I haven't posted on this blog for months because nobody was able to access it from the outside. I could only access it from inside the dashboard. When I typed Maui-in-the-morning.blogspot.com in my browser, and clicked "enter" I arrived at a site that had a big orange arrow on it that said, "Sorry, but that blog does not exist, but the name is up for grabs if you want to register it!" or words to that effect...! I was crushed! What was even worse was that I couldn't contact Blogger, or even Google, to ask them to please remove the Orange Arrow Of Death from my precious blog. Being still a newbie after all these years (I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed) I didn't know of any clever way to get their attention.
Well, the orange arrow is gone; I have no idea why, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They did the orange arrow trick on a couple of my other blogs, also. I guess there wasn't much harm done, as I am probably the only one who has ever visited this blog. Well, I had fun writing the posts, and I'm really glad I'm open for business again. Thank you to whomever removed the orange arrow...!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
News From Maui, The Magic Isle
Well, I see by The Maui News that Aloha Airlines is still having trouble and has shut down its passenger service. That is the airline that wags on late night TV were calling The Hawaiian Convertible a few years ago when the top of a plane flew off in flight sucking out a stewardess who was never found. Losing an airline makes it really hard on us because in this state, as you know, we can't just jump in the car and zoom down the highway if we have an urgent reason to visit our capitol, Honolulu. We have to go by plane, rent a car, do our business, drive back to the airport and fly home. Believe me, we are a state of frequent fliers!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
News from the Magic Isle
The most unusual bed and breakfast in the state of Hawaii-or anywhere else, for that matter- is on the Big Island. It's called The Lava House and it's located in the now-mostly-covered-by-lava subdivision of Royal Gardens on the south flank of Kilauea Volcano. Jack Thompson, the 57 year old owner of The Lava House, is one of the only two residents left in Royal Gardens. He has lived in his home since before Madame Pele began pouring lava into Royal Gardens twenty-five years ago. He used to work in Hilo, but now he is retired and can spend all his time in his (still untouched by Madame Pele) home. His property is beautiful with lush landscaping and lots of fruit trees in his backyard. He goes back and forth to Hilo on his motorcycle across the lava, as there are no passable roads left.
Mr. Thompson says there are a lot of benefits to living in such an isolated style. He doesn't have to worry about crime. His neighborhood is very peaceful and quiet, which is just the way he likes it. There is a bit of light pollution at night from the glow of the molten lava pouring into the ocean down on the coast, but he has TV to watch, run by a gasoline generator.
Speaking of the glow at night, years ago when the lava from the Volcano first approached Royal Gardens, I had been invited to dinner and to spend the night with friends who lived in Royal Gardens. As I was driving there, it was dark and the whole sky was lit by a red glow, and the air was hot. As I drove into Royal Gardens, I saw families sitting out on their decks, playing cards, eating and doing whatever families do in the early evening. They seemed to be unconcerned about any encroaching lava. I, on the other hand, was very nervous. Have I mentioned that I am a coward? I turned around, drove back the way I had come, phoned my friends with some excuse, and spent the night in a hotel in Hilo. The next day, my friends were still there and hadn't been swallowed by hot lava in the night. They, and all the other families, were depending on Hawaii Civil Defense to warn them in plenty of time. That day eventually came and all those families have moved away and Madame Pele has had a field day burning up their houses...
But Jack Thompson's house is still untouched. He says he will stay there until he sees the lava rolling toward him. He is not afraid of the lava because he says that you can outrun it easier than you can outrun a car. So, with amazing sangfroid, he has turned his Lava House into a bed and breakfast. His guests arrive by helicopter. Strangely(!), most do not spend the night. They eat lunch with Jack on his lanai, then they get back in their helicopters and fly away again. So if you would like to spend some time in a very unusual bed and breakfast, you can contact Jack at.808-756-4270. You will have a great story to tell your grandchildren. But don't wait too long...
Mr. Thompson says there are a lot of benefits to living in such an isolated style. He doesn't have to worry about crime. His neighborhood is very peaceful and quiet, which is just the way he likes it. There is a bit of light pollution at night from the glow of the molten lava pouring into the ocean down on the coast, but he has TV to watch, run by a gasoline generator.
