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

Mele Kalikimaka!!!

Aloha to All........

May this Christmas season bring families closer together, in the name of Love.

May we find infinite delight in the small things of life.

May we recognize our blessings, and share with those in need.

May we all slow down just a little during the holiday rush.

I am posting my holiday card.., Mele Kalikimaka, and Happy Winter Solstice to all......

....if you live in Hawaii, I hope my card evokes memories of the simple pleasures...

.....if you don't live in Hawaii, I sincerely hope you get a chance to visit soon and share a

little Aloha. We'd love to have you over.

Peace on Earth~
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

Lana'i Island

Aloha!

Yesterday someone who knows me well, remarked that my voice sounded relaxed on the phone.

I agreed, having just returned from the lovely island of Lana'i. The last time I visited was many years ago in an outrigger canoe crossing the Au'au Channel, landing on the white sand beach of Manele Bay.

My recommendation for travel nowadays would be the Expeditions Ferry departing from Lahaina with 5 round trips daily. It is a comfortable 45 minute ride, with spectacular views.

From the dock, one can take a shuttle up into Lana'i City to the Dollar Car Rental to pick up a jeep, one method of transport while visiting the island, the other option being the shuttle buses that travel from town to the two beautiful resorts, and the harbor.

My brother, sister-in-law, and I rented a jeep and cruised to the windward side of the island to visit Shipwreck Beach and Keomuku where the remnants of a failed sugar cane operation lay rusting in the kiawe forest. Here is a fisherman
throwing net in front of Shipwreck.

On our return we were treated to one of the most glorious sunsets I have ever seen. We were so busy oohhing and aaahhing and taking pictures that we never made it to the acclaimed Ko'ele Lodge. The largest wood framed building in the state is an elegant country estate on green pasture land surrounded by the wonderful Cook Pines.

The beauty of the pine forest sang to me, reminding me of my childhood in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I love the magnificent Norfolk Pine in my yard at Hale Ho'okipa, and to be caressed by the alpine air in a forested landscape was indeed a special treat.

We stayed at the Hotel Lana'i, a 1923 home built by Jim Dole to house his VIP guests. Our room was comfortable with the ambiance of yesteryear. In fact, most of Lana'i City is in a bit of a time warp. Loved it!!! The pace is slow, the people were friendly, and my favorite classic plantation architecture abounded.

The Hotel Lana'i is home to the Lana'i City Grille featuring regional cuisine for a sophisticated palate. We were very satisfied and impressed with their menu , preparation and delicious flavors.

Just down from the hotel across from Dole Park, a gym, two eateries, two galleries and a few shops beckon. We visited the Mike Carroll Gallery where my family purchased a great piece of art from a Hawaii artist. Mike was fun to chat with. His gallery is tastefully appointed with quality art from all over the islands and antique furnishings from the Orient.

After breakfast, we wandered over to the Lana'i Culture and Heritage Center. Their focus is to honor the past, and enrich the future. The director, Kepa Maly, was most gracious with his time and intimate history of his beloved island. The center is temporarily housed in a small room awaiting renovations to a more worthy space.

We stopped in the Manele Bay resort on our way down to the beach. The opulence was a bit over the top for my taste, but quite stunning. If you are looking for an umbrella drink, my guess is this would be a good place to check out. It is beautifully situated overlooking the blue Pacific rimmed by a half moon white sand beach. At the beach we took a hike to view the Pu'u Pehi, commonly known as Sweetheart Rock. Breathtaking beauty that filled us up to the top before our departure on the ferry back home to Maui.

If you want an added bonus to your Maui vacation, plan a day trip to Lana'i. If you live in Hawaii, visiting Lana'i will make you sigh with nostalgia.

The trades are blowing again, all is clear and all is well.

Much 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

Sweet and Sour

Aloha,

Each season in the islands yields different fruit...Today I realized that we are in the "sour" season. The lilikoi, aka, passion fruit is Going Off!! This is the time of year that they drop from the vine onto the cul de sac and escape down the hill, rolling their way to Makawao Ave. I have the more common yellow lilikoi, and the sweeter purple ones. Sweet is a relative term here. They are actually lip puckering, palette cleansers. I like them, and right now I have a guest who loves them. He is in lilikoi heaven, and feeling quite satisfied at breakfast.

The Surinam Cherries are also falling from the bush. They are super high in Vitamin C, and their flavor is face wrinkling, eye squeezing good. I can eat them all day, but then, I like adventure. The same guest also got a kick out of the cherries as well. They are tiny and bright red and really pack a punch. Today I learned that there is a dark purple version of this fruit that is a lot sweeter. I hope to get one of these growing soon.

