calm before the storm..

What a beautiful evening for our last night in Paso.........
Tomorrow we try to beat the rain home.

hosting the Starks

Tonight we had the Starks over for stromboli.

Michael stopped home for an early surprise visit from college. I'm sure they had a lot to talk about.Carol and Laura had a lot of teacher stuff to discuss.

10 hours........

We were only home for ten hours before we left for innkeeping at Corinne and Marlowe's "Winemakers Porch B&B" in Paso Robles for 10 days. But, since I-5 was closed due to the fires (and we figured all of LA would be on PCH/Route 101), we went by way of Barstow- just a little out of the way!!
The fire below is the one that evacuated Kay for 2 days and gave her a harrowing experience.......
But, Paso was clear and bright and ready to go...........

Chinese Art at the Langs'

Carol took a Chinese watercolor class from Lucy Wang at Spanish Village in Balboa Park, San Diego. It turns out Maureen had started in that direction and had Lucy's book along with all the materials needed.
So with a little instruction from Carol, Maureen was off making bamboo and flowers. They had a great time together.

a Kona day with the Langs

After rescuing Moca the cat from the vet, we were off to Teshimas for a great Japanese/ Hawaiian lunch. Teshimas was started in 1929 and the original obaasan is still there!!

Next door was an original Buddhist Temple.....

Our next stop was Kahalu'u Bay to watch the snorkelers and surf.

We went to downtown Kona for refreshments at the Kona Inn- always a beautiful place to pass time.

Finally it was back home for some Mexican fajitas.

VOG

Today the "trades" left (trade winds) and were replaced by the Kona winds. This winds blow over the entire island chain and produce "vog". Vog is a mixture of volcanic emissions and fog- not unlike smog. Maureen and Harold return in a few hours and I'll get the official answer then...

Pololu Valley

King Kamehameha I- was born in the Hawi area.
Continuing past Hawi to the end of the road we came to the Pololu Valley. It speaks for itself....

Papaya anyone?

Kelly Dunn

Today we travel north again, but this time to the small town of Hawi. I had hoped to visit this world known woodturner, Kelly Dunn, and he was home and available!! He is definitely "the man", so I'm really excited. He is known for turning really large and thin Norfolk Pine bowls that are translucent due to thinness and his special finish.

Vessels ready for the galleries.

His entire wood floor was 3/4" Koa!!!

Vessels drying under the house.....

slack key again

Today we drove north to Waimea for a free slack key guitar and 'ukulele concert at the Kahilu Theater. We are always searching for these and this one was another great one!!! It included Sonny Lin, Dennis Kanakahi, Aaron Mahi and Uncle Richard Ho'opi'i..........

Prior to the concert we were looking for a place to eat and on the way out of town we drove into a parking lot to turn around. When I looked at the building I noticed it was the store of a Hawaiian woodturner- Dan De Luz!! We went in and along with great turned vessels, etc., they were selling wood from the studio in the back. serendipity.............

As Carol talked with the 93 year old lady clerk- who was sharp as a tack!!, I went through their cutoffs. I got all kinds of nice koa, monkey pod and woods I've never turned before and with a bill of $175 I walked out a happy woodturner...........

now to get it home!!??

Holualoa

This morning we walked down to the beach/makai- surfs up!!

During the afternoon, we drove up to the Kona coffee country. We stopped at the small village of Holualoa for their festival featuring Kona coffee tasting and an art stroll. The coffee was wonderful!!!

Kona lantern parade and Gregg Smith

This morning we walked downtown Kona to the pier and back. These people are fishing for small fish (to eat or for bait?) with long dipping poles like I got in Japan.
I contacted Gregg Smith, who I met in Provo at a wood turning seminar, and was able to visit him at his studio and home. He mostly does segmented vessels and is very successful and in demand. His work was beautiful...........

He specializes in segmented Koa vessels embellished with Hawaiian ki' pohaku or petroglyphs.

That evening we went to downtown Kona for the annual Lantern Parade. It's part of the Kona Coffee Festival.

walking the old Walua Rd.

This morning we walked the old Walua Rd. It passes through 3 neighborhoods and is joined by walking paths. It's a very popular destination.


That evening we went to Don the beachcomber for an ocean front dinner.

walking the old Kona airport

Today we went to the old Kona airport and walked their exercise and public garden pathway.

It includes a nice large public beach.

These mongoose can be seen around the entire island. We saw a group of three mongoose playing/ fighting.

Next is was breakfast at "Huggo's on the rocks".
It reminded us of being at Kona with Judy and Paul, so we gave them a call- it was mid afternoon for them at the Olive Garden..............