Maui

Thanksgiving Day Gratitude

Aloha All,

Today was a  mellow Thanksgiving Day with high overcast and light winds. Unwinding at my favorite North Shore beach was a real pleasure.
Two wonderful guests and dear friends, Cyn and Peter, have been here for almost a week and we have been able to spend some special time together with an epic forest hike and Thanksgiving dinner.
So many great people stay here at Hale Ho'okipa, and I am blessed daily by their presence in my home.. Each and every person who comes in my door adds something to my life... . This week has been ten fold enrichment with my Eastcoast friends here..
Tonight, I want to express a heart felt Mahalo to all those who read my blog, readers who respond, guests who visit my home, visitors that think about Hawaii with fondness, and  folks who day dream of one day coming to our shores.
I am grateful to to be able to share Aloha with you.
May this season  bring  everyone a sense of purpose, stronger communities, a renewed awareness of stewardship for our planet,  more  shared love with our families and friends,  and a commitment to being  pono, living  in harmony and balance.

Mahalo and Aloha,
Cherie

Celebration of Hawaii through the Arts


Aloha,

The Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao has recently opened a new show titled Celebration of Hawaii 2011. This showing features ceramics, glass works, jewelry, photography, sculpture, quilts, watercolor, pastels and oils.

The artists are also offering demonstrations to anyone who wants to watch and learn. What a bonus! Today I enjoyed a demonstration from one of my favorite Plein Air pastel artists, Michael Clements.  The freshness of his work, the blocks of surprising rich color, and his ability to capture the quiet moments of life really speaks to me. I guess this what makes a successful Plein Air artist. In one hour Michale had a piece of work that I was so very excited about. Wow, I wonder how long it will take me to get comfortable with this medium. I've been enjoying pastels lately, but this bold approach really gave me something to think about.

Another artist that I also enjoy, Carmen Gardner, is shown in these posted photos. I've taken a few watercolor classes from Carmen. She is a very accomplished artist who participates in many shows. A few years back one of her incredible portraits was chosen for the cover for Art Maui. Carmen's attention to detail in her watercolors is astounding. She is pictured in front of her very striking oil painting of a lava flow in Kalapana. This work showcases Carmen's versatility, and this particular painting was one of my favorite of the show.

Michael Clements states on his web site, "I feel blessed to be living in a community that is rich in artistic talent and an Island that encourages and promotes the growth and education of artists of every age." He says it well, and, I have also said it time and again, "Maui is a world renowned Art Mecca." Artists and crafts people of all ages, all abilities, all talents and focuses share, show, teach and learn from each other. It's a blessing that everywhere I look, I can find an accomplished, willing and able artist to study with and learn from. How lucky I am!

If you want to view, purchase, learn or teach Art, come to Maui. You'll be happy you did!

PS. While you are here, if you need fine art supplies, please visit our lovely local art store in Makawao, Upcountry Fine Arts. These wonderful folks also have a gallery in their store, and they'll help you with all the art supplies you need.

Much Aloha,
Cherie

Sea Surprises

Aloha,

It's been awhile since I have posted, and I have to say that I miss talking story and posting great pics for folks to share some Maui time. It's been a busy fall, and our visitor season has not really kicked into full gear yet. A few months to go until whale season when everyone wants to come to Hawaii!

If I have a chance to take an early morning walk on the beach, I always run into the" seaweed pickers". These folks are at the beach every morning with their laundry baskets floating down the shoreline collecting a variety of seaweeds. The beach strolls reveal at least four spectacular and varied types of seaweeds.

There is a beautiful pink lacy one, a dark green thick branchy one (my favorite to eat), a lime green flat variety and brownish one. I know they have names, and specific functions, and different flavors, but, I don't know them. The pickers separate the seaweeds looking for their favorites and usually leave the beach with full baskets. I always wonder where they go from there........

My friend Mike Eliers, sent me some new dive photos last week and I love sharing his pics. He has a way of getting in close and personal with the subjects of his amazing shots. Mike happened upon a Moray eel coming out of it's hole to investigate like Morays do. These rather aggressive and dangerous creatures are discreet and usually remain hidden in holes and crevices and rocky ledges. They have a keen sense of smell and poor eyesight. Their teeth are razor sharp and concave.