The 2lb Winter Pear Avocados are my main meal right now as well. They are so buttery, creamy and delicious. My guests laugh when they see them. I always hear about the scrawny $5 avos that people buy "back home".

After sour season is pau, it will be sweet season. I am including a shot of my beautiful, luscious mangoes that are getting bigger by the day. This is a high altitude mango that is usually ready in time for the holidays. They are so juicy and sweet.. Something else to look forward to!

As always, the land provides, and I am blessed. I love sharing my garden bounty with my guests.

I look forward to breakfast with you soon!!

Mahalo, a hui hou......

Cherie

Brilliant Shower Trees of Hawaii

Aloha Folks,

I have had my eye on a few blooming Shower Trees lining Baldwin Ave heading down to Paia for months. They are show stopping, and today I finally stopped to take pictures. The golden yellow ones have lost most of their blossoms, but the Rainbow Shower Tree will sport blossoms up until Nov. Their blooming season is quite long with the peak of color happening in July. The trees are tough and adaptable, great landscaping statements.

The official tree of Honolulu is the Rainbow Shower Tree. The sunset color of the Rainbow Shower Tree is a brilliant fusion of pink and yellow.

I used to have a very, very large, old fashioned Pink Shower Tree in my yard. . It had the big messy pods, and I spent alot of time cleaning them up. Now, the hybrids have been bred to be pod less. A few years ago on a very windy Kona day, the big old shower slowly fell over into my koi pond. It was quite an operation to clear the tree. I called on my wood worker friend, Cole Waren, to come and cut the massive precariously perched trunk. I enticed him with the goods in exchange for a large salad bowl. I had a feeling he would be able to turn a number of bowls from the thick trunk.

What a great trade! I am so happy with my beautiful bowl. The curly grain reminds me of koa. The bowl started out a golden color and is a bit darker now. It is really handsome and I feel lucky having a bowl from a tree that grew on this property for probably one hundred years.

Hawaii is so bountiful! I am also posting a picture of the Awapuhi ginger that a friend just gave me. These are the largest and juiciest blossoms I have ever seen. The Hawaiians used this succulent flower to shampoo their hair. I have been using the same few blossoms for a couple of days, and they have such a sweet fragrance.

I have always made it a practice to utilize all that I have, and re-cycle and re-use as much as I can. It only makes sense to me living on an island, and it is fun, re-warding and challenging.

So, as our own Jack Johnson sings for the school kids, "re-duce, re-use , re-cycle" and I'll add "re-think."

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend enjoying time with loved ones!

Much Aloha,
Cherie

Stand Up Paddle

Aloha Folks,

Ku Hoe He'e Nalu...Stand Up Paddle..

A new water sport was born in the early 2000's. Some surfers scoff at it, others really enjoy the freedom of being out on the water, even with no waves. They say, necessity is the mother of invention. Maui's own Laird Hamilton and other big wave riders developed this sport as a means of training when waves were down.

I have yet to try this sport, but there are a couple of things that are apealing to me. This is a surface water sport. From the stand up perspective, the paddler has a great view down into the water.

I also like being able to cruise on calm, no wind, no wave days. I spent alot of years racing outrigger canoes. Having a paddle in my hand is a lovely and familiar feeling.


Last week I was able to jump into a canoe and have a leisure afternoon paddle I was so happy, it had been way too long. I just wanted to paddle off into the sunset. Hawaii has Outrigger Canoe and Paddleboard races interisland.

I have crossed the channel a few times in the Outrigger canoe races. A lot ot training was involved, and it was wild, challenging and alot of fun. There is now a division for the Stand Up Paddle as well in some of these races.

My suggestion for stand up paddlers who are new to the sport, pick calm days and areas that are not crowded to get the hang of it, and maybe stay in those uncrowded areas until you really know what you are doing, and can do it well.. These boards are huge, and nobody wants to be on the receiving end of one.

Above all, have fun and be safe.

Summer is officially over, ahh, it was a nice summer, not too hot, some really gorgeous days.

As the days start shortening, and our thoughts turn inward, may you all enjoy this season of harvest.

Aloha for now,
Cherie

End O' Summer Special! Save 10% to 20%!

Aloha Folks,

Call me crazy, but I was just sitting out by the pond, pre-dawn soaking up the moon and star shine. The big koi are gently floating around reflecting the moon, all is quiet. The birds are still snoozing, a few roosters in the distance, even the crickets are asleep.

