Category Archives: Scenes

Barbecue under the trees

A barbecue at Spencer Beach Park, Hawaii
Six little pigs forage for mangoes

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Under the Trees.’ See more responses here. Here are a couple of photos for this theme. They’re both under the trees and they’re both barbecue-related when you think about it.

The top one shows people sharing a barbecue meal under the trees at Spencer Beach Park. If this post featured ‘Smellovision’ you’d know it was a barbecue without me writing anything at all.

The bottom photo shows the six little pigs that have been daily visitors to the yard this past couple of weeks. They come for fallen mangoes, scampering out from the cane grass and racing around below the mango tree searching for fallen treasures. There are often one or two on the ground and the lucky ones bolt back into cover with their prizes. Their antics are a continuing source of entertainment. Mind you, it’s not all fun and games. There used to be seven little pigs!

Also posted in response to Becky’s July Squares challenge theme of ‘Trees.’ See more responses here.

Abstracts: Koi in Lily Lake

Koi in Lily Lake at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden

Koi swim in the still waters of Lily Lake at Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden. For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.

Posted in response to Becky’s July Squares challenge theme of ‘Trees.’ See more responses here.

Waianaia Cemetery

A view of Waianaia Cemetery near Kapaau, Hawaii
A view of Waianaia Cemetery near Kapaau, Hawaii
A view of Waianaia Cemetery near Kapaau, Hawaii

Waianaia Cemetery is a little way east of Kapaau. It sits to the side of the main highway that dead ends at Pololu, 6 miles farther on. While there’s a moderate amount of traffic on this road, the cemetery still has a peaceful feeling, in part because it’s below the road, but also because it’s surrounded by trees.

Waianaia Cemetery is noteworthy because the Bond family is buried there. Reverend Elias Bond and his wife Ellen, were missionaries who came to Kohala in 1841 and lived there for the remainder of their lives. Bond, and his offspring, had a significant impact on the district of North Kohala and the changes it went through. The family owned their missionary station for more than 150 years. It was the only one in Hawaii with such a distinction.

Posted in response to Becky’s July Squares challenge theme of ‘Trees.’ See more responses here.

A tree growing out of a tree

A tree growing out of a lava tree

Becky’s Squares challenge theme for July is ‘Trees.’ See more responses here.

Trees tend to be vertical and thus represent a bit of a problem for a squares challenge. However, I am nothing if not devious, and a rectangle can be nothing more than a collection of squares! By way of compensation, these images feature two trees for the price of one.

The lower part of the image is a lava tree. This is the lava formation that can be left when a living tree is surrounded by a lava flow. But that lava tree then can be a platform for plants to grow in the hollow center. In this case, the plant that’s growing is another tree.

I’d add something about this representing the cycle of life, but that’s circular and thus wildly inappropriate for a squares challenge! For a little more about lava trees, see here.

The great outdoors

A view of Hualalai from the water
Hualalai from the water.
A sailboat enters Kawaihae Harbor
A sailboat returns to harbor.

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

In Hawaii, people spend a great deal of time outdoors. It’s common for people to have an outdoor kitchen, sometimes their only kitchen, sometimes a second one where a barbecue is the featured cooking apparatus. Carports often feature chairs and tables with cars parked elsewhere. The lanai, or deck, is as well-used as any room in the house.

Outdoor activities are popular here, too. Many involve the ocean and its inviting water: swimming, snorkeling, paddling, and of course surfing. Plenty of people go fishing and hunting, longtime sources of food for the table.

  • Palm tree on the coast in Hawaii
    Palm trees on the coast.
  • The Powerline trail in Hawaii passes through trees
    A trail through the woods.
  • Hilina Pali Trail view in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
    A view from the Hilina Pali Trail.
  • A Flow over Holei Pali in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
    View of an old flow over Holei Pali.

For me, experiencing the great outdoors primarily involves hiking and snorkeling. Hiking isn’t especially popular here, especially along the coast where it can get quite hot. I get strange looks when I hike the length of popular beaches togged out in hiking gear, including shoes, hat, and fanny pack loaded with water. For most, the beach is a place for stretching out and broiling in the sun, not actively working up a sweat.

  • A Hawaii Amakihi perched on the end of a branch
    Hawaii Amakihi
  • A great frigatebird flies low over some trees
    Great Frigatebird
  • A gold dust day gecko on yellow bamboo
    A gecko on yellow bamboo.
  • An Ashy grey lady beetle on a Plumeria tree
    An ashy grey lady beetle on Plumeria.

The vast majority of photos on this blog are taken in the great outdoors. These photos are a small selection of things I’ve seen while out and about, from sweeping views to birds and bugs.

A view of Kohala Coast from Koai'a Tree Sanctuary
A view of the south Kohala Coast from Koai’a Tree Sanctuary
View of Mauna Kea from Pu'u Wa'awa'a bench
A view of Mauna Kea from Pu’u Wa’awa’a.