Leaf Patterns

One of the things that I really loved about the tropical island of Maui was the variety of patterns that were found in the palm trees.  This quick blog is to share some of my favorites –

Heart of the Matter

Tropical

Christmas

Enjoy!

Around the Cottage – Scenics and Surfers

Altho we weren’t right on the water, that didn’t mean that we didn’t have some great views from our lanai!!  And, it didn’t mean we weren’t close to some lovely scenery and some surfers who seemed oblivious to the beauty!

We never got brilliant sunrises or sunsets off our lanai, but we did get the sort of lovely, soft colors that a tropical sunrise can bring.  It wasn’t all that unusual to have this type of view in the mornings off the lanai.

Morning Rays

And, later in the day, I loved the way the light just played off and thru the fronds of the palm trees that dotted the yard.  It seemed to make them shimmer.

Natural Patterns

Not far from our cottage (about 5 minutes away), there was a great surfing beach.  The waves always seemed to be crashing against the shoreline.  The view from above the beach, on Ho’okipa Lookout Point, was impressive.  I was always amazed at how, on a sunny day, the reflection of the water and the sky seemed to color the mountains in the background a blue green color.

View from Ho’okipa Lookout Point

And, the stars of the show were the surfers.  I’ve compiled a bit of a collage of some of them.  It was interesting to see the varying degrees of expertise among them, and the colors of the boards and swimming attire added dots of color to the blue and white scene!

Surfers on Ho’okipa Point

Enjoy!

Around the Cottage in Paradise

We saw many wonderful and beautiful sights in Maui, and as I would sit on the lanai, or walk the grounds around the cottage, there were some lovely sights right in our backyard….or not far from it!

We would see some wildlife right off the lanai.  One was an egret that seemed to visit the front yard fairly regularly, and the other was an interesting looking red-headed bird. I looked it up and it was a red-headed cardinal, whose body was mostly blue!

Cardinal and Egret

Every so often, we’d hear an incredible racket that was clearly made by some animal, and at first, I thought some larger creature would cause it.  Then, one morning, I was standing at the door to the lanai, and found out it was these two birds!  The one on the lower right in this image might be a robin, and the one on the upper right is a kolea, or golden plover.  This little bird flies over 2500 miles nonstop to Alaska every year for the summer, and then returns to Hawaii after mating.  Some actually then continue to fly another 2500 miles to Samoa and other South Pacific islands.  I guess when one does that type of travel each year, one can make as much noise as one likes!

Quite the Noisy Pair

We also saw geckos around the cottage a lot!  Now, that might freak some folks out, but I happen to think they are really cute!  Besides, they are always busy keeping the bug population down!  We never knew where they hid, tho, as they seemed to just disappear when we’d look away for a minute.  Once, we managed to catch this little guy making off into his hiding place!

Gecko Hidey Hole

There were some beautiful blooming trees and plants around the cottage as well.  One tree that served as a wonderful privacy fence between our cottage and the home of the property owners produced these beautiful blooms.  I’m thinking they are hyacinths, but I’m not sure.  What I am sure of is that they made the most beautiful privacy barrier that I’ve ever seen!

Luscious Bloom

I’m not certain if this particular type of day lily is only found in Hawaii, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this color in any day lily I’ve seen on the mainland!  I was very glad I captured this image when I did.  A few days later, a heavy (altho brief) rainstorm really battered these flowers, and they never looked as good as they did when I got this shot.

Hawaiian Day Lily

There were also small bushes that grew oranges, I think.  They never got ripe enough for me to be absolutely certain, but as time wore on, they seemed to be turning orange. This image, tho, was taken early in our visit, when the color was more of a yellow-green.  I just loved the perfection of nature.

Perfect

This bloom reminded me a lot of a variation of water lily….except it was attached to a shrub or bush that most definitely was not in water!  The impossibly bright pink color is the actual color of this bloom – no adjustment done by me!

Impossibly Bright

I also loved the way the light would play thru the leaves of some of the shrubs around the cottage.  It made the leaves on this bush seem almost translucent.