People sometimes try to feed these eels, and it is not a very smart thing to do. They are quick and, if somebody is accidentally bitten by a Moray eel, it can cause a serious injury. However, the Moray only attacks if it feels threatened. The "Puhi" Hawaiian word for eel, has smooth skin, a snake like body and supports small shrimp and wrasses who are "cleaners" feeding off of parasites and small scraps of food from it's mouth. The beauty of this relationship is in it's necessity.

If you are thinking about learning how to dive or getting certified , come to Maui. It's fun and exciting and a great experience....come and discover the amazing world of underwater.

Aloha......see you soon,

Cherie

Pukalani Golf and Maui Fun!

Aloha Folks,

Last week was a great week, one that I had been looking forward to for a year. My brother and sister -in -law, Don and Karen, came to the B&B with some of their California friends for a play week. Their focus was golf, and they definitely fulfilled their quota. The beautiful Pukalani Golf Course, just 5 minutes away, was the main event. The course offers a weekly package with a further discount for staying at Hale Ho'okipa Inn. I also offer a discount for guests who are golfing upcountry at this wonderful course. All in all, the golfers felt challenged and happy with the course. I heard about it every night as they tallied up their scores and chatted over a glass of wine.

I am not a golfer, however I still love an adventure, and I was able to add to the week's excitement taking my friends and family on a "comando hike." We worked at clearing one of my favorite trails, and then were rewarded with a relax in an ocean pool at the end of the job. I think the gang had a gas, and were also rather surprised at our "hike", even though I warned them about the intensity ,"Black Diamond", "Level 5"...however you want to label it...it was fun, and challenging, and the trail is passable once again.

If golf is not your thing, you will be able to find lots to do while other folks are on the green. One of my guests discovered the nearby botanical gardens called the Enchanting Floral Gardens and the Kula Botanical Gardens. She borrowed one of my many plant books and had a great time.

A couple of folks also hiked the Haleakala National Park, a hike for prepared and fit hikers. They were rewarded with mostly sunshine and some rain at the end of the trail.

I have a b-b-q in the yard, and wow, did we ever eat some yummy dinners! Lots of local and organic greens created our delicious nightly salad, and fresh fish for the barbie... ono!... everyone ended their day fully satisfied.

So, gather up your possey, and make plans for a super Stay and Play golf vacation in Upcountry Maui.

Write me for rates and availability, I'll be happy to help make your trip a memorable one.

Here's to family and friends, life is good!

Maui Real Estate


Aloha,

Being able to call Maui "Home" is a dream come true. Every day I get to experience my guest's excitment and awe of our island's natural beauty. Honestly, I have seen more amazing photos than most folks. Evenings and early mornings often find guests pouring over their shots at the table.

I enjoy sharing Aloha and my life in the islands . Because of my deep respect for the aina (land), I feel privileged to be a guide to my guests. When I used to fish on the Big Island, the greatest joy I experienced was when we had guests on board that had never seen the ocean before their trip to Hawaii.

The visitor industry in Hawaii has been my focus for 25 years, and now this focus has progressed it's natural course to helping folks find their new homes on Maui. I am now a licensed Realtor (S) in the state of Hawaii. I am a member of RAM, the Real Estate Association of Maui, and NAR, the National Association of Reators.

Many guests at Hale Ho'okipa Inn are staying with me while they are searching for their next big adventure, a lifestyle change, a move to the lovely island of Maui. I have often answered questions about schools, cultural experiences, and climates in different areas of the island. People are curious about building restrictions and requirements, and I refer them to our Maui County Building Depts, and Maui County website for property tax info, etc.

I spend time at breakfast with guests setting out for their day's adventures, be it a trip up the spectacular Haleakala Crater, a road trip out to Hana, or a snorkel or golf adventure.

Even folks with their island maps looking at different areas that may suit their needs, or searching for a realtor. Because of the personal attention that I give to guests, I realised that this is a relationship being built on trust. I trust guests in my home, and they in turn trust me to take good care of them while they are here.

Having owned a number of properties on Maui and the Big Island , my focus has been on restoration of heritage homes. Two of my homes were built in 1924, and 1939, and have been a rewarding challenge to restore them to their former charm. The complex history of the islands fascinates me, and restoring an older homes opens a window to this rich history.