Summer is coming to a close. It is dark by 7 pm, we really do not have much of a "dusk" in Hawaii. It's only about 15 minutes loooonnggg..............then..... , bam, dark. Next comes the part I love, watching the moon come up over Haleakala. My garden has a few night blooming plants. The night blooming Jasmine, when covered in blossoms, perfumes the entire garden. Last week, the mock orange was in bloom, and all of Makawao smelled of mock orange blossoms for a few days. It was delicious.

It is not quite fall yet, summer is still lingering, but we all realize that the subtle season change is coming into view. The first north swell of the season is pounding our shores this weekend.

This really is a great time to visit the islands. Parking is available everywhere. Folks are offering specials everywhere...(the fish are jumping and the cotton is high.).... not really, but the waves are rolling in, and the sun is warm.

In celebration of the End O' Summer, I am offering a SPECIAL as well. For folks on the fence, or waiting for a special, take 20% OFF of a lovely room at Hale Ho'okipa from now until the end of Oct, and 10% off of future bookings if confirmed by the end of Oct.

So, Yoga students, roll up your mats and come to Maui, hikers, pack your boots, volunteers, do your homework, relaxers, find a great book.....What ever warms your heart and puts a smile on your face, Maui no ka oi( da best) has it going on.

The birds are waking up, the day is dawning, really glad I could share it with all of you.

May you have a wonderful weekend.

Mahalo and Aloha,

Cherie

Malama Wao Akua 2009

Aloha,

Recently, I had one of the best days I can remember. I had the great fortune of combining two of my favorite passions: art and nature.

The art was a plein air session with a wonderful watercolor teacher, Connie Adams. Connie helps me to loosen up, get bold and better understand the movement of paint and water. She is positive, a great teacher and alot of fun to work with.

The nature part of the day was sublime. I do not remember ever feeling as connected to nature as I did on this day. We were taken up into the Waikamoi Preserve with East Maui Watershed Partnership. Our lovely guide, Cat, was a fountain of knowledge. I was able to ask a lot of questions to identify plants and took notes as we hiked.

At one point, we all found our quiet zone to observe and experience the amazing native forests of Hawaii. I felt ancient, like I had gone back in time. Nothing else existed on this peaceful and sunny day in the forest of Old Hawaii. I heard and saw the Apapani bird flitting around in the Ohia trees with the forest floor covered in inches thick of brilliant colored moss. The only sounds were the buzzing of the insects and bird songs. This rich experience really brought home why so many folks dedicate themselves to protecting our forest preserves. I do understand this passion and want to do what I can to support these efforts.



The East Maui Watershed Partnership sponsors an art show every year, the "Malama Wao Akua " show. It hangs at the wonderful Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao. The theme and subject matter is "the protection of Maui County's native species and native habitats from ridge to reef and the efforts to protect them."

I am inspired and have been working on a piece for a few weeks now. A small group of artists were taken up into the Waikamoi Preserve for inspiration and to experience the forest. I feel very grateful and privileged to have participated in this day.

The native forests of Hawaii need our help and protection. Remember all the volunteer opportunities available to preserve our unique aina. Visitors to Hawaii will be able to go to places few can go in these environmental volunteer programs.

I hope to be able to go and paint in another special gem of Hawaii's flora and fauna this coming weekend.

Here's to finding your passion!!!, and making the most of it.........

Aloha for now,

Cherie

Maui Tahiti Fete '09

Aloha!

Heiva I Maui was even more fun that I thought it would be. I had a great time at the 12th Annual Tahaitian Dance and Drumming Competition held in Wailuku this past weekend. The dancers, adorable age 3 to elegant Kupuna over 50, were vibrant and very entertaining.

Costumes of the competitors were captivating and colorful with peacock feathers, flowers, and bright prints. The headress were over the top with the shredded Niu, coconut fibers crowning long and wild flowing hair.

One of the dancers looked like she was standing under a waterfall with her headress fibers. I especailly enjoyed her beautful smile and ocean colors.

The beating drums and wild hip shaking certainly set the mood for good time. Tahitian dancers must be quite strong, the blur of hip shaking while raising and lowering is not something everyone can do. I imagine a fair amount of training is involved.

I don't know all the critera for judging, maybe how much you smiled and blushed? The male dancers do a lot of jumping and chest thumping, and they were pretty easy on the eyes. The solo competitors were rivetting, and I really enjoyed the music for the groups. It was exciting and uplifting. I'm going music hunting as soon as I get a chance.

Polynesian crafters were selling their wares outside the competition. Wooden drums, Tahitian black pearls, shell belts, coconut earings and beautiful Polynesian clothing enticed everyone to pull out their wallets. Unique quality crafts at excellent prices were certainly crowd pleasers at this event.