Lines and Shades

Even when the leaves were beginning to dry out, they offered some pretty color contrast that just winked at me until I took their picture!

Green and Gold Leaves

There were a couple of these interesting trees on the far side of our cottage.  Their leaves – or blooms – I’m not certain which – were strings of what looked like tiny green pearls.  Of course, they weren’t pearls, but they certainly looked like that.  And, these sort of blooming pods just seemed to erupt from all around the tree.  I’ve never seen anything like this before!

Interesting Tree

And, finally, one morning, after a shower, as I wandered about, I noticed this raindrop just hanging onto the very tip of a long slender leaf.  It wasn’t until after I processed the image that I realized I was reflected in the raindrop!!  I don’t know if you can make me out in this small sized image, so you may just need to take my word for it!

Raindrop

Enjoy!

The Road After Hana

There’s much focus on driving TO Hana, but the road does continue after you leave Hana.  Jeff and I decided to just drive the entire road around that part of the island, and altho not nearly as lush as the way to Hana, it does have some interesting sights to see!

There are some areas that have touches of lushness, as you can see by the image of a stream that I took.  To be honest, this was shortly after leaving Hana, and there were touches of lushness still around.  But southeast Maui, where we were now driving, is dry compared to the other side.  It’s really amazing how diverse Maui is, in terms of weather and environment!

Peaceful Stream

The southeast coast can be really pretty and there were several different views.  On this side of the island, the road is much less winding and it’s easier for the driver to also enjoy the views!

Southeast Maui Coast

Jeff and I actually got a bit of a history lesson on this drive.  There is a small church along this route, Palapala Ho’mau Church.  It looks like a charming country church, and it was open so that one could step inside.  There’s something about the inside of a church that makes me just stop, breathe and reflect for a moment or two.  The history that I spoke of was found in the small cemetery next to the church.  Charles Lindberg, the aviator who flew the first solo flight across the Atlantic, is buried there.  It seems that he lived the last 6 years of his life on Maui, in this area.  He was diagnosed with cancer, and when his doctors in New York told him he had only 7 – 10 days to live, he called his grown son to get him back to Maui.  His son purchased a portion of the first class section of a commercial jet, and Charles made his final flight home.  He died a week after he got back home….to Maui.

Palapala Ho’mau Church and Charles Lindberg’s Grave

As we drove on, the coast became drier and rockier.  One interesting formation along this route is this sea arch.  It’s not exactly what one would think of as a picnic spot, but there were people picnicking on this site.  After this, the road curved back up the mountain (Haleakala) and we drove across the mountain back to our little vacation cottage.

Sea Arch

Enjoy!

Towns along the Road to Hana

The Road to Hana leads, of course, to the town of Hana.  But, along the way, down a little side road, there is also the small town (village, really) of Nahiku.  The people of the town keep to themselves, and it’s most definitely NOT a tourist town.  But, it does have some fabulous scenery!

There is about a quarter mile or so stroll to the water from the small church that you can park in front of, as long as there are no services going on, and there’s room.  The stroll is strangely peaceful, given the sound of the waves just ahead.  Altho this appears to be a narrow road (and is), the bridge that crosses a small creek no longer can support vehicles traveling across it, so we had to walk to the shoreline.

Nahiku Stroll

And, of course, in Maui, where there’s a creek, there must be a waterfall.  This little gem is somewhat hidden, because it’s right at the mouth of the creek that flows into the ocean and that view sort of steals the scene!  But, it is a lovely little oasis.

Falls at Nahiku

You can see how easy it is to steal the scene, when this is the view!!  To me, this is sort of a postcard of a Hawaiian scene.  The green trees and tropical shrubbery leading directly to the beautiful turquoise blue of the ocean and the white foam of the waves as they lap the shore.

Hawaiian Scene

Of course, the waves were putting on a show here.  I was tempted to dip my toes into the small pool formed by lava rocks,  but then I looked at the wave action, even inside this protected spot, and decided I’d rather continue the drive than spend the day at the ER getting treated for injuries due to crashing against the lava rocks when I fell in!

