Here is a record snow fall on Moana Kea. Took this photo en route to Maui. The tiny white blips on the top of the mountain are the observatories. We often get a dusting of snow...but seldome this significant.
Ski Season
Here is the view from Walmart parking lot.
NOTE: I am one of those who does not LIKE Walmart and its' corporate standards nor the idea of box stores. HOWEVER....we, here, have little choice: We have Macys (really expensive$$$$$and full of clothes I can't wear) or SEARS...not an option, really. Then we have Walmart. That IS IT!!! There is more choice in Kona but that is 2 hours away, guaranteed traffic jams, hot, voggy...haven't gone in years!!!
Lovely view of Moana Kea Carol. I think Mike and Christi said they saw the snow off in the distance today from our island!
Hope that toe is not throbbing quite so much today, did you keep it up and do your web site, or were you running round town?
As you know Walmart is the only game in town on our island also!
good morning, Carol
Yes we did see Moana Kea and sooo many other beauties I couldn't begin to name them. You will soon be hearing from me with a request for as many Maui/Hawaii` plants as possible. I know the impossibilities of growing them at home but I am really determined (as you know) to try everything. Usually when I put my heart into it I can get at least part way. Sorry, seems my determination to snorkel wounded everyone in the party. Really, really hope your broken toe will mend very fast. I am so graceful that I have broken my big toe, not once, but twice right in my own home. It is not fun. Now my desire to visit/live in/on the islands is even more intense. If the center of gravity could be pinned down I would have to say it is somewhere in the chain of The Islands.
Aloha and Mahalo , my friend.
Princess Kilikina
YUP...nothing to eat in the house...so I am off! Going to Walmart to find some 'toe braces'....
Carol
VERY NICE shots!
Correct me if I'm wrong. CNN reported last Spring 2007 (I think it was the first week of Spring) that locations on Oahu hit 28F from one of those real powerful Alaskan fronts. They showed empty tourist hotel pools and kids playing little league with the adults dieing trying to keep warm all wrapped up in jackets. "We don't have clothes for this type of weather", one said. That was a real surprise to me (and I'm sure a lot of others!).
ROFLMAO - never!!! CNN must be confusing their centigrade and F...we can get down to 55F on a clear night with wind from the N. and snow on the mountains. It can get a dusting of frost RARELY in Volcano at 4500 feet with ideal conditions...
Goodness....what a story!
Carol
Lol! Since we have lived in Kihei the lowest it's been here at night, and in the depths of winter, has been 67 degrees - that's when we wear sweaters until the sun gets up!
Funnily enough, a friend just e-mailed me this picture taken from the top of Haleakala while they were visiting this winter. I can't see the snow from down here at the coast as Carol can from Walmarts, but I thought I would add this to Carol's thread as a view of our island...hope you don't mind Carol...
OH, Jen...that is a super shot!!!
It was 54deg. this morning. I am having Hot Oatmeal for breakfast....not since Alaska!
Saw that scene many times, minus the snow. Everywhere one looks there is a postcard scene. Everywhere.
28 F on Oahu????!!!!! Maybe 28 inches of rain, but NOT 28 degrees!!! Oh, my! I can't even get my head around that one!
Love the pics....even wintry pictures of Hawaii are amazingly beautiful. But the surprise of it is what's fun...people just don't associate snow with Hawaii.
Hello Islanders!
Was on vacation last week, another stay at home. Bought a couple tons of boulders to border the re-vamped back garden beds. Only got a few placed as I had to take care of some drainage issues in the alley behind the garden, so that it was stop backing up into the garden. Now mud and gravel mix, so decided to let it alone, which was well enough as I had to begin re-potting as temps swing like a pendulum. This month is the open and close wear or not wear month as temps go from 80F to 37F. Yesterday was down right hot, tomorrow night cold. Stuffed some plants back in the green house yesterday in anticipation, although today was nearly 80 as well. Jeanne came over and loaded up some more brugs I had for her, and after giving away two other truck loads, saving several for the princess, I still have huge ones in the driveway.
My brother and his wife Xiao Wen along with my talented and tall nephew James who just turned 15 came for a visit. They went back to Colorado Springs yesterday. Had a great visit.
Spring is upon us and my motto is PURGE. get rid of, throw away, divest, remove....
Rj
Hi Randy! I have so many that I know I should get rid of, but just can't. Keep hoping that "oh it will come back"...uh huh. I have some that were given to me that I don't even like, but I keep them. Need some of your backbone! I'm on a cataloging kick right now...actually keeping a paper and pencil notebook...can wander around with it - unlike toting a computer through the yard! I am now dreaming in latin and greek!!!
The alley chores do NOT sound like fun! Set a spell, and have an iced tea and enjoy your beautiful garden!
Yokwe,
Shari
LOL, and that's my problem is 5 years of I should get rid of it but keep it. Now as you know for me to do the landscaping in the back is an endless round of displacement. Earlier backbone would have been preferable!
The back alley was not fun. The water had collected right in front of the back gate, about 4 to 5 inches deep. Where the alley hits the drainage ditch, the grass had grown up past the road edge collecting silt in the grass and blocking drainage. It is a dead end alley only used by a couple of houses down the way to get into their garage. No one maintains it and the poor paving job is falling apart..asphault is lifting in some areas sinking in others. I finally ended up digging a trench along side the road which drained things nicely, but in the end probably isn't going to be too good for the asphault ..
My work motto is work a little rest a little, work a little rest a little..there's always some enjoyment...
Tell your DH hi for me
hey Randy....missed you!!!
Hey Carol..
I missed everyone too. Looks like a good time in Maui.
