Red Hibiscus...

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

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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Good morning Hibiscus :)

Mauna Loa Ginger...

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...

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...

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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Kadamotsu vases waiting for the new year :)

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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...

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 :)

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...

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!

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!

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...

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!

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?

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...

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!

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...

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!

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...

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!

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.

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!

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...

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...

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?

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!

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?

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...

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!