The quality of light in the islands is so special, many artists reside here with inspiration all around. Maui has a growing reputation as an international art mecca. My own art forms are watercolor and woodblock. I always look to enhance the light and allow ways for the outdoors to flow inside.

Hawaii has been my home for over thirty-five years, Upcountry Maui is where I live, garden, work and play.....with regular walks and swims along the beautiful, windswept North Shore. The rolling pasture lands, and breath taking vistas from the slopes of Haleakala are awe inspiring.. Maui is a place of spectacular views, lush gardens, friendly people, great resturaunts, organic gardens, cultural events, art galas, walks on the beach, swims, surfs, and paddles in the ocean.

Maui truly is "no ka oi", the best.....and I am so very pleased to share my home with you, and to help you find yours.

With warmest Aloha,
Cherie

July Chop Suey

Aloha ~

It's the Fourth of July weekend and upcountry is rockin! It's been a great week with some fun guests. The week started with a wonderful family from Shanghai, a sweet Italian couple and a happy mainland couple. It was quite the International House at the breakfast table, with Italian, Chinese and English going back and forth across the delicious fruit salad. I even learned how to say good morning in Chinese! The international departures were followed by a couple of quiet days with a friendly East coast couple I thoroughly enjoyed.

Being the Fourth of July weekend, cowboys and cowgirls are now the name of the game. A Portuguese ranching family from the Big Island are staying at Hale Ho'okipa for the weekend's festivities. The rodeo bull riding was Friday night, this morning was our wonderful parade, followed by more rodeo tonight and Sunday, and live music from Upcountry Sundays and Mana'o Radio at Cassanova.

I always enjoy the beautiful horses and riders in the parade. From the little ponies, to the working horses, each one is decked out for their prance down Makawao Ave. The riders are always a crowd pleaser as well, a tiny tot on a BIG horse, a "Cowgirl Hall of Famer", some sassy outlaws, and even Avatar on a blue horse!

Today's parade had more politicians that I cared to see however. I think anybody who was running for anything showed up in Makawao today. I am not kidding, we must have had a half dozen mayoral candidates, as well as state office seekers. Each one tried to outdo each other...the candidate that went all out came with a large cheer leading squad who delighted the crowd with their wild arials. Makawao is the "it" place on the 4th, our parade must be the longest one around, especially in election years.

We are having some relief from the drought this week also . It's been a bit chilly at night for July, and, yahoo, a little rain to green everything up...that has really has not happened yet, but I sure hope we continue with the sprinkles for a few more days.

The plumerias are in full bloom, with many colors to choose from. I'm excited to see if the deep red plumeria has a few more blossoms this year. There is nothing like a good ol fashioned plumeria lei, especially a full one that is strung with flowers all the way around.

The peach tree is still sporting a few late bloomers, I ate a couple of ono peaches off the tree today. There are also lots of papayas, and bananas galore. Good sunshine and some water makes everything grow so well.

While I'm talking about the garden, I want to share this request, do something nice for the earth this week, our wonderful planet needs all the Tender Loving Care we can give! Help on a clean up, plant a tree, put your hands on the earth thinking healing thoughts. We cherish our beaches and the life giving ocean.........

Hawaii is a special place to experience the wonders of nature. Everyday I wake up grateul for my beautiful home, and the walks on the beach, or in the mountains. It's pretty grand, or to borrow a phrase from my UK guests, "Brilliant!!" (I love that)

Sooooooo.......plan your fall trips right now, it will be here before we know it. Every season has something unique and special here in the islands. Fall is crisp and wonderful with stellar sunsets!

Stay tuned for a fall special that I'll post soon.

Here's to hoping one and all are finding something to feel good about.

A hui hou and Aloha,

Cherie








The Color Purple

Aloha ,


May and June are Purple months in the islands...I look forward to these months every year for many reasons, and one of them is most definitely the many shades of purple that dot the upcountry landscape.


The Jacaranda tree is not especially beautiful before it blooms, with only a few disc shaped pods hanging off the ends of the barren branches, shedding little twigs before the leaves open. Two Jacaranda trees at Hale Ho'okipa are displaying lavender color blossoms right now, with more opening daily.


