...sooo cool!

This picture is of part of the club putting the canoe into the protected inlet before taking it out to the open water of Kona Bay. No the whole club isn't wahines, we have plenty kane as well (could use more though, so if you like to paddle come down to Hilo Bay Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday at 3:00-3:30 and talk to a coach!).

This was the Novice beginner womens first race ever and we came in 6th out of 12, someone said that we were about 2 seconds behind the winner! Are we ever stoked! And Saturday the 23rd is our next race! So if anyone is interested come on down to the Kona Pier about 8:00 Saturday AM and watch the races, plenty good fun!

Rainbow Wahine of Hawaii.

2009-04-27T15:14:00.002-10:00

The Merrie Monarch festival has come & gone for another year...I can't wait for next year! These performers in their colorful dresses really lit up the night for us! A huge Mahalo to everyone who makes this splendid festival possible! Not only the dancers, let us not forget the support staff that gives their all, the community members that volunteer their time and the families that have sacrificed to support everyone! Mahalo Nui Loa!

My Hawaii Kitty Cat!

2009-04-14T10:26:00.001-10:00

This is my kitty...she is so soft! As far as we can tell, she is a Siamese mix...we picked her up at the Hilo Famers Market back on 2003 from a family giving away kittens on the sidewalk. Since she is a Hawaiian Kitty she doesn't mind the rain and often comes in the house completely soaked! Because she is Siamese she can be a little, well...umm, Crazy. The kids call her "sketch" because she jumps at things that aren't there and goes all twitchy for no obvious reason. I tell them she sees with cat eyes and hears with cat ears, and while those are things we can not see or hear that doesn't mean they aren't there. That usually freaks them out for about 10 minutes... she is also the most affectionate cat ever! Loves the laps. The other day the family was watching a movie and we were all in non lap conducive positions...she stood in front of the TV and cried until one of us provided a lap, she immediately took advantage and slept the next two hours in my sons lap...and she complained loudly every time he tried to move! Oh yeah... her name is C.A.T. say it out loud as you spell it... sounds like See A Tee ;))

Pohoiki Bay Canoe Race...

2009-04-07T10:26:00.002-10:00

We had a Canoe race down at Pohoiki Bay about a week ago, the weather was awesome (especially after weeks & weeks of rain!), and everyone was out enjoying the sunshine! The racers started showing up before 7:00 AM and by 7:45 there were canoes everywhere! All of the great colors shining in the sun, wonderful sight. I recently joined the Puna Canoe Club, great club with awesome coaches (yes I am currying favor ;)) a tough work out but very rewarding. Come join us! Or at least buy Chili Tickets (our first fundraiser for canoes, etc... repairs).

Tweet me at @alohatrevella

Hawaiian Jade... for Bernice and James...

2009-03-21T14:16:00.000-10:00

Isn't this gorgeous? This is a Turquoise Jade vine blooming at a friends house, the color is indescribable! Turquoise, baby blue, green, purpley blue, etc... The first time I saw a Jade Lei I thought it was dyed (like they sometimes do with carnations) because the colors where just unreal. Than I saw an arch over a driveway in Kaumana Hawaii and the vine had grown over it with dozens of the 2-4 foot bloom bracks hanging down over your car as you enter the property, just beautiful! A rarer site is the Red Jade, just as striking but much harder to grow. A nursery in Orchid Land Estates Hawaii has a 20-30 foot stretch of fence line covered with the red blooming plant, wow! It is a very striking display...

This blog post is for Bernice & James...may you find all of the blooms you desire and deserve in Hawaii, Welcome!

Lush & Exotic Hawaiian Ferns?

2009-02-20T08:47:00.004-10:00

Aren't these exotic & lush looking? Can't you just imagine them growing around a cool & shady waterfall, deep in the rainforest just waiting for you to relax on their aromatic comfort? Well... you probably wouldn't want to do that if you hoped to have any carrots for your carrot cake! Yep that's what they are...not some lovely tropical fern thriving in the jungles of Hawaii, just plain old straightforward carrots growing in a raised bed in my front garden ;)) Isn't it funny how our perspective changes? Sometimes we just need to look at the same old things with new eyes to see the beauty that was always there...

Ok, enough with the musings...yes we grow carrots in Hawaii, I grow mine in raised beds about 3 feet off the ground. Having them raised so high has pros & cons, some of the cons are that my space becomes limited to containers I can purchase or build and the load bearing of normal materials (2 X 4's etc...), and I have to stay on top of the watering as they run out much quicker than plants in the actual ground. Some of the pros are that the raised bed is much more accessible (no bending to weed or harvest), the wild pigs have a harder time destroying my crops and the slugs are much easier to control. Also weeding is almost non existent & it is very easy to amend the soil & fertilize, I don't seem to loose as much of the additives now. All in all it is a success, about 70%-80% of our vegies and all of the fresh herbs are coming from my little garden, & that really helps with the grocery bill!

Sun Bathing Hawaiian Anole!

2009-01-22T11:00:00.003-10:00

This little guy was enjoying the sun on a red ti leaf near a lot I have listed in Hawaiian Acres, he didn't want to move out of his sun beam no matter what! I can appreciate that, we have all been freezing lately! It must be all of 60 degrees! Time to pull out the long underwear! (we are notorious wimps, half the people in Hawaii don't even own jackets and we end up using a beach towel or a sarong to cover up with)! If it drops to below 50 you will just find a bunch of popsicle people standing around...brrrr (do I detect a lack of sympathy?).

This photo is curtesy of Larkin Hathaway...

Bait under the bridge?

2009-01-10T11:07:00.006-10:00

The other day I was out on Coconut Island with a friend (Larkin Hathaway) and we were trying to get some great pictures of Hilo Town from across the bay (Our new web site needs a great front page!), what we got instead was pictures of these cute little fish! I have no idea what they are but the local fishermen call them "bait", they were clustered under the bridge to the island in the shallower water to either end and they must have numbered in the millions! It looked & moved just like a bait ball you see in the deeper ocean but the fish were just tiny! The first shot is from looking over the bridge rail, the white is the glare of the edge of the bridge.

It was fascinating to watch this group of fish wheel & turn in concert, I could have watched them for hours and I really really wanted to get in the water, but work was calling so we had to head in. Next time I am going in board shorts and tucking my flippers in the car!

Credit for these photos goes to Larkin Hathaway!

Hawaiian Poinsettia in the Wild...well, kinda wild...

2008-12-22T09:37:00.002-10:00

I say "Kinda" wild because it is really in my driveway, which can be pretty wild if I don't get out and hack back the growth!

This is what they look like when growing in a yard, a little blemished and crinkled but still striking just the same. I received this poinsettia about 2 years ago and left it in the pot since then (I know, how lazy am I!?), I stuck it in the ground about 2 months ago and this is how it rewards me! I guess it's happy to be able to stretch it toes!

