Good Morning from Oah'u

 

Yesterday at Kailua Beach, about 50 yards from our room.

While we were standing around the luggage corral at the airport yesterday a woman was carting around stand of leis. I am not one for impulsive touristy purchases, but the smell of the flowers was incredible. It turns out Plumeria, the flower that it's made of, has a history of being a temptress.

From Wikipedia: "Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar." They are also incredibly fragrant during the day, at an airport and even the next morning while blogging at the laptop.

Four Magic Words

I've been telling people that I am going on vacation and when they ask where, it feels surreal to answer, "I'm going to Hawai'i."

This statement has illicited a dreamy-eyed affect (see photo) on nearly everyone I have uttered it to. If they haven't been, they want to go. If they've been, they want to be going again. Never has any destination I've been to (Florida, Colorado, Maine, Vermont, Tennessee, California, Myrtle Beach, New York City) brought on the response I get from saying the word Hawai'i. It's magic.

There is a Shangri-la notion of this place, imaginings of a world filled with waterfalls and rainbows. One person summed up a trip to these islands with, "That's the American dream." I know I thought that it would always remain one for me.

Thoughts at a Red Light

As I was driving around on my lunch hour getting gas and mailing some of my beads to Alberta, Canada (which is far, far from here!), I saw some Canadian Geese on the man-made pond at the mall. It's frozen over so they were just standing right out on the ice in a very nonchalant manner. I started thinking how funny it would be if the ice gave way and Kersplash! Feathers would fly, curses honked. Then I remembered how very light they are. They look like a big hefty bird, but bird bones are hollow so they are lighter than they look. I haven't ever had the opportunity to pick one up, but this is my speculation.

Next I started thinking about if they had landed on the water in this small pond at night and it froze by morning, how they would be trapped. I read about this in a book once. I think it was Black Swan Green. Even if it isn't true, I bet mother ducks tell their little chicklings, "Don't ever sit in the pond overnight - your feet could freeze like that!"

Then the light turned green.

A Fruitful Lunch!

I decided to spend my lunch hour at People's Pottery since I don't have a book to read today. I wandered around looking at the pretty stuff and then saw that Edible Arrangements - which I love - is located in the same plaza. As I made my way there I saw a trail leading off the back of the park lot with a sign at the start. Intrigued, I walked to it and found it is part of the town trail system! When the ice melts, I'll be checking that out!

I strolled back to Edible Arrangements and went inside to see what it was like. I just saw their feature on the Food Network showing how they cut the pineapples into flowers and arrange the bouquets. You can purchase small fruit bowls to go for under $4 and there was a GIGANTIC chocolate covered strawberry in the case. I had no cash on me, but figured I'd pay with my card if need be. When I asked how much, the woman at the counter said it was a sample and proceeded to hand me it with a handful of napkins! Art, a new trail and a chocolate covered strawberry...a fruitful lunch hour indeed.

Success! My first fusings!