The Lower Kula Highway is such an impressive and scenic drive with these blossoms showering the landscape. The bell shaped flowers flutter down in the trade winds, blanketing pasture land and road ways purple . The pesky silver oak tree also blooms this time of year. Orange blooms of this invasive tree make a nice contrast to all the shades of purple and blue.


Today I happened upon a Jacaranda in bloom with a large cactus flowering right next to it...The stretch of road that divides upper Kula from lower Kula is dotted with statuesque cacti. The cactus flowers will form an edible fruit we call Panini. It is covered in fine little spines that have to be removed before the fruit can be peeled. I have never attempted this job, but from what I hear it takes some heavy gloves to harvest the fruit and then many shakes in a paper bag to remove the spines. It is alot of tricky work for a not so impressive fruit.


Often, plein air artists of Maui can be seen along the roads and accross the pasture lands as well this time of year. Inspiration abounds with soft golden light at sunset. I hope to post some paintings by some of our artists soon.


Today the sky was such a brilliant blue, and the sun so bright... I really did need my sunglasses.

It was almost breathtaking. Every single day I am grateful for the place I call home, today I was in awe.


So, come to Maui, quick...you have one more month to witness the many Colors of Purple.
It will really put a smile on your face!


Aloha, hope to see you soon..........

Cherie

North Shore Maui

Aloha...

Ah, just returning home from a great North Shore beach morning.

The crazy tradewinds have finally calmed down...it was howling across the state for several days, with Maui topping off at 71 mile per hour gusts out in Kaupo.

Annie and I walked Baldwin beach, she chased shredded coconut pieces and I hunted for shells. Because of the wild winds, we have not been to the beach for awhile, and we were both missing it. I had my camera in the beach bag and caught a few nice shots on this sunny spring day.

Someone has built a "fort" on the beach with washed up coral pieces. I love the indoor/ outdoor space it creates. It has a bit of a romantic "cast away" sort of look, but is kind of breaking down at this point. The beach is always changing, the tide washes in and out, and the wind blows, covering and uncovering .

I walked quite a ways down the beach enjoying the day. The tide pools were perfect for playing in and enjoying, crystal clear in some areas, and milky blue in other spots.

Some "stoked" kite boarders were out dancing across the waves and flying through the air. It looked like conditions were perfect. Kite boarding is really a spectacular sport to watch. The folks that are accomplished spend a lot of time in the air doing tricks and flips. My stomach lurches watching them from shore.

Kite boarding has gained in popularity in the last few years. I know there is a major learning curve involved in this sport, and it is not my thing, but pretty exciting to watch. I do have a good friend who kite boards on Maui, and also has her own kite school in South America. If you are looking for some "south of the border" adventure and you sail or board, drop me an e-mail and I will get you in touch with Laura.

OK, I've had my fun for today, now back to the business of living and the Hale Ho'okipa Inn.


Aloha for now,
Cherie

Upcountry Maui Fun

Aloha,


My grandson, Aukai, is visiting from the Big Island and we are having a great weekend exploring Maui. I try to get out and about often, but there is nothing like having family and friends here to really get my Exploring Energy fired up.

I have been meaning to get up to check out the new (three years old now in the new location!) Thompson Ranch, for some horseback riding. Yesterday was a bit chilly with lots of cool mountain mist rolling down the slopes of Haleakala, so we bundled up for our ride. Aukai rode Rascal, he was the lead horse after our guide. I rode Commander. Commander was a beautiful painted female, and somehow, her name did not fit for me.

We tackled the mountain slope, quite a climb up to 5,000 ft. Andy Thompson was our guide, and she was a pleasure to spend time with. The ranch is 1,400 acres of sloping Haleakala flanks boarding on the PoliPoli forest. I love this area of Maui so much. The neighborhood drive up to the ranch is a delight in flowering hedges and old stone walls surrounding emerald green pastures.


After our ride we stopped by the Ali'i Kula Lavender farm.