I had a great time, and I know I'll make it a point to come down to next year's Tahiti Fete.

We're moving towards the close of summer....seems to be flying by now. Here's to enjoying the last few weeks of soft summer season. Hope the weather is beautiful, wherever you are!

Aloha for now,
Cherie

Protea Flowers

Aloha,

Protea flowers are some of the wildest looking and longest lasting flowers grown in the islands. Today I want to share some photos and information about my favorite protea farmers from Anuhea Farms.

The woody stems and hardy blossoms of the Protea flower will also dry well for longer lasting arrangements. I sometimes use them in holiday wreaths. These are the flowers to bring or send home when you want to make a good impression.

The soil and weather conditions of upcountry Maui, much like their native habitat of South Africa, is ideal for growing crops of protea. Dry, windswept slopes of Mt.Haleakala, from Kula through Makawao to Olinda are dotted with the explosive pinks, oranges and yellows of these other-wordly flowers.

Bill and Judy Mertins have been farming proteas in Olinda on the slopes of Haleakala since 1993. Their farm is 15 acres, with over 30 varieties of protea. Judy runs a sweet little retail shop called Anuhea Flowers in Makawao. Their flowers are also available on line, they ship all over, and Hale Ho'okipa Inn site has a link for ordering flowers as well.

My favorite are the bright pink Minks, called Duchess, talk about a sexy flower!! I also like the Maui Gold of the Pincushion variety. Their color is so vibrant, they really brighten up an arrangement...and look great standing alone. These are the King variety, the largest blossom.

Aunhea Farms has offered a farm tour in the past, including a historical presentation by Dorothy Pyle, professor of history at MCC. Dorothy is a treasure trove of local historical information. They are prepared to offer a tour if a group of 12 or more are interested with advance notice. It's a great tour.

Many wonderful books are available on the flowers of Hawaii. Proteas in Hawaii by Paul Wood and Ron Dahlquist is an amazing photo journal and story of these colorful wonders. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in botanicals.

It's evident I love promoting our local farmers, merchants, authors and artists... Maui produces the "cream of the crop" and Anuhea Farms is another fine example of "All Things Maui"!

So, brighten up your day, several actually, with some protea from the sunny slopes of Maui.


Aloha for now...the trade winds are blowing today, keeping it fresh!

Cherie

Volunteer on Vacation while in Hawaii

Aloha Folks,

Today my new web site was launched, and I am excited to share it with everyone. Volunteer-on-vacation-hawaii.com is part of my latest effort in preservation of our special environment here in Hawaii.

After meeting great visitors out on the trail or up in the mountains, I was inspired to create this new site with added incentive on booking accommodations at Hale Ho'okipa Inn for those who volunteer (get a 5% discount on your stay, with another 5% donated to the organization for which you volunteer) This new site will continue to grow. Right now, the focus is mainly environmental restoration and preservation through eradication of invasive species and replanting the native forest and coastal dunes.

The last service day I had was with the Maui Coastal Land Trust. We gathered Naupaka seeds from the native Naupaka plant. This shrub grows in the mountains and by the ocean. There are several species of this plant, the most remarkable thing is the flower appears to be torn in half, with petals missing.

There are a few legends that are spurned by this half flower...with the theme being two lovers who cannot be together, resulting in one living in the mountains, and the other by the ocean...hence the half flower.

The seeds when ripe are white and round. When we picked them,, we had to squeeze the seed out of the pulpy white outer layer. Mehana, my granddaughter and I , ended up picking a couple of hundred seeds. Nice to know these are now growing into new plants.

It's a little bit sticky to pick the seeds, my grandson Aukai was not too impressed with this job. He really perked up when it was time to plant the Naupaka plants in the afternoon. He liked digging the holes with the shovel. I had to protect the plants so they would not end up chopped in half by his enthusiatic shovel swinging.

The Diaz family, 7 of them from Texas ,also worked with us. Their 13 year old, John, enjoyed the experience with his family. They were a fun group, and it was great to pick and plant along side this family on the wonderful Maui Coastal Land Trust sand dunes.

This area is some of the only sand dunes remaining on Maui. A small inland pond in the ancient fish pond , is where the Hawaiian Stilt birds nest .

Please visit the new site. Anyone interested in sponsorship of the site to help , please contact me. I am happy to add your link to the site.

Volunteering on vacation, or in your home area, is a great way to meet great folks, share your skills and learn new ones, and feel good about your efforts.

Dig in, help out, lend a hand. You'll be glad you did.