Speaking of the glow at night, years ago when the lava from the Volcano first approached Royal Gardens, I had been invited to dinner and to spend the night with friends who lived in Royal Gardens. As I was driving there, it was dark and the whole sky was lit by a red glow, and the air was hot. As I drove into Royal Gardens, I saw families sitting out on their decks, playing cards, eating and doing whatever families do in the early evening. They seemed to be unconcerned about any encroaching lava. I, on the other hand, was very nervous. Have I mentioned that I am a coward? I turned around, drove back the way I had come, phoned my friends with some excuse, and spent the night in a hotel in Hilo. The next day, my friends were still there and hadn't been swallowed by hot lava in the night. They, and all the other families, were depending on Hawaii Civil Defense to warn them in plenty of time. That day eventually came and all those families have moved away and Madame Pele has had a field day burning up their houses...
But Jack Thompson's house is still untouched. He says he will stay there until he sees the lava rolling toward him. He is not afraid of the lava because he says that you can outrun it easier than you can outrun a car. So, with amazing sangfroid, he has turned his Lava House into a bed and breakfast. His guests arrive by helicopter. Strangely(!), most do not spend the night. They eat lunch with Jack on his lanai, then they get back in their helicopters and fly away again. So if you would like to spend some time in a very unusual bed and breakfast, you can contact Jack at.808-756-4270. You will have a great story to tell your grandchildren. But don't wait too long...
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A Recipe For Mango Salsa from Maui, The Magic Isle
Here is a great salsa recipe. You can pretend you're on Maui while you're savoring this. You need a couple of very nice ripe mangoes. Peel and chop them. Then add one half cup of each of the following: finely chopped sweet red pepper, fresh cilantro (also chopped) and crushed pineapple (fresh would be nice if can, otherwise canned). To this, add one quarter cup of finely chopped sweet Maui (or Vidalia) onion. Then add salt and pepper and freshly squeezed lime juice to taste. If your taste buds can stand it, you could also add some finely chopped Jalapeno pepper. Mix it all up and you've got some ono grinds!
I think it's really good without the Jalapeno pepper, but some folks like to burn out their mouths...So do as you please, but by all means enjoy it. This is nice with broiled fish. I'm not much of a cook, but I can make this! I'm good at chopping and mixing...!
I think it's really good without the Jalapeno pepper, but some folks like to burn out their mouths...So do as you please, but by all means enjoy it. This is nice with broiled fish. I'm not much of a cook, but I can make this! I'm good at chopping and mixing...!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Aloha from Maui, the Magic Isle!
Well. over here on Maui we are getting a lot of the Vog from the Big Island. Madame Pele is starting up her fiery show again after being pretty quiet (for her, anyhow) for about nine months. There hasn't been any lava from Kilauea entering the ocean since last June, but now the spectacle of molten rock sliding into a hissing ocean is again enthralling hundreds of onlookers. The officials on the Big Island have built a road that will allow folks to drive nearly up to the area where they can watch the phenomenon. The sightseers just have to park and then hike about half a mile to the safe viewing spot. The County has supplied porta-potties and emergency water. But that is pretty rugged terrain that the folks are going to have to traverse, and there's no shade, either. Me, I'm staying cosily at home. I'll watch it on the TV news!
Madame Pele has been throwing her weight around for twenty-five years now. This current eruption began in January of 1983. Actually, as volcano goddesses go, Pele is pretty kind, if that's the right word. There aren't the terrible explosions and nasty showers of volcanic matter, like the stuff that buried Pompei in Italy back in Roman times. What comes out of Kilauea usually is pahoehoe lava which reminds me of taffy. Well, it's red hot 2000 degree taffy, but I think it's beautiful. It's kind of ropey-looking and it moves slowly.
Once that taffy stars moving, however, nothing stops it. There used to be a lovely ancient Hawaiian fishing village on the coast near where the lava is flowing now, called Kalapana. The lava reached it in 1986, but it didn't do too much damage then. The lava stopped for a few years, but another flow reached Kalapana in June of 1990. You can just imagine the resident's feelings as they watched the lava rolling slowly into town. One house after another went up in flames as the residents further down the road were frantically trying to get their goods out of their houses before the lava reached them. By September 1990, lava had covered Kalapana with about 30 feet of pahoehoe lava. Lovely Kalapana is no more...
