In Full Bloom

Last week I posted a photo of a bunch of pink plumeria buds that were ready to open.  This week the plumeria trees are in full bloom all over my neighborhood - I love these beautiful yellow and white ones!

K: Kalanianaole Highway Drive

When I need to go to Costco, I take the scenic route - Kalanianaole Highway - from Kailua to Hawaii Kai. The views are stunning, so it's worth the extra time it takes to drive to this one. You can see the road snaking around Sea Life Park in the middle of the photo. It's ABC Wednesday, so click HERE to see more 'K' photos.

Kocher the One-Eyed Wonder Dog

This is my little guy - I couldn't resist posting a photo of him.   He loves to explore the tide pools at Ft. Hase Beach, where this was taken.  Another very dog-friendly place is Kailua Beach Park.  There you can see all kinds of dogs running up and down the beach with their owners in the early morning and late afternoon. 

Juxtaposed Beauty

When I am at the beach, I see just as much beauty on the ground and the sky as I do in the turquoise waters. It's where jagged rock formations and velveteen sand meet, and I like the contrast. This shot was taken at Three Tables up on the North Shore.

Good Catch

A heron clutches a thrashing minnow in its beak.

Bellows with Billowing Clouds

I've posted photos of Bellows Beach before.  Here's another view, with the gorgeous Ko'Olau Mountain Range as a backdrop.  I never get tired of looking at it (I hope you don't either!).

Up in the Air

Kailua Beach is world-renowned for its ideal kite surfing conditions. Today was a particularly windy day on the windward side, and there were plenty of people out there taking advantage of it. I snapped this photo after the kite surfer lifted off - he probably got at least 30 feet above the water before he came back down. It's Skywatch Friday, so click HERE to see other sky images from around the world.

Picked By Little Hands

"Mommy I picked you some flowers!" - sweet words to my ears.  When we go to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, my daughter loves to run around the pond in search of these.  Tossed on a green picnic bench, they look quite pretty.

J: James Dole

As you have probably guessed, he was the founder of Dole plantation, which began in 1900 with the cultivation of a few pineapple plants on a central Oahu plateau that is 1000 feet above sea level. Dole currently plants 11,500 acres of land, which means that they have the capability of having 350 million pineapples out there! It takes each plant 20 months to produce its first mature pineapple (yes, I have been on the Dole tour :) It's ABC Wednesday so to see other 'J' photos click HERE.

Retired for the Day

One of the canoes that sits on the shore of Kailua Beach.  In the background you can see Ulu-pa'u Head, home to Kaneohe Marine Corps Base.  This area is just barely connected to the rest of Oahu by a nearly flooded plain. 

In Honor of the First Day of Spring

Plumeria buds are just beginning to unfurl here in Hawaii.  The plumeria trees are interesting because they shed their leaves in the winter, then they flower before the new leaves appear.  So you have these bare trees with bunches of blossoms on the tips of each branch.  I've never really tried macro photography, but it just happened that a black ladybug was perched on a bud, so I decided to include her.  To see some great macro shots, check out Macro Monday.

Deserted Beaches Still Exist...

if you know where to look for them!  I turned around to snap this photo of my own footprints after walking along an isolated stretch of Mokule'ia Beach.  It is miles away from the bustle of Waikiki, both literally and figuratively.  Our only company was the green sea turtles that were swimming parallel to the shore. 

Ruffled Feathers

This is one of a handful of black swans that can be spotted in the small ponds surrounding the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe.  For some reason, I am drawn to photograph them every time I go there - I love the ripple of their feathers, the bright red beaks, and the way they glide silently across the water. 

Blue Dusk

View of the Hawaii Yacht Club just after sunset.  It's Skywatch Friday, so click HERE to see other sky images from around the globe.

I: Ice, Hawaiian Style

Shave ice is a local treat, not to be confused with "snow cones" and not to be pronounced "shaved ice".  It has a much more velvety texture than a snow cone, and is doused in a variety of syrup flavors.  Ice cream or azuki beans can be added to the bottom of the cup before the ice is piled on.  The best shave ice spots are on the North Shore - I like Aoki's - where this photo was taken - better than the more famous one a couple of doors down for a number of reasons:  their syrups are made right there in the store, their syrups are chilled (which I think makes them taste even better!) and best of all, the line is always shorter!  It's ABC Wednesday, so click HERE to see more 'I' photos.

Primary Colors

Saw this row of canoes on Sand Island, and I wondered why they were all sitting on the shore on such a beautiful Saturday afternoon :)

Outstretched Arms

One of the many lovely old trees that offer respite from the heat during a stroll through Waimea Valley Audubon Center.

Thankful

Workers at Keehi Small Boat Harbor in Honolulu were hauling out one of the docks that broke free during Friday morning's tsunami. About 200 boats, as well as some of the docks and moorings, were damaged during the storm. Fortunately, the surges were small and there were no reports of injuries. (click HERE to read more). I have thought of Japan so often during the last two days, and of the horrific devastation they are trying to cope with.

Fly-Over

I snapped this from my front yard when the Navy Blue Angels were performing at the nearby Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Airshow.  They fly so close together that it makes me cringe - really unbelievable!  Notice that you can barely see plane 2 peeking out from behind plane 3.  It's Skywatch Friday, so click HERE to see more sky photos from around the world. 

Power of the Sea

Tonight as I post this, I am reminded that here on this island in the middle of the Pacific, we are vulnerable to the ocean's power.  There is a tsunami watch tonight, issued after Japan's enormous earthquake.

H: Hibiscus

Hibiscus plants bloom in many colors all over the island. I never get tired of seeing their large beautiful flowers - to me they are symbolic of the tropical paradise that surrounds all who venture beyond Waikiki's shores to find the real Oahu. To see more ABC Wednesday photos beginning with 'H' click HERE.

What Did You Find?

Two young friends exploring the tide pools at Ft. Hase Beach.

View From My Paddleboard - Number Three

Monday means another photo taken while I was out on my board.  On this day, I enjoyed having the clear, calm waters of the cove near Kaneohe Marine Corps Base's campground all to myself. 

Lone Wave

A single wave curls up to the shore at Yokohama Bay.  I like it here because it's one of the most remote beaches on Oahu.  It's the northernmost beach on the island's west coast, located just before the road ends.  If you want to go any father (to Kaena Point, for instance), you have to park your car and hike.

Slipper Casualties

Lots of rain here lately has made for some very muddy hiking / walking trails.  These were just a few of the many abandoned slippers (flip-flops) that were stuck in the mud on the way to Pele's Chair.  I like the way the pair in the background was placed neatly together, as if the owner was taking them off at someone's front door :)

Shark's Cove Stunner

View from the rocks at Shark's Cove.  This was one of the best sunsets I've seen - the margins of the clouds glowed as they were illuminated by a perfect circle of light.  It's Skywatch Friday, so click HERE to see beautiful skies from around the globe.

Toss Up

Fun times for a dad and his little boy at Pokai Bay.  I read that Pokai is Hawaiiain for "Night of the Supreme One" and this beach is named after the legendary Hawaiian chief, Poka'i, who reportedly brought the first coconut palm tree to Hawaii.

G: Gliders

I saw this hang glider soar past after walking to the top of the Mokapu'u Lighthouse Trail.  Makapu'u is a very popular gliding area, so it's possible to watch take-offs and landings whenever the weather is good.  It's ABC Wednesday, so click HERE to see other 'G' photos. 

Waikiki Aquarium

Part of the "Hunters on the Reef" tank exhibit.