Here is a very interesting article about Poinsettias, mine is growing at about 700' elevation in Puna District of Hawaii and the most amazing display of Poinsettias I have ever seen is along the Hwy in South Kona (West side of the Big Island), I really need to get (& post) a photos of that!

Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Hawaiian Ohia Tree...

2008-12-11T15:54:00.005-10:00

Often when reading articles about Hawaii you will run across mention of Ohia Trees, but rarely are there photos of these lovely trees. This one is in Fern Acres, they tend to be tall & slim but will branch from all levels. Here is a article with a lovely story about the Ohia Tree Legend.
They can bloom at almost any time throughout the year but do have heavier blooming seasons, and when the Lehua flowers are in bloom the bees just swarm! They love these flowers so much and it makes the best Honey! They also make lovely leis from the leaves & the red flowers, but my favorite is the Liko Lehua, the new keiki leaves on the young ohia are a dusty red and smooth textured, they really show up against the green green forest. And Ohias are very adaptable, In Kau (A dryer, wind swept region) the Ohias look like Bristol Cone pine, all gnarly & bent with rugged bark, in upper Puna (lush and moderate temps) they tend to be broader and taller, straight limbed trees). They are very slow growing and can be quite touchy to adverse outside elements (like lawnmowerimpactitise) but often are the first trees to become established on a lava flow and are one of the first plants period to grow on a lava field (not including lichen & such). Pretty amazing tree...

Sour Hawaiian......Cucumber?

2008-12-10T16:29:00.003-10:00

Don't they look like cucumbers? But they aren't, these are Bilimbi, a tropical fruit related to the star fruit.
We were offered some through Freecycle and went to a new friends house to pick them, what fun! And nowhere in all the articles I read did anyone truly explain how incredibly SOUR they are! Wow!!! I am not sure what to do with them? Good flavor but they could probably peel the paint off my car! I dipped them in salt (interesting flavor combo, kinda like salt & vinegar chips at the fair), I cooked them with sugar and they jelled up pretty good, but there was more sugar than Bilimbi at that point. I also tried to make a juice and that we were able to add to a cherry cool aide, it tasted similar to strawberry lemonade.
My friend has lots & lots, so if any one has a really good "recipe" please share...

Hawaiian Keiki and Water Hyacinth Pool...

2008-11-24T16:52:00.005-10:00

This little sweety was enjoying her visit to Kalakaua Park in downtown Hilo the other day, she was just so engrossed in the water weeds she had found to play with. The shallow pond she is standing next to is also home to some huge Koi! It's neat to watch the flash of orange slide in & out from under the water Hyacinth, especially when the hyacinth is in bloom, the blossoms are a striking purple and it shows off against the green leaf and the black rock so nicely...

Thirsty Hawaiian Doggie!

2008-11-05T11:12:00.004-10:00

We saw this cute couple with there doggie out to the Lava flow the other day...talk about a well prepared couple! They even had the pups water bottle packed! Now that's considerate owners...it gets real hot out there on that hike to the ocean entry but they had it covered...we need more pet owners like them!

Basking Anole...

2008-10-22T19:28:00.003-10:00

I was out taking property photos in a sub division called Fern Acres the other day and I caught this guy checking me out from a Hapuu fern leaf. He was very calm and really not ready to abandon his place in the sun, just kept a very watchful eye on me while I got this photo.

Hawaiian Ladybug!

2008-10-09T10:52:00.004-10:00

This little gal (guy?) was cruisin around one of the lots my company has for sale in Hakalau (on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island), she just kept landing on all these perfect items as back drops...and I just kept taking photos! We don't have many ladybugs here, I think the predator bug competition may be to much for them, or they may fall prey to the skinks & geckos themselves...whatever the reason I really enjoyed this rare visit.

Now, how did this Kayak get here?

2008-09-20T12:29:00.002-10:00

No it wasn't a Tsunami or Hurricane Ike... I came into work the other morning to find a lovely yellow Kayak occupying the teeny tiny space between my building and the neighboring one (It's barely big enough to walk into). My office is the windows at the top of the screen to the left...the beigey pink building (official name is the Chock Building as it is owned by the Chock family).

It just looked so incongruous next to a busy street with cars, etc... (even though we are just about a block up from the Pacific Ocean/Hilo Bay) but the colors were so striking...I believe the owner works in the Blue building and stored it here for safekeeping until after work...and it was a beautiful day, perfect to get in/on/around the water!

Punaluu Honu catching a few ZZZ's

2008-07-07T11:06:00.002-10:00

Well, he really isn't sleeping, more like recharging...they come up from the depths to warm up and get some sunshine. This guy was hanging out at Kau's Punaluu beach...very cool place to enjoy the "Big Blue".
The sea turtles are always a awesome sight...I have been snorkeling and had one come up on my side and gently bump me (a little nerve wracking when you are out in the water with your face down!), I backed away (you aren't supposed to touch them or even be close to them because they can get diseases from us...) and he scooted right in front of me to start munching the algea on a rock I was in front of! Guess I was holding up the line to the salad bar! ;)

Aloha Hoyte and Joyce! Here is a Plumeria for you...

2008-06-26T13:46:00.002-10:00

Early the other morning as I was getting ready for work we had a bit of a cloud burst so I waited to leave until it was over...as I was dashing to the car I saw that my Plumeria had bloomed and was sparkling in the dawn sunlight with the rain beaded up on it so prettily... so I just had to get a photo. I wish I could share how lovely it smelled, sweet, fresh and fragrant.

Aloha Hoyte and Joyce...hope you enjoy the plumeria, if you scroll through the photos there are some shots of the kids as well... All my love, Trevella

Where do Red Landscaping Cinders come from? Well, from Hawaii's red lava of course...

2008-05-05T17:37:00.003-10:00

The other day I was in the Big Islands Kau District in a HUGE subdivision called Hawaii Ocean View Estates (HOVE for short) and we ran across this cinder pit. HOVE has a number of cinder pits operating with in it's borders, but this one is especially colorful! We were so struck by it that we had to pull over and get some photos.

You can see the "nibble" marks on the pit walls were the equipment has been pulling down more material, and check out all the different colors...I remember as a kid helping my mother do yard work and make colorful flower beds with red cinders, I was no stranger to red dirt (coming from Colorado) but this was a entirely different animal. Mom explained that it came from a volcano but she really didn't know much more than that then.

So now when you pick up a bag of Hawaiian cinders for your landscaping project, no matter what color...you have a good chance of having seen one of the pits they may have come from!

Beautiful Kehena Beach in East Hawaii...

2008-04-28T18:05:00.004-10:00

I was out in Kalapana Seaview estates today taking photos of a land lot I just listed when my Broker suggested we stop by Kehena Beach...I had never been to Kehena Beach before (it is our, ahem..."clothing optional", beach in east Hawaii. Actually, almost any beach on the Big Island of Hawaii tends to be fairly "clothing optional"...) and Aunty Betty (my fellow agent) agreed we should go...so we did!