This lovely 10 acres estate, offers a serene setting for drinking in the vistas while strolling through exciting and well cared for gardens. We wandered on the "Peaceful Path" sipping our delicious lavender tea. Actually, I wandered, lagging behind while my grandson made double time on the trails. This family farm is well run, and a special treat to visit, offering beneficial lavender products, creams and lotions and food products to purchase. Aukai picked out a couple of great gifts for his family.


Our day was great, topped off by a visit to the skate park in Wailuku and ono pizza at Flatbread in Paia.

Wow, some fun! and we are still going. We plan to go the Maui Arts and Cultural Center this evening for a fantastic Ukulele fest with the famed Jake Shimubukuru.....yahoo!


Come visit Maui, and I will give you some great tips on special ways to spend your time.


Aloha for now, see you soon..

Cherie

Haleakala, House of the Sun

Aloha from a Spring day on Maui,

Relief has come and we finally had some trade wind showers. It is raining right now and everything is greening up a bit. It does feel like spring is right around the corner.

I'm posting some beautiful pictures of one of my favorite places on the planet, Haleakala Crater.

The raw moonscape of this volcanic crater draws you in. This picture was taken by a friend of mine, David Frazier, on his early morning journey to the mountain. The dawn of this day held alot of promise as the sunlight stole away the dark blues of early morning.

The Sliding Sands trail is miles of red, black and gray lava rock dotted with the silver sword plants. The silver sword pictures posted were taken by a guest who stayed at the B&B for 5 nights. His name is Klaus Leemann and he is from Switzerland. It was interesting that during his stay there happened to be another guest from Switzerland in the house as well. Breakfast was lively this last week with some really great folks. Klaus took some beautiful photos during his stay, and it seemed that he really enjoyed the time he spent in Haleakala National Park.

Going down this trail is great, coming back up is another story. Because the climb in altitude is significant, it feels a bit like walking through cement coming back up Sliding Sands.
The tough and challenging hike through the crater is something I look forward to. I do have to spend time getting prepared for the 11 mile hike. Although it is a rewarding experience, I am definitely worn out a bit when the hike is over.

I go to Haleakala because it is visually stunning, and because it is magnificently quite. The silence of Haleakala is like no other place I have ever experienced. When you stop walking, the silence is total.......................................................... It empties you out.......... and fills you up. If you spend enough time enjoying the quiet, the layers and mind chatter slip away. The spacious feeling inside the crater, and the profound silence keeps me coming back again and again.

The last photo posted by Klaus was taken at the end of the day. Shadows are growing longer, and the wonderful day on the mountain is coming to a close.

Haleakala is in my backyard, and I am truly blessed.

Come and visit our island home, you will be glad that you did.

Mahalo for the great pictures!

A hui hou folks, see you soon.
Cherie

Mixed Bag

Aloha,

This post is a mixed bag, reflecting life on the island this last week.

A tsunami will grab everybody's attention, and it did. My phone rang at 4 am, my mainland guests, do love 'em, called to warn me about a monster size tsunami that was heading accross the ocean towards our island home. The last tsunami in 1960 was big after being generated by a smaller quake than had just happened. All this woke me up rather quickly. The phone rang again shortly after and it was some folks evacuating from the beach area looking for a room. OK, no going back to sleep now. Might as well gas up and hit the grocery store. I beat most of the crowd to gas, but the grocery store was another thing. People in Hawaii are pretty serious about food, food and beer. I have never seen so many people in line in a grocery store, ever. Ice was melting in the long lines, dripping water accross the crowded floors. Big bags of white rice, toliet paper, Hawaiian currency, and "choke beer" was the order of the day. True to form, the day turned into a great big island wide picnic. Of course, everybody headed for the hills, making upcountry a popular place to be on Tsunami Day. Luckily for all of us, that is all the day turned out to be, a big picnic. Our island community was "on it," well prepared, our officals did their job, the tsunami sirens blared like clock work, and it was a well ordered, sunny and beautiful, crazy day.

The photos I'm posting today were taken by a wonderful German couple on their honeymoon during the mixed bag week. Julia and Jorg sent me a couple of shots from their Maui trip. If you look closely at the jungle shot, you will see a mongoose standing. It's a great shot that was taken at the Wainapanapa State Park out in Hana. This beautiful Hawaiian word means "glistening waters." It is a black sand beach with lots of jungle bush surrounding the park. The curious mongoose is ever present out in the jungle areas. The funny story about the mongoose is that they were imported to Hawaii to take care of the rat problem. I guess not alot of research went into this decision as one sleeps during the day, and the other at night. Not much opportunity for battles.

Moving on, Jorg is standing next to a giant guitar at Charley's in Paia. He was very impressed with the size and quality of this beautiful guitar. Charley's resturant is a bit of an icon in Paia town. It has grown over the years to a gathering place for some good music, and when you want an ono cooked breakfast, they are always a good and friendly place to stop in.

The last photo is of lovely Julia in the garden of Hale Ho'okipa wearing the gorgeous orchid lei that I gave her at breakfast. A friend had given it to me, and when I remembered that they were on their honeymoon, I gifted it to Julia. It looked stunning on her. The orchid petals are folded so that create a boxy look. This lei is unique and impressive, as many of our Hawaiian lei are. What an art lei making is!

Thanks for the photos, folks, it was great to meet you, and mahalo for your company during our rather wild week.

Much Aloha,
Cherie

Picture Perfect


Aloha,

These mild winter days we've been having are picture perfect, for the most part. However, the effects of our mild winter are starting to become apparent

Upcountry Maui is now considered on a drought watch...this is what usually happens on an El Nino year. While the mainland is being hammered by a brutal winter, I heard it was 16 degrees today in parts of Florida, we are dry and sunny, and quite warm. I'm still in shorts and a T-shirt with the door open at 7:30 pm. Once the trade winds start again, we'll get showers.

We had a soft rain a couple of days ago, and the butterfly pictures, by my friend, Anslem Pauls, are photos of a very industrious butterfly flitting in the yard from flower to flower drinking the fresh rain water. This lovely creature spent a good hour on one bush, covering every single blossom . It was remarkable. I try to plant flowering plants for the bees and butterflies around the yard . Sometimes I think a bee hive would be a nice addition. I'd love to have honey from close by.
Isn't nature grand?



This week has been great, life's finally slowed down a bit after the holidays. I 've been squeezing in time at the beach in between check -ins and check -outs, breakfast and cleaning. The winter swells have really been spectacular this year. The ocean is full of energy, and everyone is looking for a chance to enjoy the surf, the water, sunshine and beach.


Besides the beautiful butterfly photos, I am posting a picture of a very curious dove who wandered over on the beach to check out the action. He was looking for snacks, and obviously was not concerned about getting too close. I enjoy waking up to the doves every morning.


The Franklin Grouse is another bird who wanders the dunes and forest at the edge of the beach. They have a particularly loud call that always reminds me of my days living in the little beach community of Puako on the Big Island. The forest at the edge of my little beach house was filled with the Franklins, mongoose, and the ever present feral cats.


Tomorrow I get to go out in the kayak for a spin in the bay to enjoy the whales, from a safe and legal distance, of course. The whales are back, and as always it is a pure pleasure to see them jumping, breaching and slapping. So far on Maui the good folks who keep their eyes open for the safety of the whales have had eight incidents of freeing entangled whales. The last one I saw in the paper looked like some mean rope lines had really given the whale a hard time, but the lines were cut, and they expected a full recovery.
Many folks are spotters trying to keep their eyes open for whales in need of help.

Hope you get a chance to leave the cold and snow for awhile and come to Maui to experience the beauty and joy of nature at it's finest (and most comfortable)!

Aloha for now,
Cherie

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou


Aloha and Happy New Year! or as we say in Hawaii "Hau'oli Makahiki Hou"!

2010 came in with the usual bang. My little dog shivered and hid for two days. Some folks really like the fireworks, however, the smoke is an unpleasant by-product of the brilliant displays. This year was a little quieter, some major blasts, but not as many as previous years. Every year after New Years is finished, the fire department makes it's plea to completely ban fireworks in Hawaii. I doubt that would ever happen, as people like to make a lot of noise in Hawaii at the end of the year.


I had a beautiful holo-holo trip on the Big Island over the holidays with my family, and am posting a few pictures from our adventures. We visited the breath taking Waipio Valley, the north shore beaches, and our customary mountain foraging for the wreathes we usually make.