Much Aloha and Mahalo to all who make a difference!!!

Cherie

Kuka' emoku... Iao Valley

Aloha, One of my favorite places to visit, especially when my grandchildren are with me, is the spectacular and spiritual Iao valley. We enjoy bathing in the cold river and listening to the sound of the rushing water. Today we ate our sushi on the river bank, happy to cool down on this sticky hot Kona weather day. Iao is considered very sacred because remains of high chiefs are buried in secret hiding places in the valley. Much of the valley is a Hawaii State Park, and protected. I am only Hawaiian at heart, my bloodline is not tied to this land. Maybe because I spend so much time in nature, I do feel very respectful of the areas that I visit. At times I have asked the waters of this river to wash my cares to the ocean. I always come away feeling refreshed , clean, and grateful. The Iao Needle, 2,250 feet high, was created by erosion. Looking towards the north shore, the Needle, often shrouded in clouds, was considered the phallic stone of Kanaloa, the Hawaiian god of the ocean. The word Iao refers to "cloud supreme" for the constant bank of clouds that covers the peaks of the mountains spilling into the valley. It is rare to see the spectacular West Maui mountains without clouds. I am ever thankful for the lush beauty and bounty of this land. May you all have a special place in nature where your balance is restored. Much Aloha, Cherie

Bottlenose Dolphins

Aloha,

Today's post features the Bottlenose Dolphins that some friends recently encountered while out snorkeling.

These playful creatures are intelligent and known for their friendly dispostion and agility. In one of the photos, the dolphin is "catching" a floating leaf on it's fin, and also swimming with the leaf on its nose.

My friends were dropping the leaves for them to play with. They did not approach or follow this pod as people are not supposed to get close to the dolphins, as tempting as it may be.


They live in social groups called pods. A pod can vary in size, 5 to 100 dolphins in the group. Dolphins communicate through a complicated series of squeaks and whistles.

The dolphins enjoy bow-swimming with boats, playing in the wake and waves. I have seen them many times racing around along side the boat and trying to keep in front of it as well. It's a wonderful site, these playful creatures diving and leaping along side the boat.

The dolphins can swim up to 18 miles per hour. Their size is up to 10 feet in length and weight is approx. 1,100 #. The Bottlenose Dolphin's life span is 45-50 years.

They eat small fish and squid, and sometimes follow fishing boats looking for leftovers. The dolphin's greatest danger is getting entangled in fishing nets and gear, and boating traffic.

Many programs and organizations work tirelessly to protect these wonderful creatures. The Pacific Whale Foundation is one great organization that promotes awareness of the ocean's creatures through education.

Enjoy the photos, I sure did!

Aloha for now,
Cherie

July 4, 2009, Makawao, Maui, Hawaii

Aloha ...

The 4th of July parade was as colorful as ever this year. People go all out, and everyone loves it.

Politicians unveil their aspirations for the upcoming terms, the Peace marchers and Samba bands are in full force, the big rig truckers blow out everybody's eardrums with their air horns, and, I even learned where I can whiten my teeth for $99.

I enjoyed the MISC float (Maui Invasive Species Committee) "Defending the Aina," with the big snake wrapped around the truck going after a native bird. These folks were making a point: we don't have snakes in Hawaii, and we all want to keep it that way.

The big longhorn bull was a huge hit! He was so calm strolling down the street. The hoots and hollers did not seem to bother him at all. I was a bit nervous, thoughts of the bulls throwing their riders sky high kept coming to my mind.

The Piiholo Ranch folks put some major effort into their parade horses... the horses were blue (!) with red skirted pa'u riders.

Wow.


They also put together a crazy float with a mini Zipline. The zipline is the latest craze for folks looking to fly through the tree tops. Check them out when you are making upcountry plans. I am waiting until my grandson is old enough to go with me.


My paniolo guests, Hui and Russ, are shown here. Russ is a saddle maker, check him out at Murray Saddle Shop. Hui is the colorful cowboy in the styling red boots and beautiful horse. He won an award in the parade for the coolest looking... I am sure they have a different title for it, though. They have been good fun to have around, I am learning a lot about cowboy stuff from them.

The parade always starts with the vintage cars. A young boy sitting next to me gave me a running commentary on the year, model and makes of these show stopping automobiles. He was impressive. I used to have a 56 Chevy pick up with wrap around windows that I really loved. There was a teal colored one in the parade that gave me a thrill.

Watching the crowd is almost as much fun. There was lots of laughter, shakas and jokes all around. I like this tradition... it's a good feeling to be a part of a great community.

Aloha for now....

Cherie