Category Archives: Places

A tree growing out of a 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 — Palm trees on the coast.

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 — Hawaii Amakihi

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.

Ghost bikes

Cycling is a popular activity on the Big Island. The road from Kailua Kona to Hawi is wide with good shoulders, and it’s a favorite with cyclists because it’s the route of the cycling portion of the Ironman race. However, as is the case everywhere, it can be a dangerous activity, sharing the highway with large, fast-moving vehicles.

Ghost bikes serve as memorials for cyclists killed or badly hurt when things go wrong. These are two I see daily on my commute.

Signs: Ala Kahakai Trail

The Ala Kahakai Trail sign at Kohanaiki In Hawaii

The Ala Kahakai Trail, which used to run from the northern tip of the island to the south-eastern tip, can be followed for a good stretch of the South Kohala Coast. The part south of Kohanaiki Beach Park is well marked and signed. That’s not the case in many other places.

Kawaihae small boat harbor

The one positive, from a photographic point of view, of the brush fire that occurred on the Hamakua Coast a couple of weeks ago (here) was that it created some colorful skies. Here’s a view of the small boat harbor at Kawaihae taken late that afternoon.

Ring-necked pheasant in the grass

I saw this ring-necked pheasant scurrying through the tall grass off Old Saddle Road. It doesn’t exactly blend in with its surroundings, not a good trait for a game bird.

Sunrise and Sunset

A fishermA fisherman stands on the shore at sunset in Hawaiian stands on the shore at sunset off Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Sunrise or Sunset.’ See more responses here.

Wracked by my usual indecision, I opted for both. The top photo is a sunrise over Kohala Mountain. The second photo shows a fisherman at sunset, near the Old Coastguard Station at Upolu.

Brighamia insignis

A Brighamia insignis flower at Kohanaiki Beach Park, Hawaii

I saw this Brighamia insignis plant in the Hawaiian garden at Kohanaiki Beach Park. It caught my eye for its unusual appearance, which is the source of one of its common names of cabbage-on-a-stick. In Hawaii it’s called Ālula, Hāhā, Pū aupaka, or ʻŌlulu.

Brighamia insignis is endemic to Hawaii, specifically the sea cliffs of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. However, if you look for it there you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed. The last survey in 2014 found just one plant in Kauaʻi. The reasons for its demise are familiar. The hawk moth that used to pollinate the plant is long since extinct and it has been ravaged by introduced species. In addition, in 1992, Hurricane ʻIniki destroyed half the remaining wild plants.

On the bright side, the plant is easy to propagate by hand and it has been widely distributed by nurseries and botanical gardens.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii