Ramblings

Diving in Grand Cayman

Diving in Grand Cayman reminded me of how much I've missed diving.  I love the feeling of weightlessness and the freedom of exploring underwater without having to go to the surface gasping for air.  It's quiet down there except for the sound of your bubbles and an occasional boat.  And mostly it's spectacularly beautiful.

We finished our job at the Ritz-Carlton and headed for the Sunset House.  Sunset House is a compound of pink cement buildings right on the ocean in Georgetown.  There is a huge bar called My Bar that is open to the ocean with a thatched roof.  On Friday night the place was packed with locals and tourists.  They serve bar food - burgers and such - and items from their restaurant.  Some of the freshest fish I've ever had was there - ono and mahi mahi or wahoo and dolphin fish.  They served fish blackened in the way it was meant to be served - rubbed with spices and then seared in the hottest cast iron pan possible.  That way the fish is moist on the inside.  It was so hot (temperature) that we had to let it cool down to eat it.  The menu also had a selection of fantastic Indian dishes.  I had a spicy fish dish with raita (yogurt with cucumbers) and it couldn't have been better.

The dive operation was well run.  Every morning the boat left at 8 AM for a two-tank dive.  We went to places with breath taking coral formations to swim through.  The light coming through the coral from the surface made for magnificent photography.  We purchased a Ikelite housing for our Canon 40D.  The thing is a beast to travel with, but once you're in the water, it behaves like a charm.  The nobs on the outside make the camera fully functional.  Kris shot most of the photos, but he passed the camera to me once in a while.

Angelfish, sponges and butterfly fish were abundant.  We loved seeing the fish that we weren't accustomed to in Hawaii.

This shot is taken at a location called Devil's Grotto.  At the end, you can see a large fish.  It's a beautiful silver tarpin with large, shiny scales.  They grow up to eight feet and I would guess that these were babies at four feet long.

After lunch, you're free to dive as much as you want from shore.  There was pool carved into the edge of the water with easy access in and a ladder out.  Right at Sunset Reef is the mermaid statue that I've so often seen in dive magazines.  To see her in person gave me a thrill!  It was fantastic to be able to be immersed in diving.

Check out our flickr album for more photos!

I love diving!

KVS_-3049, originally uploaded by hiphotog.

Here I am in Grand Cayman. I've loved diving since I was in my 20's and stopped because I got too busy...blah...blah. We did a refresher dive and I'm back in the swing. More about this trip really soon. More photos, too!

Internet music and the dentist

So I'm having my teeth cleaned at the dentist yesterday and notice the music playing is pleasant...different artists...similar genre.

My hygienist, Mary, tells me that it's accessed on the internet.  Go to www.pandora.com for a great way to listen to the radio.  No commercials.  You pick an artist, song, or genre and it creates a playlist.  I've got two so far – Josh Groban and Carole King, and Classical Opera.  So far I'm enjoying it.

Obviously, I'm really lazy about creating playlists and this is the perfect thing.

The Dragon's Gift at the Honolulu Academy of Arts

I went to see The Dragon's Gift, and exhibit of Bhutanese art at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.  It is a must see and will be at the Academy until May 23.  I believe that it is going to travel.  That will give many more people the opportunity to see this amazing show. 

The colorful prayer flags placed in the front yard of the Academy announces the show in a grand way.  We were lucky to arrive in time to hear the monks daily chant at 10 AM.  The thangkas in the show with intricate painting and embroidery are magnificent. 

The multi-media part of the show gives it a freshness and brings the art into the present.  There is a video presentation as well as an installation of photographs.  Both feature the Buddhist ritual dance - colorful and lively. 

I plan to return as often as I can!

Click here to read more:  http://www.honoluluacademy.org/cmshaa/academy/index.aspx?id=2230

Mocha's sweater

RLS_-9690, originally uploaded by hiphotog.

When we at our cottage in Volcano, all the dogs were cold. Since Mocha is the princess, I made her a sweater.

It's been very busy for us so I'm not sure when we'll be able to make it back there. Kris thinks July or August. If we go, we want to stay for a couple of months. We'll have our photographer friends up there then (Dave & Eugene!).

