Aloha HAWAII Mahalo!

At the end of the street is this heiau and a royal birthing stone,

July 2

A familiar profile.

On the hill above the heiau is this Japanese cemetery. It was the Bon festival recently and many of the graves were decorated for the occasion.

From the cemetery you can look out over the ruins of the Coco Palms hotel and out to the ocean.

It’s our last day and tomorrow we make our way to Honolulu for a few days. Aloha Kauai, Mahalo Sharon, Until next time!

July 1

I took a bunch of pictures of Kathy and Kenny’s rental cottage for their craigslist ads. Here are only three, promise.

1 of 3

2 of 3

3 of 3

June 29

We enjoyed another delicious dinner with Kathy and Kenny. Kenny has a magic touch, he has The Gift for cooking fish. It really is a notable talent from which we all benefit.

Their dog Coco, almost fully recovered from Kenny having run her over with the truck.

The blooms this trip have been staggering.

We stopped off at the Kauai Coffee Museum where you can get a little taste, took a roll by the now nothing-but-mud Hanapepe salt flats, and enjoyed a scenic ride home.

In most of the stores around Kauai you see these tiles, plates and cups, and etc etc, and the proprietor will tell you that ‘an artist in Hanapepe makes these for us’.

Well, behind the window in the top picture that artist of which there are many are indeed right here in Hanapepe making the glazeware for you too as they have a very large mail-order business. They are definitely very handmade with a lot of leeway for the artists as each one even with the same pattern are all different in detail and coloring.

June 29

We made our annual pilgrimage to Hanapepe today, the one stop town that recovered from the passing of the nearby sugar mills by remaking itself into an artists’ colony.

This year’s version of the rowers on the koa wall.

Sundown on the river with an event raging over at Smith’s.

More.

Reflections and a corner of the dock.

June 28

Ahh, a walk along the new east side path that now stretches for many more miles than we walked on it.

Wailua Falls pouring into the river that flows past the house.

We were deciding which of the garden tours to return to and because we wanted to go to Hanalei again anyway we decided to choose the Limahuli Garden, the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Ha’ena (that first a has a long mark over it), Halele’a, Kaua’i.

It’s a wonderful place and so very very…

…green.

A one of a kind, maybe.

There were so many interesting configurations in this garden and as well as being a great place they have a great booklet that you get with your $15 admission including tons of information about the history of the plants and the myths surrounding them.

Viewing a bit of the inland-side of the Na Pali coast.

The grounds crew, Aloha!

Here come the swans at the Grand Hyatt.

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Fun in the sun. We wanted the biggest boat because it would be more stable and because there were a couple of places to find shade.

They actually did cut the engines heading back and we took a slow smooth sail for about an hour while we ate lunch which was a delightful and welcome surprise.

The gear was great – flippers that fit and masks with corrective lenses so we nearsighted folk can see.

The water was warm and beautiful and there were a ton of sea turtles about, which was a big highlight for everyone…

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…and fish of course.

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June 26

Na Pali! This is a promo-photo from the company we went with, Capt’n Andy’s. There are many companies with different featured boats and trips. This was the biggest boat we could find.

This is a collection of Na Pali pictures I copied off the internet from people who had taken the helicopter tours.

Heading out to our snorkel spot.

A little before this we had seen a great collection of spinner dolphins really doing their thing but it was so wet and salty out and full of rock ‘n roll that I had my camera put away then.

What I ended up doing .. I took all these pictures with my phone.

It seems like you can’t feel the soaring heights from this angle but wow, those babies are Tall.

In the shadow of the upper middle-right is that view spot from Waimea Canyon that we always go to and where it is 50-50 that you’ll be able to see the coast because of the clouds.

Yes, more.

The only way to visit the Na Pali coast is to take a treacherous but maintained trail which brings you halfway in, or come by boat. The most common way to get onto these beaches is by kayak which is only possible when the seas are quiet.

Ahhh, I’m so happy we got to do this!

Gotta swing by Spouting Horn.

The light at the end of the tunnel of trees on the way to Koloa and then onward to Poipu.

Taking a rest from our stroll around the grounds of the Grand Hyatt.

Hi guys.

June 23-24

Two days of bopping around. A mynah bird and a couple of dudes.

I’m taking a short break from Proust to read again Sarah Vowell’s Unfamiliar Fishes, her history of Hawaii. This is my third time through and the names with all their syllables made entirely of vowels, and the complex genealogies are falling into place more easily. But will I be able to repeat the story? Still no way.

There’s the real photographer doing her job with the wedding party.

June 22

It’s their wedding day!

Ok, beer boat. Yes, that boat will be full of beer.

Camas’s son Koa and Auntie Lei bringing in the powerfully fragrant gardenias.

More of the craft projects.

Notice the posts, covered in burlap, tied with a bow, and orchids tucked in. For several days the field to the left was full of cows. We wanted to put leis on them, and bows on their tails, but the owner moved them to another field.