Each island has it's own unique qualities, and because I raised my children mostly on the Big Island there is always a sweetness and great memories to my visits.


Maui has had plenty of holiday magic as well. The fantastic Maui Film Festival has two nights left. It's always a treat to see the films at the Castle Theater on the big screen. I had my usual guests, Jack and Mickey from Kansas, over Christmas. This is their 9th year visiting Maui and staying with me. I look forward to seeing them every year, and I am so lucky to have so many wonderful repeat guests. As I've said before, my guests are no ka oi (da best)!



Because it has been such a mild winter so far, I've been able to enjoy ocean adventures quite often lately. One of my favorite things to do is to swim at Baldwin Beach on the north shore.


It's a fun work out and quite beautiful to gaze at the Iao Valley while out paddling around.

This coming week, I am hoping to take my kayak out for a cruise and a whale viewing. I really look forward to this every year. It is an amazing experience to see the Humpbacks breaching and listening to them blow and slap. I hope I am able to get some good pictures.

It's time to say Aloha for now...and may this coming year be filled with joy and love for all.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Cherie

"DOING GOOD FEELS GOOD"


Tues. Night Dec 22 , Flatbread Pizza in Paia
PATH and Maui Food Bank Benefit

Public Access Trails Hawaii is supporting research, education and advocacy for trails in Hawaii.

Bikeways, greenways, walkways and equestrian trails, are all needed on Maui.

Please come and support PATH Maui in our stewardship of trails.


Bring a non-perishable food item for the Maui Food Bank. Help insure all the families of Maui have enough food to eat, for this holiday season and beyond.


Maui Food Bank needs our kokua.
Mahalo to Flatbread Pizza for supporting our community.
Remember, Doing Good, Feels Good!!!

Mahalo to all those who are feeling the spirit of giving.

Please help us to protect, preserve and identify trails on Maui.

Aloha,
Cherie

December Delights


Aloha,

What a wonderful time of the year, hard to believe that December is almost half over!

We've had a week of MONSTER swells and blue skies. The surf was sooo huge, Peahi, also known as Jaws, was in fine form. This is a gigantic wave that breaks when a big north swell hits our shores in the winter.



These waves were the largest in over a decade. I did not brave the mad house of cars and onlookers who cruise the cane fields to get to the cliffs for a better view.

I am posting a shot of local fisherman who was shorecasting the day before the big swell hit. This uncle was doing his thing, oblivious to all the wave gaukers surrounding him. It was a nice scene to watch. Beauty is all around us.


Makawao town recently hosted a vintage upcountry Christmas day of fun and entertainment. I just love how all the merchants upcountry are organizing these fun fulled events. There were side walk sales and great music through the day. Santa cruised through town on a hale bale pulled by a tractor.





The Hui Noe Eau Visual Arts Center is now hosting the Christmas House for the month of Dec. Many local artists and crafters have their wares displayed and are for sale.


The old Baldwin mansion makes such a beautiful setting for this wonder land of goodies. There are beautiful wreathes that were locally made.

I visit the Print Studio for open studio work at the hui....what a great art center for all of us. This is a definite stop off during an upcountry visit.


December is flying by, but I have been fortunate enough to get a moment out now and then to take a swim and walk on the beach.



Here's to taking in the wonders of life and natural beauty as often as possible.


Aloha for now,


Cherie

Mahalo



Mahalo means "thank you" in Hawaii...


Mahalo for the crisp air and breezy trade winds that started off our morning.


Mahalo for the awesome winter swell that pounded our North Shores today.



Mahalo for all the Aloha and bounty shared with friends and family.

Mahalo for a great swim and sparkling sunshine on Maui's South Shore.



Mahalo for a brilliant sunset over waving fields of cane grass.

Here's to giving thanks and living in gratitude where ever you are.


Mahalo and Aloha,
Cherie




Photographs by Cherie Attix (unless otherwise noted).

Wai-Wai


Aloha ....

It's been raining wealth in Hawaii this past week. The Hawaiian word for fresh water and wealth is one and the same: wai, and wai-wai (lots of water means lots of wealth). The East sides of our islands have had some pretty good soakings this last week, and I wanted to share some wonderful photos that my guests took on their adventure to Hana. The well traveled "road to Hana" is pretty darn breathtaking when the rain is really falling hard in the mountains, and on the East side of the island.

