Category Archives: Photo Challenges

Sunrise from Pelekane Beach

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Waiting for Peace.’ See more responses here.

This peaceful scene was taken at Pelekane Beach in Kawaihae. It’s a favorite spot of mine for an early morning walk, when it’s very quiet and calm. But it hasn’t always been that way.

In the late 1700s, King Kamehameha I ruled the north and west parts of Hawaii Island, but was engaged in a war with his cousin who ruled in the east. Kamehameha was advised to build a sacrificial temple for Kūkaʻilimoku, the war god. So Kamehameha had Puʻukoholā Heiau built. That’s the structure silhouetted on the hill to the left of the photo.

Kamehameha invited his cousin to the site, ostensibly to talk peace, but when his cousin arrived, he and his entourage were duly captured and became the first sacrifices to dedicate the temple. So not so peaceful after all. But this action ultimately led to Kamehameha being able to bring all the islands under his rule, ending many years of fighting and bringing stability and peace to Hawaii.

That situation largely lasted until the late 1800s when the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown in a coup d’état by a group seeking annexation to the United States. This duly happened, though the aftershocks of this event continue to disturb the peace in the islands to this day.

Lenticular clouds

A low pressure system northwest of Hawaii has drawn up a tropical moisture from the south, resulting in some wild weather, including much needed rain. Some of the cloud formations have been pretty impressive, too.

Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge. See more responses here.

Well rounded

The rounded hills of Kohala Mountain and a weather radar known as the golfball — The rounded NEXRAD Weather Radar sits on the rounded hills of Kohala Mountain.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Rounded.’ See more responses here. Another mixed bag this week with captions on or below the photos

The sun sets off the Kohala Coast in Hawaii — The sun sets….

Three illuminated balls in a window display in Hawaii — Three rounded balls in a shop window.

Coffee berries on a plant in Hawaii — Three rounded balls in a shop window.

Mauna Kea around sunrise

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Finding Gratitude, Giving Thanks.’ See more responses here.

At my age, waking up and seeing the sunrise is something to be grateful for!

Brown in Hawaii

A horse on the coast of Hawaii — A brown horse on the North Kohala coast.

This month’s Sunday Stills Color Challenge is ‘Brown.’ See more responses here.

I’ve gone for a selection of animals, mostly. Captions on the photos as usual.

Wild pigs in Hawaii — Brown and black wild pigs.

Cattle and a pig at Puuwaawaa in Hawaii — Brown and black wild pigs.

A brown anole in Hawaii — A brown anole, looking miffed.

Participants in the Kamehameha Day parade at Kapaau, Hawaii — At the Kamehameha Day parade earlier this year. The photographer has to be a mom or other relative with that matching dress!

Tropical leaves

A gecko on a heliconia leaf at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a heliconia leaf.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Leaves, Autumn or Spring.’ See more responses here. Here are some leaves from Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden with captions on the photos.

Anthurium leaves at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — Anthurium leaves seen from both sides.

Fern fronds at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — If you have ferns, you’ve always got fronds!

Palm frond at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A palm frond.

Queen Anthurium leaves at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A palm frond.

The tree canopy at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — Looking up into the canopy.

It’s frightful, it’s delightful

A Halloween treat from Sandwich Isle Bread Company in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Frightful.’ See more responses here.

There’s a well-known brand of paper tissue that sells it’s products in cardboard boxes sporting a wide variety of designs, some more pleasing than others. Costco carries these items and currently sells a line that could be called colorful or garish, depending on ones tastes.

The top photo shows the end of one of these boxes. It features owls, which I love, but there’s something truly frightful in this image. I don’t know whether it’s the blood-tinged background colors or the bizarre purple owls from another dimension, and their dull black, vacant, staring eyes. I do know this isn’t what I want to see when I walk in the bathroom. So I’ve stopped buying from Costco until they get a less scary set of designs in.

The second photo is frightful in a fun, Halloweeny kind of way. I was picking up bread from the Sandwich Isle Bread Company in Waimea, when I saw these ”Mummy” Vanilla Choco Eclairs. Well, I couldn’t possibly pass them up, could I? They have several other Halloween-themed treats and they not only look fabulous, but always taste great.