Big Island Family Fun

Aloha,

Last weekend I spent a wonderful couple of days with my family. We all are so busy, finding free time can be challenging. Oh, but when we find it, the rewards are so sweet.

Finally we had a walk in the woods to gather plants for our wreathes. I know Christmas is over , so how about Chinese New Year? I actually do enjoy having fresh wreathes with the moss and native plant clippings in the house any time of the year. As usual, mine is a spontaneous creation, and my daughter's is well planned and rather perfect. She is still organizing her piles of similar clippings and colors to prepare to start, and I am already half way through my wreath. It's fun spreading our clippings on the picnic table out on the lanai. It's a relaxing time , special and easy. I amblessed to share this joy with my beautiful daughter.

A hula performance was the main reason for my weekend get away. My granddaughter dances with the Beamer-Solomon Halau O Po'ohala. I have watched her since her young days dancing hula, and I can really see her deep commitment. Her performance with a heart warming smile brought tears to my eyes. It was a wonderful evening with great Hawaiian music, lively visuals and of course the sweet little keiki ( small children) all dancing their keiki hula.

February rolls on with high season in full swing. Hopefully everyone on their way to Maui has made accommodations arrangements. It's great seeing people returning to Hawaii to enjoy our beautiful islands, warm weather and relaxed style. There is so much to Hawaii, it's mixed bag of cultures and traditions. Our food is ono, our skies are usually blue, the ocean is full of whales. Hawaii is a magnificent and fragile place.

Wherever you are this month, may you have some special time with those you love. May you know joy in sharing quiet moments.

Much Aloha,
Cherie

Big Island Giving Thanks

Aloha,

Ahhh, home from my own personal Thanksgiving, a week early. My grandson, Aukai, just turned 9 years old, and we had a great weekend celebration. This is my Thanksgiving, and on this particular weekend, I have alot to give thanks for.

Aukai turned 9 with several classmates in attendance. We had a water slide castle set up with "No More Tears" shampoo making it extra fun, a giant bubble bath and water slide. The boys got pretty wild and had a grand time.

Kona on the Big Island often has to contend with vog, which is volcanic smog from the active volcano down south. This weekend was clear, and that alone is reason to celebrate. Check out the nearly full moon rising over Hualalai at the end of my first day. This happens to be one of my favorite views, a super special sight since it is often covered in clouds by the afternoon.

In the morning we went for an early hike up this beautiful mountain that towers above the coastal town of Kailua Kona. The native forest of ohia lehua and koa trees are always so comforting . Each old twisted silver tree trunk supoorting deep red blossoms always leaves me smiling and reaching for my camera. We hiked to the peak where we could see my home island of Maui just across the Alenuehaha Channel.

The weekend was not complete without our customary beach day. The weather was absolutely perfect, clear, light breeze and beautiful little waves. Main bonus, for some reason the weatherman reported no swell, and the beach was quiet without competition for the waves. Yipee! I was even enticed to go out.

I used to charge the waves quite a bit in my younger years. Now I have a bit of an inner ear issue due to a surfing mishap many years ago that keeps me from anything but mellow waves. The first fifteen minutes in the water were spent helping out a certain 9 year old who had a wipe out and lost his boogie board and his brand new surf trunks as well. Classic.

Family, freinds and nature at it's finest, I have much to be grateful for. Each and every day and night I give thanks for my sweet life. ....life is good.

With great wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday week spent with loved ones, I send Aloha out far and wide, and an invitation to come visit Maui and give thanks as well!

Mahalo for everything wonderful!

Cherie

Mele Kalikimaka

Mele Kalikimaka!!!

Merry Christmas!!

I'm posting a photo of the Kona coast of the Big Island for all to enjoy.

This beach scene is one of my favorite spots in the entire world...a beach worth walking to on the the Big Island of Hawaii. This place is one to dream about. The sand is white powdered sugar, the water is a beautiful shade of turquoise, and the sun bakes.

A slice of paradise is where I spent my Christmas Eve. I hiked across the lava fields with my grand kids to reach this oasis. We swam and played in the sand, had a picnic, and really enjoyed our adventure.

Wherever you are in the world, may you have a blessed holiday.

Sending warm Alohas. May this holiday season bring families together to celebrate the joy of Love and a life worth living!!

Cherie

Foraging on the slopes of Hualalai

Aloha and Happy Holidays!

My family loves to work with our hands, and the holidays really put us in the mood. My daughter and I went foraging up the slopes of Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii recently.

We brought our clippers and containers, and found spots where we could trim to make our holiday wreaths. It may look like scrub to the untrained eye, but to us, it's a gold mine of scrappy native shrubs who will benefit form a little haircut.

We found ohelo berries, several varieties of lichen, dried branches, Christmas berries, and grasses. I also clipped palm berries and hydrangeas from her yard to give my wreathes some more vibrant color.

She had the blanks, and I had purchased florist pins to make the job much easier. We wrapped the blanks with ti leaf and raffia first to give the base a finished look. Then we spread out all the goods on the picnic table and got busy. It was so much fun. The kids jumped in and found that they liked gold glitter as well. Everybody's personalities came out in their wreaths. My daughter's were so beautiful, and perfect, all the berries and similar plants were grouped together. Mine were a bit on the wild side, with a lot of co-mingling going on.

It was a blast, a great way to spend time together. After all, that is what the holidays are about.

Ask my kids what their most memorable Christmas was, and they all will say, "It was the year we painted rocks for each other."

From my heart to yours, warm wishes filled with love, aloha and family during the holiday season.!!!