Splash Pool

Actually, at the mid-point of the Road to Hana, we came to the town of Hana.  I guess the road beyond Hana can be called the Road Away From Hana! LOL!  And, it’s as if we never left Nahiku!  I think this scene is very similar to the splash pool we visited there!

Clear Waters

The views from Hana were just a beautifully Hawaiian.  Blue skies, aquamarine waters, and the lush green of the trees let me know I was a long way from New Mexico!!

Scene from Hana Town

As I walked along a sort of pier that jutted out from the town on one side, there was this beautifully peaceful view of the shoreline.  Yes, the water was crashing a bit, but it was much calmer than elsewhere we had been that day!

Grassy Rocks

And, the view from the other side of that old pier was that of Hana Town, as some signs in town referred to it.  It’s truly a very small town and runs along the coast.  You can see the cloudy skies that surround a lot of the Haleakala Crater.  As most mountains do, it tends to create its own weather.  But the town of Hana lies just outside its influence.

Hana Town

Enjoy!

Crashing Surf

One of the little side roads we took on the Road to Hana led to the edge of Ke’anae Peninsula.  The most wonderfully remarkable thing about this area is the way the surf crashes into the shoreline, and how close we are able to stand to that shoreline!  I’m not going to try to explain each of these images.  I think you can easily imagine the sound of the surf, and almost feel the spray of the waves.  I will tell you that I loved how the mist from the waves was highlighted against the sea and the sky.

Crashing Waves

Splashing

Spray

Waves at the end of the Peninsula

Sea Spray

Crashing into Lava Rocks

Exuberance

Enjoy!

Hana Road Waterfalls

One of the things that the Road to Hana is known for are the waterfalls – some easily visible, some a bit of a trek into the woods, and others totally hidden, and unavailable to me!  As you’ll see from this long post, altho some may be hidden, there are plenty   that are easily visible!

The first waterfall we saw required a bit of a trek into the woods.  If it hadn’t been described in the travel book I had, I would have totally missed this one.  It wasn’t very large, but it was a very sweet start to the waterfall show.

Peeking at Haipua’ena Falls

The next set of falls was along the road, but easy to miss because the falls face parallel to the road, and not toward the road.  The Hawaiian name of the falls is Waikani, but the other name is 3 Bears Falls.  I’ve seen this waterfall when the water is flowing heavily, and the 3 bears become one very large bear!  I think that in this case, less is most definitely more – the 3 delicate falls are just so lovely.  Also, if you look toward the ride side of the image, you’ll see a splash.  It almost looks like the start of a 4^th bear!

Waikani – 3 Bears & a Splash

The next waterfall is the Hanawi Falls.  The interesting thing about this waterfall is that you can stand on the bridge, and look directly down on the falls as they crash over the edge into a small pool below.   The sunlight plays so pretty over the water in that pool, too.  Such pretty blue green color, and the water is incredibly clear.

Hanawi Falls on Hana Highway

I don’t know the name of this waterfall, but it was almost hidden and easy to miss as you drive along the road.  Jeff paid attention to the curves in the road, and I was responsible for spotting the waterfalls!  I had to walk back along the road across the bridge, and really sort of seek out the waterfall as it was sort of around an edge of the woods.  In this image, I slowed down the shutter speed so you can get an idea of how smoothly the water flowed over the various rocks along the way down.

Almost Hidden Waterfall on Hana Highway

Here’s another slow-motion waterfall shot.  I especially love the way the water flows on the bottom of the falls – just cascading gently over all the layers of rocks.

Grace on the Hana Highway

Here’s another waterfall that was hidden away – no, I didn’t have to walk thru the woods to get to it, but I did have to look closely into the woods, because it was hidden away in the darkness of the woods.  I love the slow gentle cascade flow of this very small, and very elegant waterfall.

Hidden Waterfall

This waterfall is the same one that I shared on my Facebook tease.  I love the way the waterfall is so gentle that it seems to almost disappear as it flows over the rocks.  From the tease, when you can see people at the base, this is a very tall waterfall. 

Waimoku Falls

Enjoy!

