When push comes to shove

Two cats squabble at a food bowl in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Furred and Feathered Friends.’ See more responses here. Since I don’t have a pet, I was readying a selection of bird photos, when I observed this little scene where I work.

We have six cats there and twice a day we put food out in several bowls. There’s enough for each cat to have a bowl to themselves. But these two, Moon, on the left, and Grayson, invariably ‘share’ a bowl. When I say ‘share,’ I mean they push and shove each other rather than taking turns. Moon will often insert her whole body between Grayson and his food. Grayson has been known to raise a paw. But they never seem to fight, just needle each other, over and over and over….

Peach-colored hibiscus

I noticed this hibiscus because the flowers were larger than those I usually see and I liked the color as well.

A view along the coast

A view along the North Kohala coast in Hawaii.

The North Kohala coast is quite rugged and exposed to strong trade winds and weather systems. This was a relatively calm day, but still capable of churning up white water along the shore.

Cow on the run

Heading down for my walk at Upolu, I saw this cow on the loose. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, but the main road is a mile up the hill and the escapees rarely get that far.

This one gave me a suspicious look as she passed. Perhaps she was trying to get rid of the ever-present cluster of flies on her back!

Going about their business

Outrigger canoes in the waters off Hawaii with cattle egrets flying overhead

In the early morning, on the waters off Kawaihae, some outrigger canoe paddlers train for a future race while cattle egrets head in the opposite direction to find their cattle.

What big eyes you have

A Giant Porcupinefish looks up in the waters off hawaii

I came across this relatively small Giant Porcupinefish on a recent swim and it headed directly towards me for a short while, before deciding I wasn’t that interesting and swimming off.

Kamehameha Day in the pink

Yesterday was the birthday of King Kamehameha I, the first king to unite all the Hawaiian islands under one leader. He was born in North Kohala, and every year the community celebrates his birthday with ceremonies at his statue in Kapaau and with a parade.

The parade features Pa’u riders representing all the main Hawaiian islands. Each island has an official color and flower. Maui’s flower is the Lokelani rose and its color is pink.

Hawaiian men and women started riding horses, soon after their introduction to the islands in the early 1800s. Sidesaddle riding was common for women in those days, but it was never introduced here. Women learned to ride the same way as men. They wore a Pa’u skirt, 12 yards of colored cloth wrapped in such a way as to preserve their modesty and dignity while riding astride their horse.

Lei about to be draped at King Kamehameha statue

Lei being draped at King Kamehameha statue

The ceremonies include draping leis over the arms of the statue. These leis are made as a mark of respect, by groups and organizations. It can be a tricky business getting the leis into place, especially when there’s a good breeze blowing as there was yesterday.

Posted for this week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme of ‘Pink.’ See more responses here.

Gecko on a banana flower

This week’s Sunday Stills Color Challenge theme is ‘Pink.’ See more responses here.

Here’s a Gold Dust Day Gecko exploring a banana flower, looking for water or something sweeter. Weather permitting, I hope to have another pink post tomorrow!

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii