2/17/2016 Baby Albatross

After a fun morning kayaking the Kalihiwai Stream yesterday, Margie, Gina and I drive over to Rodney's to see the baby Laysan Albatross 'up close and personal'; very cool!  He was hatched in my friend's yard in Princeville, on the North Shore of Kauai, just a few weeks ago. 

DeShawn

2/15/2012 Kauai Sunrise

The sky was gorgeous this morning. Thought I'd share....

2/13/2012 Pe'e Point

I've been hearing from locals that the whales have been super active this year. So, on Sunday instead of staying home and sorting through mail, paying bills, etc. as originally planned, I decided to go to Pe'e Point and watch for whales. 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Kilauea is a former sugar plantation town located on the north side of the island.  Their most popular attraction (besides the Kilauea Bakery!) is the Kilauea Lighthouse and National Wildlife Refuge, located on 203 acres.

I visit the peaceful Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge almost every time I travel to the North Shore. I live about an hour away, so I don't get to stop there very often.  If I'm lucky enough to visit early in the morning, I frequently have the place to myself. When I have guests, this is one of my top 'must see' recommendations. 

Kilauea Lighthouse

 

2/12/2012 Grow Your Own Pineapple

Did you know you can grow your own pineapple from store bought pineapples?  I certainly didn't.    I'm going to give this a try..... take note, however, that it will take about 18 months or so until you have a ripened pineapple. 

Since my current lease is up in two months, I won't get to enjoy the fruits of my labor, but I will get to see if it takes root and begins to grow. 
 
GROW YOUR OWN PINEAPPLE ~  Instructions from the Dole Pineapple Plantation website.

Growing a new pineapple from the crown of a ripe one is rewarding and easy to do. It makes for a beautiful plant, a fascinating process to watch, and an end result that is just plain delicious. This is a great kids’ project, too.

First, twist the leafy crown from the fruit. Place it in a dry, dark place for a full week to allow the end to harden.

Layer an 8-inch porous clay pot with an inch of coarse gravel, then fill with a good, light garden soil mixed with up to 30% well-composted organic matter. Be sure the pot has good drainage. Later, when the fruit grows, you'll want to transplant to a 12-inch pot, again, with gravel and good drainage.

Water the soil once a week, and fertilize with a household plant food fertilizer about every three months. If you live in a climate that’s warm all year round, the potted plant should do well outdoors. If you have cold winters, keep the plant indoors during frost or freezing temperatures.

Note that this tropical plant can suffer from “sun shock” if it is moved too quickly from an indoors environment to direct sun. If you are going to move your pineapple plant outside, put it in a semi-shaded outdoor spot for the first few days to let it adjust.

When the plant is about 12 months old, it should sprout an unmistakeable bright red cone.

If the cone hasn’t appeared by 14 months, it’s time to “coax” it out by putting the entire plant, with its pot, in a plastic bag. Place a ripe apple in the bag and tie it closed, move to a shady spot and leave for three days. Remove the bag and return the plant to its usual sunny location. The bright red cone should appear within eight or nine weeks.

The next stage will bring row upon row of bright blue flowers, which open over two weeks. When the petals of the last flower have dried, the fruit begins to develop. When your fruit is six months old, it will ripen, becoming sweeter and turning from green to a rich gold on the inside and outside.

Time to pick and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

2/11/2012 February Fun

What a fun filled week!  It started off on Super Bowl Sunday with a two mile hike down the hill in my development with Dave, my neighbor.  The trail leads through the coffee fields to a secluded beach.  I had no idea it was even there. I understand it is only accessible through the coffee fields. Since all beaches in Hawaii are public, not private, it was OK for us to be there. Evidently, Kauai Coffee Company permits people to hike through their fields, as long as it doesn't negatively impact their harvesting season which is in the fall. 

2/5/2012 Aloha!

Aloha from Kalaheo :)    All is well here, I've just been very busy playing tour guide to many friends from the mainland.

My cousin, Diane, who was here in December, came back already.   She was only able to be here for one day this time, so we had a whirlwind tour of the island.  Great fun!  I think she is already planning her next visit.  Gee, do you think she loves it here?

My dear friend, Robert, and his girlfriend Pamela were here in mid-January for a week. I so enjoy showing 'my island' to my friends. There is SO much to do here, it's always hard to choose what to see and do during the short time each has been able to spend here.  They stayed on the east side, near the airport, and I was pleased to hike with them up Sleeping Giant Mountain, visit Kauai Coffee, and share a few good meals. I introduced them to some of my friends during Happy Hour at Casablanca, too.