Category Archives: Photo Challenges

Hawi murals

A colorful mural in Hawi, Hawaii

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

I took the opportunity to revisit the murals surrounding a courtyard in downtown Hawi. I’ve posted a couple of inmages before, here and here, but there are others that certainly can be described as vivid.

A colorful mural in Hawi, Hawaii
A colorful mural in Hawi, Hawaii

The bottom one is one I featured a couple of years ago (here) as a work in progress. I’m still not sure whether this is the finished article. I suspect some of those white areas on the right will get more detail one of these days.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

A colorful mural in Hawi, Hawaii

Orange fungi

Orange fungi on a tree stump

When I went to get a haircut recently, my hairdresser was busy with another client, so I took the opportunity to have a walk through her garden as I do sometimes. I found these splendid fungi growing from the stump of an old tree.

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

And rest

A Bench overlooking Honokane Nui Valley on the Big Island Hawaii

This month’s Becky’s Squares theme is “Walking” (See more responses here). But when you’re out walking, it’s nice to find a place to stop and sit a while. I’ve posted before (here) about this bench overlooking Honokane Nui Valley, but only shown the fabulous view along the coast. This view up the valleys is equally good in my book.

Halema’uma’u trail and crater

A view of Halemaumau Crater at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Recently, for this month’s Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here), I’ve been posting some local walks. Today, I thought I’d revisit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and one of my current favorite trails there.

The top photo is taken from the Byron Ledge trail which crosses the edge of the Kilauea Caldera to join the Halema’uma’u trail. From this junction, the original Halema’uma’u trail traverses the caldera to the edge of Halema’uma’u Crater. That trail has been closed since 2008 because the volcano has been, and currently still is, erupting there. Kilauea Caldera is large and the eruption is two miles from the trail in the top photo, but I always get a bit of a tingle from walking across the caldera floor so close to volcanic activity.

That’s not the only reason I like this trail though. It arrives at the caldera floor by winding down from the rim though some lovely tropical foliage and a moss-covered cutting through rocks that I always stop and photograph even though it doesn’t change from one visit to the next.

A section of Halema'uma'u Trail at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A section of Halema'uma'u Trail at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A section of Halema'uma'u Trail at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

For more information about Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, go to nps.gov/havo/.

Slurp

A gold dust day gecko on and agave attentuata

One of the Agave Attenuatas in my yard is currently blooming, the first one here to do that since I’ve lived here. Because of this, when I walk around the garden, I’ve been paying particular attention to this plant. Bees have been busy in the vicinity, but geckos have been equally drawn to the goodies on offer.

Here, a Gold Dust Day Gecko licks one of the unopened flowers. Not sure if it was after moisture, something sweet, or some of the numerous aphids that have can be seen on the plant.

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

Nothing special

The coastline below Upolu Airport in Hawaii

My usual walk around Upolu Airport is about a three mile loop. A few days ago, I was about halfway around and I hadn’t seen much of anything. No cattle or horses, no butterflies or bugs, few birds, and nothing in the water – no turtles, whales, or monk seals. And I thought, ‘Nothing special today.’

Then I looked out over the blue water under blue skies, waves splashing against the shore, and a light breeze moderating an otherwise hot day, and I thought, ‘Even nothing special isn’t half bad.’

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

How now brown cow?

A cow near Upolu, Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge is ‘Leather (shades of brown).’ See more responses here.

This seemed an appropriate topic for some cattle photos, taken on my walks at Upolu and Pu’u Wa’a Wa’a. And, yes, not all of them are cows!

Also posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

Cow and calf near Upolu, Hawaii
Cattle near Upolu, Hawaii
Cattle at Pu'u Wa'awa'a, Hawaii
Cattle near Upolu, Hawaii
Cattle near Upolu, Hawaii
Cattle at Pu'u Wa'awa'a, Hawaii

Chocolate orchids

A chocolate-scented oncidium orchid Sharry Baby
A chocolate-scented oncidium orchid Sharry Baby

On my last walk around Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden I saw this Oncidium Orchid, which goes by the name of Sharry Baby. I’ve seen this before, but this was the first time I’ve noted the feature it’s most renowned for, which is its strong chocolate scent. It was really quite remarkable, but I restrained myself from ripping the flowers off and chewing them there and then.

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.