Beautiful Hawaii

Church on the road to Hilo.

Kona Harbor

Kona Harbor lizard on a rail in the coffee shop garden. He has gorgeous colors. They were everywhere we went in the harbor.

I always dreamed of going to Hawaii and then one day it was possible! Wade and I went to the big island on our honeymoon and stayed for a week with some dear friends who lived there. We saw everything on the island. The volcano and the rainforest on the way to the volcano, Hilo and the Hula Contest Finals, and the East side of the Island was maybe my favorite. I found the little Donkey there.




This Maddonna was in "The Painted Church" garden where portions of  the movie Blue Hawaii with Elvis was filmed.  

 

The Painted Church

Fruit in the Garden of the Church

They had firecracker plants everywhere there. This was the retaining wall of the church.

Pineapple in Ferns at The Painted Church

Parker Ranch Waimea County, Hawaii when the fog burned off we had a beautiful day on horseback. :)

The snowtop mountains where Gloria and I rode horses on the Parker Ranch were beautiful too. I was close to heaven on that ranch. The ride up there was a dreamland of gorgeous views. I wish I had made more pictures on the ride up. It is an exceptionally beautiful drive. I was too busy being lost in the beauty of it all to take pictures.

For my birthday last month Wade gave me Sarah Vowell's book, Unfamiliar Fishes. It's about the U.S. becoming a superpower with the takeover of Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico and invading Cuba, and the Philippines.

I remembered this photo I took of the statue "Free Hawaii."  When I first saw it I was a little startled to look up and find it there next to the tree. Wade was too. I left there wanting to know more of the history of Hawaii.
I am about to start reading Sarah's book now.  I just have to be able to sit still and I haven't been to that spot in the road lately.  :) Later....