What a gorgeous little hide away! A bit of a climb down to the beach but very much worth the hike...with in 5 seconds my shoes were off (just the shoes, I swear...) and my toes were in the water, ahhh...so nice. We took all of 30 minutes to hike down and back up, but it was a fantastic refresher in the middle of the day. I love my job! No, everyday is not like this, most are 7:00 AM to after 7:00 PM on computer and phones, etc... but days like this make up for it! And I am just thankful to have a job, period!

Merrie Monarch Island Princess on Horse back...

2008-04-24T16:00:00.002-10:00

Aren't those Leis gorgeous! The orange one around her neck is actually 3 braided strands of the Ilima flower which is about as big around as a dime! So what you see here is thousands of those little flowers strung back to front.
The Lei makers art is just incredible! Hours and hours of effort for something beautiful but not durable, most leis will last for only 1-3 days! But they are so worth it while you have them...
Soon it will be May day and in Hawaii May day is Lei day and we have the lei competitions...I will post some photos of the incredible creations that get entered into the competition. Look into my Archives and you can see some from last year...

Hawaiian Cowboys!

2008-04-16T12:03:00.002-10:00

This Paniolo is a attendant to one of the island Princesses, great parade & look at that gorgeous lei!

Hilo Hawaii's Merrie Monarch Parade...

2008-04-14T08:12:00.004-10:00

Merrie Monarch is over for another year... and the response waivers between relief that all of the chaos is over, TO regret that we have to wait another year to enjoy it again! On the very last day we get the PARADE! And as with all parades, the horses are the stars...and in Hawaii we have the Paniolos (Hawaii has had Paniolos since around 1793!), so here are some photos of "Cowboys" and Cowgirls ;)) Hawaiian Style!

The leis that the horses wear are matched by their riders leis and are beautiful beyond belief!

Over the next week or so I will be focusing on more horsey photos, as well as pics of the Hula competition at the Edith Kanakeole Stadium in downtown Hilo.

Hawaii's Thurston Lava Tube...

2008-04-01T14:37:00.004-10:00

My daughter & I went for a hike the other day in the Thurston Lava Tube, and this photo is of yours truly at the very end of the lava tube, I am sitting on what was originally the flowing lava that filled the "tube" before the flow "petered out" (anyone know where that term came from? It is very fun to say ;}) As you can see, the roof of the tube and the top of the flow meet...I laid on my tummy & could touch the back wall with my fingertips. It is very cool and moist but not wet in the tube and if you turn off your flashlights and just sit for a while you begin to see images in the dark as your eyes struggle to adjust to the total absence of light. And pretty soon you can hear your heart beat, & then the person your with's heart beat...pretty surreal & very cool.

And this is my daughter in the same place...notice our flashlights, most important thing to take on the hike!

This end of the tube is past the "public" area, most people stop at the gate thinking they are not allowed any further. Not true, the gate is not locked and you just need closed toed shoes and flashlights to hike the rest of the way in. There is one good sized gallery that I want to go back and explore further.

The public section is a fun quick hike for most visitors, though I feel that the electric lights and such rob it of some of it's charm...I do understand why it had to be done after watching the dichotomy of people visiting the tube though...one lady even had a oxygen tank!

This hike is worth the trip, and it's especially fun to take the chain of craters road and look at all of the different pukas, Kiluea & Puueo gets all the press but over the years there has been a lot of action on this mountain and it is a good reminder to us all that this system is still alive & kickin.

Check out this link for a neat site I found when surfin around for more info on the Lava Tube Click here and then go to the "where the name came from" link. And this link has some nice photos...

Visiting Hawaii's "SAFE" lava flow...

2008-03-21T09:41:00.002-10:00

This is some of the kids getting smarmy for the camera when we hiked out to the Lava flow...it was like a whose who of Hawaii out there that Sunday, everyone was stopping to visit with family/friends/neighbors/co-workers, etc... all we needed was cold beer & pupus to make it a right old party! Yes it was a little irreverent but there was actually a lot of awe & respect for the power of Mother Nature/Pele/God, etc...and people were watching out for each other, so that was cool.

One commenter asked if it was safe to be this close? Excellent questions with a quick answer...NO! It falls under the category of acceptable risk and that's a personal choice. People always want you to tell them that it's going to be A-ok and no one will ever get hurt...well, that's just not true. This volcano is not "TAME" or safe, or dependable, etc... we really do not know what it is going to do next, Click Here for article. And we need to keep that up most in our minds, even when we are trekking out to be amazed!

And yes, I felt a lot safer than if I were, oh, say... skydiving or something...but that's just me...

Hawaiian Lava Monster...

2008-03-20T09:19:00.003-10:00

The lava formations have always fascinated me, so this is a wonderful opportunity to catch nature in the act, so to speak. It's shape brings to mind so many diffrent things, kind of like cloud watching, what do you see?

Volcanic eruption reaches the ocean...Hawaii flocks to see...

2008-03-10T18:10:00.004-10:00

The steam plumes you can see in the back ground are from the fresh lava hitting the ocean...very cool! And as you can see, approximately half the population of Hawaii was on the Lava flats to see the most recent "toe" of the current flow! 2-3 mile walk from parking but very much worth it & everyone was in a very good mood. You can see the Live Lava right behind the folks in the picture. We saw lot of incredible formations and many offerings...I will try to post quite a few of them over the next few days.

Hawaiian Bull?

2008-02-27T19:23:00.003-10:00

This is not the best quality picture as the light was very low...but I think this is one of the most gorgeous bulls I have ever seen...and that's coming from a old farm & ranch girl! The most beautiful bull I have ever seen was a simply enormous cross breed Brahma/? (Maybe Charlei) bull that was silver with black points (Like a Siamese cat), he had so much dignity (or maybe it was just his size?!) and had a beautiful face. I saw him in the sale ring at a auction in Western Colorado 8-9 years ago.

But this guy was hanging out near a property I was previewing in Waikea Uka, looks like he is used to getting his evening treat at this fence...a couple of cows were hanging around as well and the were very comfortable with my vehicle being so close, not skittish at all, must be pretty used to it.

Hawaiian Butterfly...

2008-02-13T12:24:00.004-10:00

This little guy came to visit when I was doing some yard work...He stayed on this monstera leaf for the longest time while I worked around him...I don't even know what kind it is, but I so enjoyed him (her?).

Sunrise at Queen Lilli Park...

2008-01-24T08:58:00.001-10:00

I just happened to be a few minutes ahead of schedule this morning...and whenever that happens I like to take a quick drive around Queen Lilli park in Hilo. It is a ocean park but is very well protected from ocean waves & such...the ocean is just across a small road, maybe 20-30 feet from the main park and continues down one side of the park for approximately a half mile.

This gorgeous park is scattered with benches for sitting and contemplating, around every corner there is a "view", maybe a blooming tree, a neat statue or a memorial...and lots of different textures have been used.

The pervading sense is of peace...not to say the park is not well used! Sometimes I think 1/2 of Hilo is walking their dogs, jogging, or picnicking in the park. Even at 7:00 in the morning I had to wait to get this photo with no one in it...it's lovely to see it so enjoyed, it is so refreshing to spend just a few minutes remembering why you work so hard, it revitalizes you for the rest of the day!

Sea Cave...

2008-01-21T09:52:00.000-10:00

This is the beginning of a sea cave developing off the shore line in Lower Puna, the pink color on the rocks is a algae growth and it is especially preferred by the local variety of Opihi, a edible mollusk that is a tradition Luau food in Hawaii.

Hawaiian Pineapple...

2008-01-18T17:27:00.000-10:00

We were discussing our up coming Pineapple crop the other day and I thought I would share a few photos with everyone...some people have never seen a pineapple on the stalk... This pineapple is in my woefully ignored Pineapple bed, I have a great plan about the rotation but it rarely happens. Theoretically every 2-3 harvest you need to pull up the old plant & replace it, at my house we just plant the tops of the pineapple we just ate and whenever the old plants make pineapples that are to small we pull them out. This one should have been pulled out probably last harvest but I love the tiny Pineapples it makes! Just enough for 1-2 people, some people like a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I like them naked, just the way they come...the one in the photo didn't get much bigger before it ripened.

You can see the thick stalk holding it up from the parent plant which is actually just a top of the previous pineapple set into the cinder soil (we don't have much dirt here, so we use crushed lava cinders. As you can see it doesn't seem to slow them down!)

This is the same Pineapple viewed from above...I love the way the leaves are so symmetrical in their arrangement, and when it rains the water cascades from leaf ring to leaf ring and then flows over the pineapple down to the main plant and then the ground & roots.

I have always wanted a Bronze statue/fountain of a pineapple for a water element in my garden or that pool I am going to finish some day...never enough time in the day for all the cool things we want to do & see...

In The Curl...

2008-01-10T10:16:00.000-10:00

This is the view from one of my favorite beach parks located at the end of a subdivision named Hawaiian Shores in the Puna District...for some reason the weather is almost always grand in this area and you can stand right on the cliff walls over the ocean & feel the ground shake from the waves crashing onto the rocky shore below.

Oftentimes you can see whales just off shore as the ocean deepens pretty quickly here. But you never see surfers taking advantage of the gorgeous curls as the coast line is incredibly treacherous with lots of partially hidden rocks.

But the Opihi (edible mussels) love the constant wash of water and they are abundant, probably because they are fairly protected from being over harvested due to the danger of getting to them!

This is a closer view of the curl just starting to barrel, check out that reflection (maybe it is bubbles? Or maybe it is a leviathan coming up from the deep ;))

Very fun afternoon, great place to grab lunch & 30 minutes for a perspective break...& lovely at sunset as you get the reflected sunset colors on the ocean clouds, & a nice fresh trade wind usually comes in at dusk. You could almost imagine you can hear the whales singing to each other...

What A Beautiful Day!

2008-01-08T10:34:00.000-10:00

We have had so much rain in east Hawaii the last 2 months that we all started growing gills in self defense!

But the last few days have been gorgeous! Reminds us why we are "lucky to live Hawaii!".

This view is of the back side of the Hotel run on Banyan Drive...I am standing in the parking area of lovely Coconut Island to take this shot.

We saw schools of fish erupting out of the water (I have no idea what they were feeding on as I couldn't see anything), some colorful tropical fish, a knife fish & 3 Sea Turtles! (of course there is no picture of them as I left the camera in the car, dang it...) One was just huge, definitely a grandaddy (or mommy) of turtles, and I was able to watch it for 3-4 minutes as it leisurely swam away...

Great way to start the day!

Painted Eucalyptus Tree...

2007-12-18T13:49:00.000-10:00

This is a Painted Eucalyptus and it has to be my favorite (non-fruit) tree, this one is growing on the road side of a property in Hawaiian Acres (Puna District) and is absolutely huge...this whole property boundary is very striking as there are many of the Eucalyptus mixed in with the Norfolk pines, it makes a great mix!
That's Hawaii for you...you never know when to expect something beautiful!

Purple Powder Puffs!

2007-12-17T20:53:00.000-10:00

I have a purple powder puff tree growing & blooming and it is the first time I have seen one, its a really neat tree (of course now I see them everywhere), the branches grow out laterally to the sides with a slight downward tilt almost like a "weeping" bush but not so dramatic. All of the purple tipped blossoms come from the tops of the branches, so it looks like the branches are frosted. I understand there are two other varieties...yellow and rainbow. Hopefully I will get a chance to photograph them as well...

Hawaiian Honey Bees in Palm Flowers...

2007-12-15T15:18:00.000-10:00

One of my palms is blooming and the bees have discovered the blossoms... one of the little guys had his pollen "satchel bags" so loaded, it's a wonder he could even fly, but fly he did...fly away before I could get his photo, darn...

I have yet to be stung by a bee in Hawaii, though it was a pretty regular occurrence on the mainland...maybe our Hawaiian bees are of a milder temperament? Or maybe they are just to busy to bother...

Hawaiian Honey Bees In Heather?

2007-12-14T17:12:00.000-10:00

I was visiting a property the other day and when I walked by this pretty plant with purple flowers in the front yard, the most incredible "humming" could be heard? I looked closer and it was ALIVE with bees! It was almost like they were swarming. I could not have laid my open hand on the bush with out covering at least 3 bees! And they were so wrapped up in the flowers that they completely ignored my presence, so I could get nice and close.

I have no idea what the plant is, hence the title, does anyone know? Very pretty, compact, low growing bush with no thorns. And I really could not catch any scent of note either.

I'm a Rock, I'm a Rock, I'm a Rock...

2007-11-26T21:25:00.000-10:00

Can you see him? It's a little Kama'ana crab pretending to be a rock! He does a pretty good job of it to!

If you still cant see him...he is just to the left of the center, right at the tip of the large light grey stone...you can just see his pincers folded up in front of him.

I took this photo with my zoom in pretty bright light, I wasn't sure I even caught this guy until I got the camera home and put the photos up on the computer. He is a little smaller than a ladies palm.

This was taken at Punas' Warm ponds, a sheltered inlet where the natural volcanic thermal action warms the ocean water just enough to take the chill off, completely delightful!

A Wild Bamboo Orchid and Its Friend...

2007-11-09T08:39:00.000-10:00

This lovely Bamboo Orchid is growing wild in a subdivision called Hawaiian acres in our Puna District. The climate in Hawaii is extremely suitable for Orchids and we have many varieties that choose to grow wild now, but this is probably the most prolific variety. I have seen whole fields of these blooming and it is just beautiful. They are called Bamboo Orchids because the stem resembles the bamboo stalk.