Crochet Coral Reef

I found this on a knitter's blog: Dances with Wools. It's a an exhibit by the Institute for Figuring. Here's the link: http://www.theiff.org/reef/index.html#
Visit the link and check this out. It's quite interesting and very beautiful. "Why crochet a coral reef? This is an easy question. The Institute For Figuring is an educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of figures and figuring techniques. From the physics of snowflakes and the hyperbolic geometry of sea slugs, to the mathematics of paper folding and graphical models of the human mind, the Institute takes as its purview a complex ecology of figuring. These scientists and mathematicians recognized that the forms of the organisms that make up a coral reef are hyperbolic in structure. They also recognize the ecological hazards that are killing the reefs. A small scale project, to crochet a reef of wool to pay homage and draw attention to the plight of the corals and other reef creatures, has blossomed into a worldwide movement." I think it's so important for us to understand what we're doing to harm our planet and, in this case, our coral reefs. Living in Hawaii, makes me so sensitive to what's happening down there. Maybe I have to learn to crochet!

Volcano and Hilo

My friend, Carolyn and I are up in Volcano for a little R & R.  So far we've made all the necessary stops...the Farmer's Market, Yarn Basket, Rain (Clayton Amemiya's gallery), Dragon Mama's, and Rik & Alma Parker's house and gallery. 
There was a new booth at the Farmer's Market selling raw food products.  I had the beet patties which were tasty, but pricey.  Beet, not beef.  I guess it takes a lot of volume to get a patty after dehydration.  They were filled with tasty seeds and nuts.  One lady was selling delicious and fresh lemonade.
One of my favorite places to eat in Hilo is a Thai restaurant called Naung Mai and my favorite dish is Rama Tofu.  It's tofu and peanut sauce on a bed of veggies.  It says spinach on the menu, but I've had it with ong choi and another time with broccoli and zuccini.  I imagine any version of it would be delicious.
    We met Clayton at his gallery where I allowed myself five tea cups.  I have a line up of his tea cups to select from at home...I never get tired of them and they give me so much pleasure.  He invited us to come up to his place to see the new kiln he was building.  I was so angry at myself for leaving my camera at home.  He gave us the tour of the yard with chickens, eggs, chicks, beautiful species of heliconia and ti leaf, juicy tangerines and a sweet purple grape.  His home is divine simplicity...just a beautiful space.
I spent a lot of time perusing the yarn at the Yarn Basket.  I settled on a green alpaca that is soft and beautiful.  This is going to be the shawl in stockinette stitch.  I can't wait to begin!  I spotted some other yarn I may go back for on Friday before we leave.
We stopped by Rik and Alma Parker's house.  I call it a gallery because it's filled with Alma's fiber sculptures and paintings by her dad and another friend.  I recently photographed one of her pieces, a collaboration with Joanne Kahanomoku. 

My birthday today

Yep...it's my birthday today.  55 years old.  Well into the second half of my life.  Yikes!

Haku (our boxer) and Latte (our older cocker spaniel) are spending a day at the vet.  Haku had to have surgery and Latte is in for major amounts of senior testing and ear cleaning.  Kris (my hubby) is sick as a dog and probably should be with them.  He coughed all night and has extreme loss of color. 

I dropped the two off at the vet and then got to shop at Aloha Yarn.  I purchased many skeins of yummy yarn...just one skein of each to be knitted up and played with.  I have become a truly sick puppy.  Then I stopped at Borders where I purchased two books on knitting that I've been wanting:  YarnPlay and Natural Knitter. 

Now I think I'll join Kris in bed...he can rest and I'll read my books or play with my yarn.  Yum....Happy Birthday!!

Hawaiian Style Cafe - Waimea

On Saturday I had a morning free in Kona.  I've been wanting to check out the Waimea Farmer's Market.  It opens at 6 AM and I got a fairly early start.  When I got there it was drizzling and cold - partly because I wasn't dressed for the weather.  After taking a quick look around, I purchased Big Island goat cheese that was very fresh and some Hawaiian ear drop remedy.  My Latte has chronic ear problems and I'm always looking for a treatment that will work.

I headed off to the Hawaiian Style Cafe to warm up and fill up.  Service is really....really slow there.  In fact, when you are given your menu, ask for coffee right away.  That way you can get some before withdrawal fully kicks in.  The portions are gigantic there.  They have three egg omelettes that are huge.  I'm not sure what kind of eggs they use as chicken eggs never produce that much quantity.  I like to order the real local offerings...the stuff you can't get unless you cook it yourself at home.  Here, they have stew luau on the menu...a huge bowl for $7.50.  Stew luau consists of the leaves of the taro plant stewed for hours with chunks of beef.  A little chili pepper water in it makes it perfect for a cool morning in Waimea.  Yum!

"Zen"

I heartily agree Merlin Mann at 43folders.com:

"How about we all chip in five bucks to let the word "Zen" take a few months off. God knows it's well-earned."

Merlin Mann