The roadside cliffs are often sheets of water sliding down the rocks and crossing the road toward the ocean. The road crews are busy keeping clear passage for all the folks who brave the Hana Highway in the rain. I always remind folks to be safe and stay out of the water on these days. Mother Nature is unscripted, and a huge amount of water can come down from the mountains causing flash floods.


Much of the water in Hana is diverted to the central valley for the sugar cane. This is a heated and controversial subject with many of the taro farmers in Hana. When we see this amount of water shooting across the falls and flowing to the ocean, it is hard to believe that there is not enough to go around. Equally hard to believe that these same falls are sometimes little trickles.

My German guests packed up all their photo equipment and headed out this morning for a photo expedition to Hana. I will add more great photos to this post as I receive them. I ask guests to send me some of their favorites when I see that someone is really into their photography.

These three wild shots are courtesy of Kevin and Lisa Zobrist. They shared some great pictures with me during their stay. Breakfast is sometimes a "show and tell" with all the guests passing cameras around the table. I get a chuckle seeing how enthusiastic everyone is. Serious photographers will often download their pics onto laptops for a slide show.


Taking pictures is such a wonderful way to share your adventures with family and friends, and is also a special keepsake to remind us of our good times on travels. My daughter and I both remarked today when we were chatting, how much we enjoy our ongoing slide shows on our computers of our trip together this summer.

So, Adventure Seekers, pack up your cameras and head on over to the islands. Winter is dramatic and makes for some amazing photographs and wonderful memories. See you soon!

With Aloha,
Cherie

Makawao blockparty, fundraiser and art show



Aloha,



This weekend's fun and fundraisers in Makawao were a great success. Two very different and worthy causes drew large crowds at either end of town.


Midtown was featuring a blockparty for the Pacific Cancer Foundation on Maui. There was live music, a silent auction with amazing donations from lots of folks. I bid on a pilates class from my friend's great new OnCore Studio in Makawao.


This was a wonderful community effort to support our breast cancer survivors. All proceeds were donated towards breast cancer education and screening in Hawaii. Desiree from the boutique Pink by Nature did a wonderful job organizing this successful event.


At the far end of Baldwin Ave, near the Makawao Steakhouse, is the fantastic Viewpoints Gallery. They featured the long awaited "Malama Wao Akua" East Maui Watershed art opening. The show was well attended, overflowing with artists, fans, friends and family.



The Haleakala Watershed folks have highlighted their wonderful efforts of conservation of our mountain slopes with this uniquely informative art show. The quality and diversity of the show was very impressive and inspiring. My woodcut and watercolor piece was selected for the show, and you can tell by my smile that I was pretty excited. The image, is the harvesting of Naupaka seeds.


This show will hang for a few weeks, so if you are Upcountry, do stop by and spend some time enjoying the beautiful art at Viewpoints, and learn a few things about where our water comes from.


Honor the aina, take care of each other...




With much Aloha,

Cherie

Princess Ka'iulani Festival


Aloha,

What a busy weekend on the Valley Isle! Today, the Second Annual Princess Ka'iulani Festival was held at the upcountry Haleakala Waldorf School.

This sweet festival is one of my favorite, celebrating the beautiful princess of a Scottish father and a Hawaiian mother. Much literature and stunning photographs are available on the life and story of this remarkable young woman lovingly known as the Peacock Princess.


It has been a year since I started blogging, and I did share this great festival last year. This year I am posting some photos of the hula dancers from our Kula halau performing today. Today's performances brought a little tear to my eye. From the keiki ( children) to the tutus (grandmas), these dancers put their hearts into their homage to Princess Ka'iulani.

Great music by Hapa and the Isle of Maui Pipe Band completed the afternoon....gotta love Maui.


More great events will top off the weekend with a free Ukulele Festival at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Everybody brings beach chairs and relaxes to sweet Hawaiian music on a sunny afternoon.

Maui no ka oi, with all the rich diverse offerings for residents and visitors!
For all the up to date information on Maui happenings, keep your eyes on Maui Calendar.com

Here's to enjoying your community, and ours.

Aloha for now,
Cherie