Happy Jack

Published

Awhile back, author Christine Webb-Curtis contacted me about the possibility of using one of my blog photos on the cover of her book.  Of course I happily agreed, and today I got my own copy of the finished product in the mail - can't wait to read it!

Daddy-Daughter Duo

A day at the beach with some friends:  I love the expressions on their faces :)

O: Orange Glow

It's not the orange glow of a jack-o-lantern we see this Halloween season, but the the flaming color of a brilliant sunset over the ocean.  For other 'O' photos, please visit ABC Wednesday.

The Great Pumpkin Race

My daughter's class went on a field trip to a popular local working farm today.  We've been here before and the "pumpkin patch" always cracks me up, because it's actually a dirt field (notice there is NO vegetation) in which pumpkins are placed after being unpacked from boxes.  The kids run over excitedly to pick, or in this case pick up, the perfect one - they don't seem to care that the pumpkins are flown in from California!

Avocados

My next door neighbor's trees are producing giant, delicious avocados right now, and she shared some with me!  For the past few days I've enjoyed avocado and turkey wraps, bacon stuffed avocados, fresh guacamole...I'm sure you get the picture :)  At our previous house here we had our own tree, and I've decided it's time to plant one at our new house too. 

Almost Like Camoflauge

I was at the top of Makapu'u Trail when this military helicopter passed by, at a lower elevation than me.  On this day, the aircraft and the ocean were almost the same color.  This trail is a also a great place to watch hang gliders and, in the winter, humpback whales.  It's Skywatch Friday, so click HERE to see sky images from around the world. 

N: Night Streetscape

I took this photo of busy Ala Moana Blvd. from my hotel balcony when we spent the night in downtown Honolulu.   I like the fact that, even in the middle of all the traffic and tall buildings, there are palm trees swaying in the night breeze.  For more 'N' photos, please click HERE.

Movie Night, Aloha Style

The city of Honolulu hosts this cool ongoing event called "Sunset on the Beach" where they show family-friendly movies on a 30 foot screen set up right in the sand at Queen's Beach.  The movie this past Saturday night was "In the Hearts of Africa."  There is live music on the stage before the movie, and food vendors set up in the area as well.  What a great way to spend a Saturday night - lying on a blanket in the sand, swaying palms and stars overhead, watching a movie!

Macro Monday

We got a lot of rain a couple of weeks ago, and I always love the way the drops are suspended from the palm fronds afterwards.  Head over to Macro Monday to see some great macros and close-ups today!

Family Saturday Series: Number Two

The Honolulu Zoo is a great place to spend a Saturday afternoon.  When you're done checking out all of the animals, reptiles, and great foliage there you can head next door to Kapiolani Park for a picnic, or walk across the street for a swim at Queen's Beach (we opted for the swim today!).

Check out the Camera Critters meme this weekend!

Dramatic Dusk

Storm clouds were hanging overhead as the sun set at Waikiki recently.  For more sky photos from around the globe, click HERE.

Break Away

I spend most of my week on the windward (east) side of the island.  However, my daughter is on fall break this week and we've been taking advantage of some of the activities Honolulu has to offer.  For her, Ala Moana Beach Park is a saltwater playground.  For me, it's a great place to soak up the view along with some late afternoon rays of sun. 

MMMM.....Malasadas!

I love Malasadas - Hawaii's version of a doughnut without the hole (only way better).  My favorites?  A six-pack of plain sugar ones from Leonard's Bakery in the signature pink box!  You may notice there are only five in my photo - that's because I have to eat one in the car on the way home while they are still hot :)  For more 'M' photos please visit ABC Wednesday.

Beachfront Brunch

Doesn't this look like a lovely place to have Sunday brunch?  It's one of the restaurants at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, right on Waikiki beach.  I love the way the morning light streams onto the patio here.

Good Morning Sun

Each morning, I try to wake up before the kids just so I can tiptoe across the cool floor and peer through the vintage sliding-glass doors of our little house.  From there I get to take in the almost always glorious sunrise unfolding right in my backyard.  Every day it's different, and every day it's inspiring.
It's Skywatch Friday, so please click HERE to see other sky images from around the globe. 

Little Treasures

 

This photo reminds me of the tongue-twister "She sells seashells by the seashore."

L: Lu'au

"Anyone who has experienced a contemporary Hawaiian lu'au (feast) will find kalua pig a main part of the menu. Traditionally, the pig was cooked in an underground pit and served in plaited baskets made of coconut fronds or on large banana leaves. The shredded pork was just as tender and moist as a pork butt roasted in an electric or gas oven. The word kalua refers to the process of cooking in an earth oven (ka, the; lua, hole)."  D. Labiste

I took some visiting family to this Lu'au at Hale Koa - here they have just begun to uncover the imu, or earth oven, that the kalua pig was cooked in.  Just as they lifted it out, one of the many guests in attendance got right in front of me (and my camera) so sadly this was the only photo I got.  Oh well, guess I'll have to go back sometime!

For more 'L' photos, please visit ABC Wednesday.

Foster Botanical Gardens: 7 of 7

Okay, I must brag - these are my beautiful children walking around the Gardens!  Besides admiring the flowers and foliage, it is also a great place to run around, play in the grass, and picnic beneath the canopy of an enormous tree.  I hope you have enjoyed this mini-photo tour of Foster Botanical Gardens!

Foster Botanical Gardens: 6 of 7

One of the highlights of the Garden is the Orchid Conservatory, with its many colorful varieties.  My five year old daughter oohs and aahs over the blooms, but her favorite part of the conservatory is a little pond in the back, complete with a waterfall and small fish.  It's Macro Monday, and you can click HERE to see other close-ups and macros.

Foster Botanical Gardens: 5 of 7

These Ballast Stones sit at the Garden's entrance, where a sign tells their story.  The rectangular granite stones were quarried from England, Asia, and the United States over 200 years ago.  From around 1790 to 1840, native Hawaiian Sandalwood was traded for tea, silk, and money in China.  The ships were very heavy when they carried the sandalwood across the Pacific to China.  On the return trip, however, their cargo of tea and silk weighed much less than the wood.  The ballast stones were added to stabilize the ships for their journey home. 

Foster Botanical Gardens: 4 of 7

One part of the gardens is devoted to growing different kinds of heliconias and zingibers.  I love the way singular bright pops of color emerge from the dense, dark green, shaded foliage.