Madame Pele has been throwing her weight around for twenty-five years now. This current eruption began in January of 1983. Actually, as volcano goddesses go, Pele is pretty kind, if that's the right word. There aren't the terrible explosions and nasty showers of volcanic matter, like the stuff that buried Pompei in Italy back in Roman times. What comes out of Kilauea usually is pahoehoe lava which reminds me of taffy. Well, it's red hot 2000 degree taffy, but I think it's beautiful. It's kind of ropey-looking and it moves slowly.
Once that taffy stars moving, however, nothing stops it. There used to be a lovely ancient Hawaiian fishing village on the coast near where the lava is flowing now, called Kalapana. The lava reached it in 1986, but it didn't do too much damage then. The lava stopped for a few years, but another flow reached Kalapana in June of 1990. You can just imagine the resident's feelings as they watched the lava rolling slowly into town. One house after another went up in flames as the residents further down the road were frantically trying to get their goods out of their houses before the lava reached them. By September 1990, lava had covered Kalapana with about 30 feet of pahoehoe lava. Lovely Kalapana is no more...
Friday, February 29, 2008
Two of Maui's Beaches
Maui has many beautiful beaches; two, in particular, are in Makena State Park south of Kihei. One is Big Beach and it really is big. It is almost two thirds of a mile long and it is over 100 feet wide. It has lovely golden sand and is totally unspoiled. There is nothing there but sand and sea and vegetation and porta-potties.
But that can be a problem. There are also no lifeguards. Big Beach is one of the most dangerous beaches on the island. When you stand on the shore and gaze out to sea, it's hard to believe in the danger. The last time I was there it was about seven o'clock in the evening, there was a warm breeze and a full moon. It was truly Paradise; you could almost hear a steel guitar playing softly in the background. Maui-in-the-Moonlight, indeed! That's when I love Maui the best...in the moonlight.
But when you swim at Big Beach, the surf can grab you and grind you into the sandy bottom and churn you end over end. You don't think you are going to survive... Once was enough for me! When I finally got out of the water, my suit was absolutely loaded with sand. Thank God there were no rocks and thank God I didn't have any neck or spinal injuries as so many people do.
In the absence of lifeguards, it's the water people--the surfers and such--who pull the unlucky out of the water. Now I'm contented to just stay on shore and enjoy the view.
The other beach is Little Beach. From Big Beach, you have to scramble over a big heap of lava to get to it. The waves at Little Beach are great for body-boarding, but, again, there are no lifeguards. At both beaches there can be a rip current that can drag you out to sea. A swimmer just died at Little Beach a couple of days ago.
He was probably caught in a rip current that was carrying him seaward. His friends tried to help him, but couldn't. He was recovered in only half an hour, but it was already too late. What a sad ending to a happy day...
But that can be a problem. There are also no lifeguards. Big Beach is one of the most dangerous beaches on the island. When you stand on the shore and gaze out to sea, it's hard to believe in the danger. The last time I was there it was about seven o'clock in the evening, there was a warm breeze and a full moon. It was truly Paradise; you could almost hear a steel guitar playing softly in the background. Maui-in-the-Moonlight, indeed! That's when I love Maui the best...in the moonlight.
But when you swim at Big Beach, the surf can grab you and grind you into the sandy bottom and churn you end over end. You don't think you are going to survive... Once was enough for me! When I finally got out of the water, my suit was absolutely loaded with sand. Thank God there were no rocks and thank God I didn't have any neck or spinal injuries as so many people do.
In the absence of lifeguards, it's the water people--the surfers and such--who pull the unlucky out of the water. Now I'm contented to just stay on shore and enjoy the view.
The other beach is Little Beach. From Big Beach, you have to scramble over a big heap of lava to get to it. The waves at Little Beach are great for body-boarding, but, again, there are no lifeguards. At both beaches there can be a rip current that can drag you out to sea. A swimmer just died at Little Beach a couple of days ago.
He was probably caught in a rip current that was carrying him seaward. His friends tried to help him, but couldn't. He was recovered in only half an hour, but it was already too late. What a sad ending to a happy day...