Views on the Road to Hana

One day, we decided to drive the loop around Maui that included the Road to Hana.  This road is a popular one for tourists, altho some get a bit unnerved by all the twists & turns on the way to Hana!  There are so many sights, this blog will be focusing on the beautiful scenery, that also include some wonderfully moss covered bridges.  There will be more sights to share in future posts as well.

One of the things that is so wonderful about this road are the beautiful sights.  As the road twists and turns, fabulous views keep peeking in and out.  And frequently along the roadside, there are bushes with beautifully brilliantly orange colored blooms.

View from the Hana Highway

Maui is a tropical island, and as such, it’s very warm and humid – perfect conditions for moss.  And, where is the moss most visible?  On the bridges that bridge many, many creeks and brooks the originate somewhere with a waterfall.  And, as I looked at many bridges, it just seems like they are creating their own form of art.

Bridges on the Road to Hana

And, here are some of those creeks and brooks!  They are just so happy looking – there’s really no other word for it.  As I looked at them, I just had to smile.  All the green surrounding the rushing water, made each little scene look so much more lush than seems possible.

Brooks and Creeks

As I walked along the roadside to photograph the brooks, creeks, scenes and waterfalls, there were also lots of small flowers that kept peeking up at me!  Here are a couple that always seemed to appear when I sometimes least expected them!!

Road of Blooms

Finally, let me leave you with this view from both sides – one side shows more of a babbling brook – the other shows us how the flow got gentler as it made its way to the open ocean.

Two Sides of the Road

Enjoy!

Waipoli Road

One day, we decided to follow another road that is very winding up on the mountain, Haleakala.  I had read that there was something at the very end that one would not expect to find on an island like Maui.  Sounded too intriguing to pass up!

At the beginning, we saw more of the Maui ranches that are around, if you are outside the more commercial end of the island.  In this case, we saw goats – lots and lots of goats!!  I have to admit, I think this may be the largest number of goats I’d ever seen in one place.  I’m used to seeing one or two of them with horses, as companion animals, but not an entire tribe of goats – yes, that’s what a group of goats is called!

Maui Ranch

The road was initially paved and I began to question what I had read.  But, then, the pavement ended, and we found ourselves on an unimproved dirt road that did keep winding up the mountain.  And, the terrain looked decidedly less and less like Maui, tropical island paradise!

Looks like the Pacific NW

Wow!  At the end of this winding road was a small state park, and a family was actually having a picnic in what was very chilly, damp and misty weather that I would expect more in the Pacific Northwest than in Maui.  What a diverse little island we’ve found ourselves on!  And, yes, we were in the middle of a stand of redwood trees!

Looking up the Redwoods

We walked around this lovely find, and I found some of what I think of as great moody photo op’s – those involving mist!  There was a bit of a walk that lead down to a cabin that could be rented.  I guess if the folks living on Maui want to get away from a tropical paradise, they could rent this cabin at the end of Waipoli Road!

Misty Maui

I was actually quite surprised at how thick the forest was!  And, it was mostly wild – no handy little trails to walk down.  The concession to folks being there was the clearing where they had a picnic pavilion built, and a porta-potty or two!  But, otherwise, it was lots and lots of trees!

Dense Woods

As we walked further down the road that led to the cabin, the mist in the trees got to be pretty darn thick.  It created the effect that I love – mystery, depth, and even, if one were so inclined, a bit scary!!

Shadows

I just love how the mist plays tricks on my eyes and my mind.  As I stood there, watching the mist play in and out among the trees, I watched how trees with seemingly fade in and out of my view.  This type of scene makes me feel very peaceful.

Fading

And, of course, with all this moisture, there were some lovely flowers to be seen.  These, however, weren’t tropical blooms.  No, they were of a hardier type – one that could withstand the chill and even cold that came from being rather high up the mountain.

Beautiful Green

Blooms in the Rainforest

On the way back down the mountain, I had one last few of the trees in the mist.  This was the view off a sort of run-off area of the road.  I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of this run-off being full of water, flowing down from the top of the mountain!  Getting one’s car washed off the road into this would not be the makings of a good day!

Edge of the Washout

Enjoy!