This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Vacation or Staycation.’ See more responses here.
I can’t remember the last time I actually went anywhere on vacation so I’m opting for staycation, which is staying home for your holidays. In Hawaii, a fine staycation doesn’t require a great deal to make it work.
A nice beach is a good start. Some shade, either from trees or a decent portable canopy. Tables and chairs are a plus, or a convenient branch to sit on. A variety of coolers suitably stocked are welcome, a barbecue even better. And of course, some warm sunny weather and calm blue waters make it a staycation to remember.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Under Construction.’ See more responses here. I thought I’d post a few photos of houses being built at Hapuna Resort. Views of Maui are a big attraction, though the island can be hidden by clouds there, or tumbling down from Kohala Mountain. Of course, there are also ocean views and killer sunsets.
A half-acre lot will cost you $1.5 million and up. One of these houses, when finished, will likely set you back $7 million or so. I can manage the zeros, but it’s that pesky digit at the front that will keep me out of this neighborhood!
Construction work here pays well (but not that well), but it’s a tough job since the work is often out in the full sun all day. Hard hats might be the choice (or requirement) on the mainland, but here a broad brim is more essential.
This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge is ‘Mustard.’ See more responses here.
Giant earth moving equipment reminds me of alien robots in space adventure movies. These mustard-colored aliens were resting after a day of destroying the earth, or at least rearranging its contours a bit.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Desert or Dessert.’ See more responses here.
I was going to give this week a miss, not having any desert-like photos and not being a food photographer, but then I realized that I’ve never posted anything about an iconic Hawaiian treat, shave ice. Shave ice is actually Japanese in origin, called kakigōri there, and was brought to Hawaii by immigrants during the sugar plantation era.
It’s a fairly simple dessert to make. Thin ice shavings are gathered in a cup and then covered with syrup, usually fruit flavored. The shaved ice remains quite fluffy and absorbs the syrup giving a consistent flavor for the whole dish. This one was a simple strawberry flavor, but a wide variety of flavor combinations can be made with this versatile treat.
Shave ice is very refreshing and I like it, but I confess I’d still plump for ice cream given the choice.
Horses frolic in pasture land alongside Old Saddle Road.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Road Trippin’.’ See more responses here. Since there aren’t any road trips, in the usual sense of the expression, here on the island, I thought I’d focus on a stretch of road that is one of my favorite drives here.
Old Saddle Road is an 11 mile stretch of the old highway that connected the west side of the island to the east side, through the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. These days, people take the new road, which is wide and smooth and allows drivers to zip along at 80 mph even though the speed limit is 60 mph. I like this highway, too, but the best part of any cross-island trip is always the old highway, which is up and down, winding, and dotted with one lane narrows where culverts pass under the highway (they’re not bridges) to channel the copious amounts of rain away from the road.
This stretch of road is bordered by ranch land, with horses, cattle, and sheep to the fore. There’s also a good variety of wildlife that can be seen in this area. And the weather can be anything from stunning to biblically awful, sometimes within the hour. So here are a few scenes that give an idea of that short, but special drive.
One of the ranches on Old Saddle Road.
Old Saddle Road undulates down towards the junction with the new highway.
A view of Hualalai from Old Saddle Road, showing the new highway winding down towards Kailua Kona.
Goats can often be seen alongside Old Saddle Road.
O;d Saddle Road is a great place to see pueos, the endemic Hawaiian short-eared owl.
Sometimes I’m lucky enough to see a pueo catch a meal.Old Saddle Road can be shrouded in mist…
This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Ruby Red.’ See more responses here.
The top photo shows a Crown of Thorns sea star, which feeds on coral, though not to a problematic extent in Hawaii.
The second photo illustrates a definite problem. When I stopped by the Harbor House restaurant at Honokohau, these were the only two Kona Brewing taps available. I was told the company has discontinued their Castaway IPA, which, if true, is a sad state of affairs, it being by far their best beer in my humble, but completely correct opinion.
The bottom three show a Gold Dust Day Gecko on a torch ginger, a Budweiser (not my beer of choice) sign at the Harbor House, and what I think is a Western Blood-red Lady Beetle.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Beautiful Beaches.’ See more responses here. Obviously, this was a tricky challenge for me, but I have managed to come up with a few photos!
The top photo shows Green Sand Beach. It’s official name is Papakōlea Beach and the color of the beach is due to an abundance of olivine from the old volcanic cinder cone that borders the beach.
Next we have two black sand beaches. The best known black sand beach on the island is Punaluʻu Beach, which is often referred to simply as Black Sand Beach. However, there are several others. The first of these is Pololu Beach here in North Kohala. The black sand is a result of the breakdown of black lava into smaller pieces. Over time, the grains become as fine as those on white sand beaches.
Pohoiki Beach is the newest such beach on the island, formed by the eruption of 2018. The grains are still a bit coarse, but it’s mind boggling to think that before that eruption, there was basically no beach here at all. Now, as the photo shows, it’s extensive.
Finally, some white sand beaches. Anaeho’omalu Bay Beach, at the south end of Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a curve of sand dotted with palms, a quintessential tropical beach.
Hapuna Beach, farther north, is a regular on lists of best beaches in the U.S.A..
The beach at Spencer Beach Park is a current favorite of mine, a place I like to walk in the early morning before going to work. The sheltered waters, shade trees, and picnic areas make it a favorite with families.
Graham's Island 