I hadn't realized until I got this photo on my computer but this orchid had a little friend...check out the very top petal on the left hand side and you can see him peering from behind the flower, here is a close up (sorry the quality of the close up is so yucky!).

Isn't he cute! I think it was one of the bees that were enjoying the sunshine & blooming flowers...

Lovely Pacific Building in Downtown Hilo Hawaii...

2007-11-08T09:38:00.000-10:00

This lovely building is on Keawe Street in Downtown Hilo, it really caught my eye the other day. I just love all the little architectural touches on the old buildings and it is especially nice when the painter has picked them out in complimentary colors as with this one.

The wires you can just barely see at the bottom of the building secure a awning system that reaches over the sidewalk to provide shoppers a dry place to walk, this shot is of the 2nd floor...the first floor is given over to shops and a Lomi Lomi massage studio (the most incredible massage you will EVER have!).

Reflections Of Mauna Kea....

2007-10-27T20:15:00.000-10:00

I was taking a class at UHH (University Of Hawaii at Hilo), and I saw this reflection in a bank of windows during a shi shi break (in Hawaii we say we need to shi shi instead of go to the bathroom), anyway...I saw the reflection before I saw the image! I really didn't think it was going to come out in the picture but when I uploaded it, it showed very clearly.

This is what the image actually looks like, this is Mauna Kea seen over the roof tops of Hilo Town...those little white dots you see on the top of the mountain are the world famous Keck Observatories! Mauna Kea means white mountain as it regularly has a mantle of snow, but we never forget that our gentle giant is actually a slumbering volcano...

Hilo Town! Corner of King Kamehameha Ave. and Wainuenue...

2007-10-19T13:41:00.000-10:00

This is the view just around the corner from my office...it is the intersection at King Kamehameha and Waienuenue...if you turn right you go right by the famous Hilo Farmers Market on the way to Coconut Island, Banyan drive and gorgeous Queen Liliuokalani Park or if you turn left the Highway takes you up the Hamakua Coast past Wailuku, Honolii surf site and Onomea Botanical Gardens. Of course if you turn arond and go back up Waienuenue Street you will pass Historical downtown Hilo, the public Library with King Kamehameha's Naha Stone, Rainbow Falls, and The Beautiful Boiling pots...As you can see, even Paradise suffers road work!

Hawaii...Richardson Beach...

2007-10-17T11:25:00.001-10:00

This view is from a shoreline in Hilo Town, very near a beach called Richardson's Beach. Robert Richardson was a chief detective for the Honolulu police department many years ago, he retired to his ocean front home in Hilo and the county purchased the property & residence when Robert passed away. The residence is called Richardson Ocean Center.

I've been tagged by; Tog of Coral Gables! How Fun!

These are the rules.
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs

Eight random facts about myself? Well, I do tend to be pretty random:

1. I used to have a heard of over 13 dairy goats, they had to be milked twice a day every day and yes I do have carpal tunnel now…but it sure was fun & I love Goats!
2. I don’t like ice cream…everyone gasps when I say that like I admitted to the shooting of President Kennedy or something…but I just don’t care for it (does not matter what flavor or style).
3. I would prefer to read than just about anything else.
4. I love scents…I wanted to become a “nose” for the perfume industry when I was younger but had to have my nose cauterized to control chronic nose bleeds, and that tends to make things a little undependable. There’s your “eeew” fact!
5. I am fascinated by other cultures and had planned on being a Anthropologist/Archaeologist until I saw how much money they Don’t make! But seeing how much money I Don’t make as a Realtor I am thinking now that maybe I should have looked at that a little more! Actually, I love being a Realtor, it’s a great job and I love being able to meet & help people find their new home!
6. I have been married to the same man for half of my life this anniversary! Now is that a scary data mark or what?!
7. I lived in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado (Deer, Elk, Bear, Big Horn Sheep, Skiers, etc...) and then I moved to Hawaii (Whales, Dolphins, Sharks, Mongoose, Surfers...) almost 5 years ago.
8. I am a member of the Big Islands Freecycle program (it’s a Yahoo group) and I strongly encourage everyone I meet to join, go here for more information.

I am tagging…

Papaya Tree in Downtown Hilo...

2007-10-10T18:50:00.000-10:00

Where do you park?

I park right under this cute multi headed Papaya tree every day when I go to work...its just growing wild next to the parking lot in Downtown Hilo.

Tomorrow I am going to bring a lime & a spoon! Yummy Papaya for breakfast!

Hawaiian Judicial Building Mural in Downtown Hilo...

2007-10-08T11:10:00.000-10:00

I have posted a picture of this mural before, just from a different side...during the construction of Hilo's new Judicial Center a large ugly black wall was raised to prevent looky loos hanging around, debris blowing around, keep tools out of site, etc...

Someone had the bright idea to invite local organizations to paint a section of the wall! So now we have this incredibly cool mural that stretches around the entire building site! One entire section is taken up by paintings of the judges dogs! The building will be completed soon and I really want to know whats going to happen to all of these great paintings when the wall comes down? Some are truly art, others are sentimental favorites by young children...all are wonderful!

This shot doesn't show that much of the mural but this is the view you get while stopped at the intersection, all the lovely ti plants, etc... with the mural backdrop.

Nice way to drive in to work...

Photo courtesy of Tavina Owens, Mahalo~

Cute Poochy or Bad Dog?

2007-10-05T17:36:00.001-10:00

We saw this little guy while we were driving around Hilo the other day...and he made such a cute picture in his little red muzzle in his pretty red truck! With his little pink tongue sticking out...

Then I got to thinking, why is he muzzled? He could still bark, and it was a nice soft muzzle...but apparently there is some reason he needs a muzzle? Could he be a biter? Or is there a medical reason (Like the Elizabethan collars?).

You could tell his owner cares a lot by his behavior with the dog (the pup was actually sitting on his owners lap during the photo, you just can't see him). Maybe its a training aid?

What ever its purpose is, he sure was a energetic and engageing little guy...

Lilies In The Night...

2007-09-28T08:47:00.001-10:00

Lilies in the night...sounds like a song from long ago...

This cool plant is growing in my yard over by my pineapple patch, I think it a variety of Lily? Anybody know?

It has a upright growth habit with numerous upstanding leaves radiating from a central base and the flower stalks come right up from the center about 18"-24" tall, before blooming out with 6-9 individual blossoms...they last for days-weeks on the plant and maybe two days cut in a vase. No scent at all. It has only started blooming now that we are getting more rain and cooler temperatures...

I almost pulled it out when I first bought the place! Boy am I happy now I didn't...

Kupu Kupu Fern...

2007-09-27T08:55:00.000-10:00

This delightful little fern caught my eye the other day, it's just starting to unfurl its leaves and the colors were so striking, especially the silvery green of the newest leaves yet to open...
This is called the Kupu Kupu fern in Hawaii and the Boston fern in other places...

Rainbow Over Komohana!

2007-09-20T19:09:00.000-10:00

What a nice surprise to see on a drizzly day! Driving into town yesterday morning it was raining buckets! (We are just heading into our wet season) When my son happened to look out the window and see this beautiful rainbow...it actually looked quite a bit brighter than it does in the photo...

This photo is courtesy of Brandon Williams...

Worlds Smallest Ice Cream Shop!

2007-08-27T18:08:00.000-10:00

This is Gammys Ice Cream store in downtown Hilo, this has got to be the smallest, dinkiest, tiniest little shop ever. Its just kinda STUCK on to the side of this building...with a cute little out doors seating area, and really good Dragonfruit sorbet! And awesome latte! Oh, and the chocolate chocolate chip ice cream is totally decadent!

Parrots in Hawaii?

2007-08-23T09:20:00.000-10:00

This is called a Parrots Beak Heliconia and it is growing at a friends home in Hilo, I love the way the leaf grows from the beak...it looks like it is sticking its tongue out at us.

Kalani Tropicals has a wonderful site chock full of great information. As far as I know there are no endemic Parrots in Hawaii, though there are rumours of a budgie community in a kipuka on the Kohala coast.

Yummy Bananas...

2007-08-20T18:08:00.000-10:00

A while back I posted a photo of a banana flower just starting to open, this one is well into its production period. There must be at least 6 hands on the tree... a hand is one bunch, I guess they are called that because of the resemblance to a persons hand.

I believe these are the Williams variety, one of my favorite varieties is the Apple Banana, they are about a third of the size and very sweet, and the Lady Finger Bananas are even tinier! But they are all tasty!

Yellow Ohias and Happy Honey Bees!

2007-08-19T12:33:00.000-10:00

These bees enjoyed this rare Yellow Ohia even more than I did! Usually the Ohia bloom is a bright primary red but Occasionally they come in a few other color variants, yellow is rare but very beautiful...

Ohia trees are used for many things in Hawaii, the new leaves and blooms for Leis and decoration, and the wood itself for fence post, house railings, furniture (similar to twig furniture), and a especially pretty piece of wood (usually the whole tree trunk) about 6-10 inches around, may be used as a corner post or a feature point on a stairway, etc... we also get really tasty Ohia Flower Honey from our friends the Honey bees!

Angels Trumpet and Blue Skies Above...

2007-08-15T18:10:00.000-10:00

This is one of my favorite flowers, but it goes by so many names! I have labeled it with my favorite but in addition to Angels Trumpet, I have heard Devils Horn, Devils Trumpet, Cucumber Flower (the bud looks like a cucumber), Angels Horn, Gabrielle Flower, etc... I am not sure where it originally comes from originally, but I saw it for the first time in Hawaii, it also comes in a very soft pink and a creamy color as well as the white.

One of the neatest things about this plant is that the blooms hang upside down, to get this shot I was on the ground looking up, which gave it a nice back lighting affect and some pretty blue sky behind it.

Mahalo to everyone who was concerned over our brush with Flossie, she has weakened and moved further out to sea, I personally don't know of anyone who received any damage from the Hurricane, thank goodness! Sometimes it can be a little spooky to be reminded that we are on a little rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and this week was down right creepy! First we had Flossie the Hurricane, then we receive a 5.4 earthquake from the Volcano, and just today we received a Tsunami warning from that terrible earthquake in Peru! That earthquake in Peru sure does put everything in perspective though, those poor people.

Reminder To Self: Be Thankful!

Roof Top Bougainvilleas In The Flossie Rain...

2007-08-14T16:30:00.000-10:00

This is a quick glimpse of the roof top outside my office, Scott put these gorgeous Bougainvilleas in pretty pots on the roof top when we moved in a few months ago and we all sat back and waited for them to die... Turns out, they LOVE it! The Hotter the better! Look at them blooming and they are growing like mad as well, you can now easily see them from the street, where as when they were planted you couldn't hardly see them at all.

Hurricane Flossie is giving us plenty of rain and a little wind but that's pretty much it, the weather right now is definitely no worse than some we get during the rainy season, so it is looking like the Big Island is going to miss the Big Hit once again...Thank Goodness!

You may have heard about the 5.4 earthquake we got Monday night? That was just Pele rumbling and stretching a bit, the quake occurred near the Pu'u O'o vent of Kilauea volcano, it is still active and providing us with more land each day, thanks Madam Pele! Over all we had a few crooked pictures and some cracked drywall...not to bad. I would rather the "sleeping giant" lets off steam this way then swelling and swelling to someday go pyroclastic on us! Really, its all good...some cigarettes & rum and everyone is happy! (for the volcano goddess silly! But I'll take any extra rum...)

Yahoo! It's Avocado Season!

2007-08-13T10:47:00.000-10:00

I waited through the long winter without these buttery creamy tasty yummies, and then this spring I cheered on the bees buzzing in the blooms (pollinate you buggers, pollinate!), and all summer long I have been watching the little green bumps swell and promise to become the best crop ever! Now we are sooo close...maybe a few more weeks til AVOCADO TIME!

I just can't wait...i really love avocados...maybe as much as my girlfriends dog "Hoa"... He is a Avocado farmer...every season its a race to see who gets to the tree first (him or her), then he steals avocados and goes and buries them where she wont look until its to late, then "hey presto" he has another tree! He really loves them...maybe as much as me!

Do Clown Figs Taste Funny?

2007-08-10T16:22:00.000-10:00

Ok...I know that joke was a real groaner, but I could not resist.

This gorgeous plant is called a clown fig and it is growing at a friends home in Hilo, it is probably the most beautiful plant i have ever seen! Truly gorgeous, about 20 feet tall, 10-15 feet side to side and very full & lush...

I have not seen anything rating that the figs are safe for human consumption, but the birds sure seem to enjoy them...

Puakenikeni In The Morning...

2007-08-09T14:54:00.000-10:00

This lovely Puakenikeni was just glowing the other morning...this particular plant has the largest blooms of any Puakenikeni I have ever seen! Just the petal spread alone is almost the size of my palm! And the perfume is incredible...

Puakenikeni translates into 10 cent flower, referring when, back in the day, the lei stringers in Honolulu would sell a string of 100 Puakenikeni blooms for 10 cents! Boy, those where the days! At least if you where buying cheap leis, can you imagine trying to make a living of 10 cent leis?

It is one of the few leis that has three separate lives...it always smells wonderful but on the first day it is alabaster white, by the second day it a soft buttery yellow and the third day it is a strong creamy orange. All forms are beautiful, but it is nice to know what the changes are so you can coordinate with your out fit!

You may enjoy a visit to Plant Creations Nursery site, really great resource!

Coral Hibiscus greets the morning...

2007-07-27T10:19:00.001-10:00

The other morning one of my Hibiscus was just getting ready to open up and it looked so pretty as it was about to unfold that I had to get a shot... i decided that i liked it so much i was going to post it on the daily blog.

My Broker (thanks John!) was able to answer a question about Photo shop and I was able to select just the Flower, pretty cool huh! But then he showed me how I could play with the background colors...wow, a whole new tool set!

Which one do you like the best? I can't decide...I like the yellow background because it really Pops! But I like the coral background because it seems so smooth & cohesive...so I posted both!

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Purple Bougainvilleas...

2007-07-19T16:10:00.000-10:00

These lovely purple Bougainvilleas thrive in Hilo moist climate, but it takes some serious sunshine to make them bloom like this!
Hilo has been going through a serious heat wave recently...we have been hitting at least 87 degrees! (for Hilo that's a heat wave! Humidity at 66%, really its not bad at all), and we have received less rain than usual so all of those sun loving plants are blooming like mad. Of course my moisture and shade lovers are quite depressed..but they had their day in the um...shade? And can wait patiently for the rains to come back... mean while we will enjoy the bright showy blooms...

Computer Crashed! No Photos Available! EEEK!

2007-07-16T20:20:00.000-10:00

Sorry! My home/home office computer went into recovery mode and now I am trying to discover and recover all my files...including all of my Photo files! Argh! I know they are still in there I just have to figure out how to get them out...hope to be back soon...wish me luck!

Yeah! I am Green and a Gecko...ya wanna make something of it?!

2007-07-11T21:00:00.000-10:00

This little guy apparently thinks he's "all that", and is quite ready to take "Goliath" out.

Actually, he is a green Gecko that we find mainly on the west side of the island (Madagascar Day Gecko?), my son watched him hatch out of the egg while he was holding it in his hand and then the little guy headed for high ground! Which just so happened to be my sons nose!

The Gecko rather quickly realized he was heading the wrong direction and headed back down...using the hair on my sons arm like a sloth would use tree branches! He safely made it into the wilderness of a pot of impatiens. Very cute!

Our alternate Title would have been "So who is YOUR car insurance with?"

Painted Hibiscus!

2007-07-10T19:17:00.001-10:00

Isn't this the most beautiful Hibiscus you have ever seen?! A couple of girlfriends and myself went to a fantastic nursery the other day for a friends birthday (ya really gotta know how to pick your friends & I have some winners!), and there was this gorgeous Hibiscus...to me it looked like some one had taken a paint brush and ever so delicately washed the edges with water paints. All I did was basically crop the photo and pull off some glare, it really does look like this. And if that's not enough...

Look at this beauty! Its called Purple Dragon and yes it came home with me...I mean, who could resist? It is a little more purple out of the cameras eye...we had way to much fun and came home with way to many plants...I am sure everyone will get to see most of them over time, but I am going to try to focus more on people than plants in the future.

Water Lilies...& Herons?

2007-07-09T20:12:00.000-10:00

These pretty little water lilies can be found in King Kalakaua Park in downtown Hilo, they must spread pretty rapidly as the grounds keepers clean them out regularly and within a few months the pond is full again...it is incredible to see the whole pond surface covered with these purple blooms...and if you look closely you can see Koi darting under the lily pads to hide!

What are they hiding from? Well, a friend of mine found out! She had quite a few Koi in a cute little pond right near her front door...one morning she went to take the dogs for a walk and as they are going down the drive she notices a Heron sitting up in a tree, she really doesn't think much of it until she gets back home and notices a large pile of Bird poo on the garden seat next to her pond, when she went to hose it off she realizes that dirty bugger ATE her fish! 8 Koi he ate! She called that Heron everything but a bird! She has now created a special overhang for the remaining fish to hide under...they seem to be very nervous! ;}

RED Anthuriums Galore!

2007-07-08T21:06:00.000-10:00

My Final RED post! Oh well, all good things must come to an end (but only for something even funner!).

I took my girlfriend to this wonderful nursery for her Birthday (she had a choice of this or a swanky dinner out...she chose the plants! That's my Girl!). Actually another girlfriend introduced us to this nursery specifically for my friends birthday...they have the most gorgeous Hibiscus I have ever seen!

This is just part of the Anthurium section (Maybe a 10th?), you can see some of the twisty stamen ones in the lower right corner. Every color possible and some I didn't think were possible can be found here.

Anthuriums are epiphytes, meaning they get most of their nutrients and moisture from the air (similar to orchids), they also tend to grow ON other plants, some people think they are hurting the "host" plant but they are not a parasite plant in any way (other than hanging around on the other plant). In Hawaii Anthuriums are a ever blooming plant, so they are a special delight to plant.

Please do enlarge this photo, you can see the details of all of the different plants/flowers so much better when you do!

Red Banana Keikis!

2007-07-07T22:35:00.000-10:00

This is a Banana flower...& its RED (but the keikis are yellow) they are not like usual flowers...they are huge for one and the fruit is layered in the flower... you can see all the little keikis lined up like ducklings under their mothers wing...there will be another row just like that underneath most of the "petals", and there are so many varieties! Apple banana, Ice Cream banana, Lady Slipper, Williams (the most common variety), Cuban, Cavendish, Pitang, etc...all different and tasty! (Except the Pink Cubans which are just beautiful but are not good to eat.)

The banana plant is another one of those multi purpose plants, the huge leaves can be used for shelter from sun or shower, the dried "stem" burns very quick & hot, the fruit is very nutritious and tasty, and even the flower itself gets eaten (similar preparation as a vegetable).

Bananas have a incredible history and one of my favorite web sites is the Banana Museum.

Tomorrow will be my last day for the RED theme... I have really enjoyed it and mahalo to everyone for their patience while I worked this red fixation out of my system!

Ruby Red Ti...

2007-07-06T22:29:00.000-10:00

This vibrant plant is a member of the Ti family (nothing at all like the drink), Ti is used in many ways in Hawaii;
We wrap offerings in it, we wrap presents in it, we shred the top 12 inches and use it as a fly wisk (similar to a horses tail in theory) at luaus or just in the yard, We wrap pork roast in it to make Kalua pig (yummy!), wrap coffee cans with it to create a beautiful utilitarian flower vase, tie my hair up when I am working in the yard and can't take time to find a elastic, use it instead of flowers in a vase, lay the leaves over a dirty lawn chair (like a towel), wrap sticky rice in them and then steam it, use as a plate at a picnic, so many different things...and of course we use them to make leis.

Properly prepared the Ti leaf can be woven or braided into almost anything...and it is a beautiful contrast when a lei is fashioned from a green Ti leaf and then a Ti rose is created from a variegated or colored Ti leaf and attached to the green Ti, it make a gorgeous lei.

It is considered lucky to plant Ti plants down the boundaries of your home and quite often you will see rows of Ti being planted before the house pad has even been poured! Now that's having your priorities in the right place!

Indian Chief Ginger...

