Maui sunrises and Sunsets Nov and Dec

We have been having some amazing sunrises and sunsets. If you are up by 6:45 am you are in for a treat. If you are adventurous enough to get up to the top of Haleakala in the early morning the view is even more spectacular.
Sunset has been happening around 5:45pm.

LAVENDER FARM

On the road to Polipoli State park in upper Kula you find Alii Lavender farm. Eight acres of Lavender. I never knew there were so many different varieties. Over 20+ with names such as French and English Buena Vista. The friendly staff in the farm shop provided much information. I did not know you should consider Lavender as a plant for a rock garden. No watering unless the soil is completely dry, no fertilizing. It comes from mediteranian cliffs. They have no drip irrigation at this farm. Most lavender blooms June through August. Some cultivars bloom year round.

Ulupalakua picnic

What to do on a Sunday afternoon? we headed out for a picnic at Ulupalakua Ranch's winery. S short stop at Kula ace hardware to get propane for the grill and look at all the nice plants. Very nice lemon, orange and tangerine trees. Olive trees and fig trees in addition to many pretty flowers and vegetable plants. Then Up Pulehuiki to check the persimmons. Hashimoto Persimmon farm had trees laden with bright orange persimmons. Under their trees was a nice carpet of white clover. Their leaves are just starting to turn yellow and orange. As we passed Chings store everything changed from dry and brown to lush Green grass. Keokea and Ulupalakua were very green. Surprising for this time of the year. We found a picnic table and enjoyed sun tea, crackers with cheese and plums. The huge camphor tree and cook island pines were massive and old. A turkey sat on the top rail of the fence eyeing us to see if we were leaving any crumbs. On the way home we stopped by the pumpkin patch.

PUMPKINS

We stopped by the Kula pumpkin patch. What fun! Pumpkins of every size and color. From a muted corange to bright flourescent orange. Miniature horses, a corn maze and the produce stand.

Off to Lanai for work

What a great way to get to work!

Where has the year gone?

Lots of fun at the beach, hiking Iao and the crater. we have to be reminded to take time to enjoy the natural beauty of Maui. It seems we never do anything until friends come for a visit. "Beach? You mean there is a beach 15 minutes from my house?" Of course Hunny was along for all the adventures. She is not a water dog but was going in the ocean amazingly well. baby Beach and Kamaole 3.

Violin maestro

Big Island Adventure

I flew from Kahului Maui, north along the Hana coast on a clear afternoon. Arriving in Kona 30 minutes later to unusually clear vog-less sky's. We had a 35 minute ride to Waikoloa to check out our project for the next 10 days and then another 30 minutes to Waimea where we would be staying with my sister. Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea dominate the landscape. Lava fields remind you just how young this island is.
The project is to repair my rental home which the renters trashed. My cousin Mike from Las Vegas is leading this team of neophytes. We demo'ed the bathroom, ripped out carpet, cleaned the yard and painted, painted everything. New kitchen cabinet faces, new stove and new refrigerator. Unbelievable this had all been done just a few years prior with the renters managing to destroy it in short order. I mean my stove at home is 21 years old and still looks new. The insurance Co has refused to pay saying it is maintenance issue.
One afternoon an hour before quitting time it began to get darker and darker. The sky was black. Dad wisely said, lets pack up as flashes of lightning and thunder roared overhead. It was pouring by the time we headed uphill. Debris had crossed the highway and streams were flowing down from Mauna Kea. The road was closed behind us. Michael tried to sleep out on the porch but moved inside during the night. The next morning Mauna Kea was snow capped.

Whale watching March 2011- Then Turtle town Wailea

 

Unusually calm winds made for a spectacular morning out on the water. Lots of Whales!

Spinner dolphins off Lanai

Turtle Town

Afternoon snorkeling adventure in Makena. A beautiful spring day. We drive past the old Maui Prince and then turned back toward it to park on the south side of the Prince. To the far left of the beach is a large kamani tree which provides nice shade. If you swim straight out you come to a small reef which has great live coral. lots of reef fish and big red pencil urchins. There resting at the base of a large brain type coral head. may bee 10 feet in diameter and 5 feet high was a green sea turtle. She eventually surfaced for a few breaths and just hung there flippers dangling straight down. Then she took her front flippers and folded them against her belly. Very cool. Then down to her resting spot. She was very habituated and didn't seem to be afraid at all.

Whale Watch - Maalaea

A gorgeous morning out on the water. As we drove down the hill at 6:45 am I was pleased to see the smoke from the Puunene sugar mill going nearly straight up. Yeah!No wind!We were booked on Pacific Whale Foundations 65 foot catamaran. Departing with a full boat of 80 we headed out. Across the horizon there were numerous spouts. We saw many pods and listen with a hydrophone for a few minutes. Fun!