Affiliate Marketing So You Can Visit Maui
The gentleman of whom I spoke the other day is a medical doctor from Montreal, Canada. He is an amazing person with wide interests. He has degrees in science and medicine from McGill University in Montreal and, although he is wealthy now, he still practices medicine part-time as a well loved hobby.
He has been on the World Wide Web since 1997 which is practically the Dawn of Civilization as far as the Internet is concerned. Since that time he has helped over 100,000 people become financially free, enabling them to get totally out of the 9 to 5 rat race forever. He has even written an affiliate marketing course which you can access for absolutely no charge. He teaches you exactly how to do affiliate marketing in an easy step-by-step method. When you have finished the course, you can promote his product with confidence because, as you will see when you Google him, he has absolutely no negatives. He is a certified Good Guy!
So access his "Affiliate Masters Course" here, and soon you will be on your way to beautiful Maui!
He has been on the World Wide Web since 1997 which is practically the Dawn of Civilization as far as the Internet is concerned. Since that time he has helped over 100,000 people become financially free, enabling them to get totally out of the 9 to 5 rat race forever. He has even written an affiliate marketing course which you can access for absolutely no charge. He teaches you exactly how to do affiliate marketing in an easy step-by-step method. When you have finished the course, you can promote his product with confidence because, as you will see when you Google him, he has absolutely no negatives. He is a certified Good Guy!
So access his "Affiliate Masters Course" here, and soon you will be on your way to beautiful Maui!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Addendum To The Last Post
When I told you about the dinner at Mama's Fish House, I forgot to say that that was for two people! A young couple in our family were celebrating an anniversary and we sent them to Mama's Fish House with our credit card and told them to go for it! And they did! That's how I know how much a nice dinner there costs... But they had a really great time and also saw some movie stars. I never heard of the stars, but the kids said they were very famous and important. The kids were on Cloud Nine, so it was a very successful evening...
Maui Is Expensive
Yes, Maui is expensive. We live on a small island and everything has to be flown in or be brought by sea in containers. So that adds to the cost of every commodity. My family was visiting a few weeks ago and they could not believe the prices! Seven bucks for a gallon of milk! Unreal!
Well, I'm a vegetarian, mostly, so that helps. I do like meat, but I don't like the way food animals are treated on factory farms, so I don't eat very much meat anymore. I buy my veggies at a farmer's market every Saturday morning in Pukalani. That helps a lot with the costs.
Of course, I realize that would be difficult for visitors to do who are here for fun. You probably don't want to spend a whole morning of one of your precious ten days looking for vegetables, and then what do you do with them if you're not staying in a place with a kitchen?
Well, I have a more long term solution. Did you ever think about earning money on the Internet? Don't say,"No!" right away. There is a thirteen year old kid who is doing that right now. His name is Carl Ocab and you can visit him at carlocab.com. He makes his money through affiliate marketing, which is where you sell other people's products online and get a commission for doing it. It is really not hard to do.
I thought I would put a bug in your ear about affiliate marketing because it is the fastest and easiest way to earn money online. When you come to Maui, you will have a lot more fun if you don't have to worry about money. For instance, dining at Mama's Fish House (where all the movie stars go) right on the ocean is a great experience, but it will probably set you back about $250 if you have wine. And I'm sure you will want wine with such a great dinner.
Well, you could actually eat at McDonald's and just spend your days at the beach. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is a better way. Tomorrow I will tell you about a great affiliate program that is run by a man of great integrity who helps you every step of the way, so you, too, can have a taste of The Great Life...
Well, I'm a vegetarian, mostly, so that helps. I do like meat, but I don't like the way food animals are treated on factory farms, so I don't eat very much meat anymore. I buy my veggies at a farmer's market every Saturday morning in Pukalani. That helps a lot with the costs.
Of course, I realize that would be difficult for visitors to do who are here for fun. You probably don't want to spend a whole morning of one of your precious ten days looking for vegetables, and then what do you do with them if you're not staying in a place with a kitchen?
Well, I have a more long term solution. Did you ever think about earning money on the Internet? Don't say,"No!" right away. There is a thirteen year old kid who is doing that right now. His name is Carl Ocab and you can visit him at carlocab.com. He makes his money through affiliate marketing, which is where you sell other people's products online and get a commission for doing it. It is really not hard to do.
I thought I would put a bug in your ear about affiliate marketing because it is the fastest and easiest way to earn money online. When you come to Maui, you will have a lot more fun if you don't have to worry about money. For instance, dining at Mama's Fish House (where all the movie stars go) right on the ocean is a great experience, but it will probably set you back about $250 if you have wine. And I'm sure you will want wine with such a great dinner.
Well, you could actually eat at McDonald's and just spend your days at the beach. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is a better way. Tomorrow I will tell you about a great affiliate program that is run by a man of great integrity who helps you every step of the way, so you, too, can have a taste of The Great Life...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
More Maui Bits And Pieces
There are no more dairies on Maui and now the last dairy in the State of Hawaii, which is on Oahu, is about to close. So all of our milk now has to be flown in.
It would be so good if we could be self-reliant on Maui as far as food goes. Whenever there is a rumor of a longshoremen's strike on the Mainland, there is panic in the Islands. Folks rush to the stores to stock up on groceries as fast as they can. The first thing they go for (me,too!) is toilet paper! I wonder what the Ancient Hawaiians did for that crucial commodity. I, myself, absolutely can't live without it...
The U. S. Census Bureau just released data that tells us that folks in Hawaii eat more fast foods than is eaten in any other state. We average $609 per year per person. In Vermont, the average person only spends $263. I bet they are a lot healthier in Vermont. But even if they are not good for you, the fast foods do taste so good and the drive-thrus are so convenient... We have on Maui every kind of fast food that there is: Wendy's, McDonalds, KFC. You name it and we've got it. And we eat it...
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Bits And Pieces
I see by The Maui News this morning that it really was cold the other night. The road to the Haleakla summit was closed above the 7000 foot elevation on Monday due to ice and to high winds. But they opened the road later in the day. Maybe the ice melted.
Gasoline prices here are hovering just above the $3.85 mark now. That's nearly four bucks, folks! Where will it end?
A windsurfer had to be rescued on Sunday. Her mast had broken and she was adrift about a mile out. A helicopter found her and directed a "personal watercraft" to the windsurfer which towed her back in. I'll bet she was glad to see her rescuers! Thank God they found her. If that were me, I would be worrying about hungry sharks. Heck, if that were me, I wouldn't be windsurfing in the first place, coward that I am...!
Gasoline prices here are hovering just above the $3.85 mark now. That's nearly four bucks, folks! Where will it end?
A windsurfer had to be rescued on Sunday. Her mast had broken and she was adrift about a mile out. A helicopter found her and directed a "personal watercraft" to the windsurfer which towed her back in. I'll bet she was glad to see her rescuers! Thank God they found her. If that were me, I would be worrying about hungry sharks. Heck, if that were me, I wouldn't be windsurfing in the first place, coward that I am...!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Winter On Maui
Yes, Folks! It's winter on Maui and I, for one, am freezing to death. A few nights ago, the cold woke me up at three a.m. I discovered that the temperature was only 56 degrees... I jumped out of bed, grabbed another quilt and put it on top of the two that were already there. I was shivering by the time I'd jumped back in bed. And where I live in Haiku, we are only about 500 feet above sea level.
A few miles farther up the Haleakala Highway in the town of Kula it must be really, really cold. They are about 3200 feet above sea level and they all have fireplaces and woodstoves. The people who live in Kula love the area. They say it's very cozy in the winter.
However, winter is a great time to visit Lahaina. I find it too hot in July and August. "Lahaina" means "cruel sun" and that's just what the sun is in the summer. Right now, the temps hover around 80 degrees, give or take. You don't even break a sweat. Perfect!
They say that the difference between winter and summer temperatures in Hawaii is only ten degrees, but what a difference those ten degrees make! I can't wait for spring!
A few miles farther up the Haleakala Highway in the town of Kula it must be really, really cold. They are about 3200 feet above sea level and they all have fireplaces and woodstoves. The people who live in Kula love the area. They say it's very cozy in the winter.
However, winter is a great time to visit Lahaina. I find it too hot in July and August. "Lahaina" means "cruel sun" and that's just what the sun is in the summer. Right now, the temps hover around 80 degrees, give or take. You don't even break a sweat. Perfect!
They say that the difference between winter and summer temperatures in Hawaii is only ten degrees, but what a difference those ten degrees make! I can't wait for spring!
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