2007-07-05T19:47:00.000-10:00

This gorgeous RED ginger plant is called Indian Chief Ginger, for the obvious reasons, the proud blooms emerge from the end of a long stalk (6-9 feet)...There are a incredible variety of gingers, each more beautiful than the last...but most people only think of Ginger in the form of Ginger Bread or Ginger Snaps (my favorite!), to learn more about ginger please click here...and for a very cute web site featuring some tasty ginger treats please go here.

And yes I am still on RED, for a few more days at least...just this morning I drove past a beautiful set of red bleachers, I'll try to share them with you soon! (I am starting to see red everywhere! Its kinda cool...), mahalo~

Liko Lehua Ohia...

2007-07-04T17:38:00.000-10:00

This is a close up of the central new leaves of one of my Ohia trees, you can see the larger photo below...Liko Lehua means the "new red leaves" in this context...only the newest leaves have this rich plumy color and they soon loose it to be replaced with a nice bright green...

A favorite practice is to pluck these new leaves (must be similar to picking tea), and weave beautiful Leis from them, quite often these leis will be worn during parades by horse and rider alike, or for special Hulas...not all of the new leaves are the same shade, its always in the red family but it can range from red crayon to a dusty mauve and everything in between.
This same tree gives us wonderful smelling firewood, fence post (its fairly straight growing), lovely feature post for supporting Lanai roofs, and gorgeous flowers for more Lei making! What a great all purpose tree!

Mystery Red Photo!

2007-07-03T19:13:00.000-10:00

Deep in the murky depths...um, no that's not right.
Secluded in the frigid heights...nope, still wrong.
Underfoot in the dank...Still not right!

You tell me...animal, mineral or vegetable? What is this? Respond in the comments and I will answer tomorrow...One hint, yes I used photo shop & no I did not change the subject matter appreciably.

A Red Anthurium Peeking Coyly From The ferns...

2007-07-02T13:11:00.000-10:00

This fire engine red Anthurium is living in my side yard...I chose it for my "Week In Red" theme because of the intensity and contrast...it is peeking out at us from its shady little nook in the ferns.

Anthuriums have a incredible variety of sizes, colors and variegation's; white with hints of pink, purple, peach or green...thru all of the reds and oranges (including peaches, etc...) to a purple so dark it almost looks black. From solid colors like this one to speckled, splashed and striped, and some have different colored portions at the top of each heart lobe...they look like Mickey Mouse ears...and then the stamens can be wild! (long nose looking thingy (thingy is a technical term, lol;), Some stamens are the same color as the flower petals, some are all white, some are partially yellow and white, often they will be part red and white, and a select variety has Corkscrew stamens! They twist like a pigs tail! Very cool plants! Check out a sampling here.

Dancing Cossacks Orchid...

2007-07-01T12:34:00.000-10:00

These little guys remind me of the dancing Cossacks in Disney's Fantasia (the 1st one), I owned this orchid for 4 years and it never bloomed...then I moved to the Puna District...(Puna means fresh or new and the district is famous for its growing conditions) one month later it began putting out a bloom stalk! I waited anxiously (I had never seen a bloom from it before so I had no idea what it would be like), and finally it bloomed! Lucky me! It is probably the flashiest orchid I own, and it was absolutely loaded full of these little dancing soldiers.

Happy Red Theme day! In honor of this great theme I will be posting something red each day for the whole week! And one is a surprise...come see it this week and make a guess...

Please check out all the photo blogs on www.citydailyphoto.com

Fragrant Frangipani...

2007-06-18T22:37:00.001-10:00

These lovely flowers have at least two different names; in Hawaii the are called Plumeria and in other parts of the world the are referred to as Frangipani. I believe the first time I ran across the name Frangipani was while I was reading the "Arabian Nights" and I had to look it up...in those days we had to use a Encyclopedia for reference info, lol! And then just the other day a fellow photo blogger referenced it again for me...is anyone aware of any other names they go by?

I wish I could share their perfume with you, absolutely intoxicating...it is worth ordering a lei to be shipped to you just to smell these flowers! And oddly enough the trees happens to be the ugliest most barren looking collection of sticks you could ever find...they usually don't even have many leaves, you would think the tree was dead and then the entire canopy erupts with blossoms!

When I first moved to Hawaii we used to drive by a huge Plumeria tree and I could have cried to see all of the blossoms littering the ground and road, now I understand better and can appreciate the pretty picture a carpet of flowers makes.

Happy Fathers Day!

2007-06-17T21:48:00.000-10:00

Hey there! Happy Fathers Day...hope you were able to spend it with someone special making wonderful memories!

What did you do today? It was a gorgeous day in Hawaii so we went to the beach...this is a couple of our boys snorkeling...they all had great fun, and as always, learned a lot!

Here are some of the critters they "discovered", black brittle stars...the way they move is so cool, and you have to be incredibly careful with them because if they feel threatened or are mistreated they start dropping arms (defense mechanism). We came home with a couple of mysterious animal sightings so the kids will have some research to do this week...Hope your day was Great! & mahalo nui loa to all you dads out there! Any Man can be a Father, it takes some one special to be a Dad!

Onekahakaha Beach Park...the Keiki Pool...

2007-06-16T21:27:00.000-10:00

Onekahakaha Beach Park is located perhaps 10-15 minutes from the heart of Hilo town...it really is a great park and this photo is of the entrance steps to the Keiki (child) pool section.

As you can see there is a sea wall made from lava boulders to quiet down the wave action...the resulting pool is very still and tends to have very little surge...even within this large pool there are smaller and shallower pools separated by natural lava formations...in a couple places concrete steps have been poured to make the trip to the water simpler and easier for the little ones...

On this day we had two "schools" visiting and there was probably 30-40 keikis sitting out eating their lunches before taking the trip back to school, remember how hungry and tired you would be after swimming for the afternoon...I bet that lunch was really good! And I bet 99% of them where asleep before the hit the first turn! I know my kids would be and they are teenagers now...

Gecko Earings All The Rage in Hilo!

2007-06-15T21:34:00.000-10:00

A short while back I posted a picture of a very angry anole (type of lizzard, often mistaken for a gecko) above our "Beware of Attack Gecko" sign on my front porch...well, one of the kittens (also posted about earlier) came out on the loosing end of this anole! The anole literally has a hold of the kittens ear! Apparently the kitten went after the anole and he fought back, latching onto her ear and refusing to let go!

I didn't know which one to feel sorrier for! The anole was of course just terrified and the kitten was so confused when it could not get "that thing" off its head! You can tell how torgued she is. I had to snap a picture to share (I have never seen anything like this before!), then I pried the little guys jaws apart to remove the kittens ear...he sure had a death grip, it didn't break the skin but definitely left a imprint and a impression, the kitten has yet to go after another one (that I know of). And of course we relocated the "Killer Anole" (who appeared to be in perfect health) to a farther portion of the yard, hopefully they will not meet again...though I could see a vendetta coming on...kinda like Captain Ahab and the White Whale!