On the lower left are the table assignments, hand made (on Both sides) by Kathy of course. We were having quite a windstorm up there and the occasional downpour but once this end got its covering up all was well.

On the lower right are (hand made by Kathy of course) little baskets covered in ribbons, flowers, and beads, to hold the plumeria flowers for tossing on the bride and groom after the ceremony. Kathy made one display with pictures of Curt and the other display with pictures of Camas.

The table, need I add all Kathy all the time.

Notice the table number, the placemats, two napkins, and napkin rings, the runner, and you can’t see the bows at the ends of the runner.

Kathy has been collecting champagne bottles for half a year (a challenge to drink all that champagne but she was up to it) so she could use them for water, and she made the water signs lest you think otherwise.

We have short candles and tall candles, three or four different kinds of small flower vases, two different kinds of tall flower vases.

The little green boxes contain the salt packages that Sharon and I were working on, and we added a note from the bride and groom, and tied those pretty bows.

Overhead we have the lanterns with electric tea lights.

Kenny took this picture. It’s the dang wind again this time blowing stray hair over my perfectly placed hibiscus.

Kathy, me, Sharon, Sharon

The aisle is ready for Hear Comes The Bride!

Their lot is three acres and all of this wedding magic is about to happen at their very own home and that’s pretty awesome.

This is the officiant who from what I could tell conducted an entirely Hawaiian ceremony. There were probably parts left out, I wouldn’t know, but all the rituals were new to me.

There was handwashing with water the couple had collected from the river and from the sea symbolizing continuously fresh life and most importantly, forgiveness.

The officiant opened a coconut, they spilled some on the ground and drank some together symbolizing nourishment from the earth and from each other.

This was my favorite. Check out their four hands. It was a fantastic moment for everyone, sharing the first breath of their shared life.

Then the officiant did the ‘by the power vested in me’ bit, and there we have it.

After everyone got food which was a big luau feast, and after the slideshow, several of the women guests did wonderful hula dances and Camas did one too. No one knew she was learning so it made for a fun buzz in the crowd.

…the Mr and Mrs enjoying the loving speeches of friends and family.

They had a five piece band playing Hawaiian tunes. We didn’t stay long enough for the dancing which I expect was to follow…

The luminarias, need I say…

…made by Kathy.

Following is the text from the note inside the little green box with the salt:

“It is with full hearts and much aloha for our ever growing ohana, we humbly thank you for joining us today in the celebration of our blessed union. In that same spirit that you share your love with us, we share this small gift of Pa’akai and the blessings it bestows.

“From the sea that surrounds us and gives us life, to the ancient salt pans of Hanapepe, this salt was made with loving hands according to the tradition of our ancestors in that special place. It is given freely from family to friend and onward from friend to family and today, we pass it on to share with you!

“Mahalo nui loa, Curt and Camas”

The bride on the phone. When she wasn’t on the phone the phone was ringing. It’s the day before the wedding and everyone has something they need from the bride.

And more crafts. Kathy has depleted the entire island’s supply of jute, raffia, and burlap. She made these cranes for her son’s wedding and is using them again, why not.

Sharon did the shot on the ladder.

June 21

Coming around the corner we think circus? Camelot? No, Wedding!

Working on crafts.

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Curt’s mom and her friend are doing all the flowers. They brought almost everything over from the Big Island because Camas didn’t want the traditional tropical choices and on the Big Island there is a wider selection.

The bride and the groom being summoned…

…to make some decisions. So many decisions.

June 19

Thank you Sharon! for inviting friends over to celebrate my birthday…

Kathy and Kenny

…and for CAKE!

The Sharons.

Kenny brought and cooked amazing fresh fish pulled from the sea this very day. He also stole those orchids from his next door neighbor’s yard and gave them to ME! Yay Kenny. Kathy was busy being the decorations maven for the wedding and even she was impressed with Kenny’s contribution.

Idaho Sharon brought the plumeria behind my ear that she stole from Kenny’s yard and wrote the sweetest note.

Sharon made it all happen, she cooked food and ordered the cake (with my name on it) and provided the venue and made sure there was plenty of beverages of course, and I am grateful.

(I took that picture of myself…oh technology.)

June 18

Out on the lawn this morning .. EGRET!

Curt’s dogs. When you take the guy you take him with his dogs.

The bride, the groom, and the bride’s son. We went up to their brand spanking new house. The builders left two weeks ago so this baby is NEW.

They’re having the wedding up here and it is going to be fantastic.

Koa, Camas, Curt

The bride, the decorations maven, and her minions.

Kathy, Idaho Sharon, the groom’s mom, Camas, Sharon.

June 17

Lying IN my bed of an early morning, I’m snapping a few pics with my phone.

Left…right…

…and center. And yet somehow I do get out of bed.

Lydgate again…