I'm going to try and get that clerodendrum shipped soon. I have such attention deficit disorder in these tasks...I just follow my trail of tools, watering cans, fertilzer, packing boxes, scissors and tape as each was layed down in a different location as my attention was taken by something that just had to be done at that moment or I'd forget again!
Went over to Waynes last night and had a couple glasses of wine.. Got a tropical red passiflora..it puts out some striking flowers. He has a whole bunch of cuttings started. He and I tried to start a bunch of Hawaiin wood rose cuttings but most of them didn't make it. He thinks that it's because of disease or something, but I'm wondering if the vine is difficult to propagate. Do you know?
I had a wood rose started from seed....durn thing just puttered and died...very sad. Good luck if you get them going.
Hey folks...Nina (DD) and I are trying to identify a lovely little drapey thing we have...its posted in plant id with a title something like "pretty green and pink thing"...could you take a look and see if you recognize it? Thanks.
DH says Hi Guy! Hi Carol! etcetera etcetera etcetera
Aloha!
Sounds like hard work to me, Randy, but I bet thing are shaping up beautifully. How on earth did you move the large boulders?
Though you might like to see my newest baby. It is a cross of Pink Velvet X Rubirosa. First blooms, very long and quite a nice pink color. Excuse the shredded leaves, there is a bougie right behind and it just decimated the brug when the trade winds blew!
How beautiful Jenny! What a lovely shade of pink. Do you cross these yourself?
Aloha Shari,
No it was from bought seed. I am raising three of them, this is the first to bloom. It will be interesting to see how the other two differ when they bloom. I was hoping that this one was going to flower while Christi was here, but no such luck! In fact hardly any were performing while she was here but now they all are loaded with buds - wouldn't you know it!
I am acually getting tired of brugs - been there, done that! I do have some special pollen which I want to use and a few seeds left to plant, after that I think that I will have enough different colors for any one person. Don't quite know what the next obsession is going to be yet... Stay tuned!
Yokwe
Jenny
I have a new obsession...it is cataloging all my plants - my mind is reeling from all the latin and greek! I even dream in latin!! I am trying to put together a book I can carry around with me in the garden, for notes, etc. Lugging this computer just doesn't cut it! Have decided not to buy anything new till I get the old under control. Well...for now anyway - ha ha!
Gotta go to a meeting...catch ya later!
Yokwe,
Shari
What a great idea Shari! I make lists on pieces of paper and then promptly misplace them for months...The few that I have organised I have taken photos of, which helps me remember because it shows their position in the garden too. Need to get myself a binder - too bad I can't keep them all in my mind like Carol does...Are you adding the "local" name too?
Enjoy the meeting...
Aloha,
J
Good Morning, all.
Daffodils are blooming and I hope that means Spring is close behind. Lots of things coming up. Should be lots of fun as Mitch has given me oodles of plants this winter. Don't have any idea what they are as everything was dormant at the time. Jen, plan to put the seeds and the cuttings into potting soil today. Have neglected our nest a little too long and that has to be first on the list. Have flock of birds at the feeder and water fountain. Beautiful tones of grey fading into black. Got to go to the bird site to id.
Aloha, yokwe, aurabest.
Christi
Jenny the brug is beautiful. I just hope I get one to live and have at least on bloom.
Christi...down there, i would water the heckout of your brug and give it lots of fertilizer. i wish I could find the bees nest where the visitors go from here...the honey would be fabulous!!!!
Carol
They have to had been referring to the mountain top for that 28 degrees! They had a very misleading report on CNN. That surely is impossible. I've only seen it below 40 here twice, (coastal area, a thin zone 11 area) and Hawaii is warmer. We have had 48 degree nights a long time now, it's getting real old, this winter. Today it will be 80 and tomorrow 85 in SoCal. Weve been below average all winter. average is 72 and 51 low.
Oh Christi how I loved it when the daffs first started peeking out of the snow! They are such happy flowers...see...the tropics sure don't get everything!
Weird weather everywhere! This is our windy season...we are quite used to our rainfall totals to be in the negatives right now...that is the norm, and then we catch up during the rainy season. Well as of last Sunday we were 2 inches OVER! We had rain 5 out of 7 days last week...too, too weird! And I know Chrissy was saying that it has been so terribly rainy down in OZ. Mother Nature does not want us getting complacent about her abilities...likes to keep us guessing I spose. Makes life interesting anyway.
Working at the Library today...have fun everyone!
Yokwe,
Shari
After record rains since last September....we have had 2 weeks of NO rain and really voggy conditions!!!! NUTS!
Carol, Not quite sure if there is a place on earth that has all the right conditions. Certainly not Texas. Got to spray the alfalfa tea today. If the wind will stay still.
LouC
Yesterday it was 87 here
I don't think we could call ourselves gardeners if there wasn't something giving us reason to complain! Seems to be the defining factor in our avocation! Ha Ha!
LOL....I was just thinking that on Sunday when it was 82F...it was hot..and was thinking..oh my...8 months of solid hot coming up..might enjoy this little bit of cool weather left.
Going to Canton First Monday tomorrow. Lots of growers come only in the springl. yayayaya!
Splain Canton LouCCCCCCC
Yes please...enquiring minds want to know...
Christi....are you talking about "Canton" the "Flea Market"????
I've never been, but heard it is fantastic!
Canton is a itty bitty town about 60 miles from me. Starting the Thursday before the first Monday of every month people from all over the country bring their wares to the flea market. Something like 300,000 people are there every day.
It is something like 120 years old now. A lot more commercial than it was when I first started going 30 years ago. Google "Canton First Monday" and you will get an eye full. We used to take our rv and spend the whole weekend. There are about 2000 vendors, no way to take it all in, even in 3 days. There are lots of nurseries in East Texas and some of them are there every month. Fantastic plants. Don't go but every couple of years now. Pretty overwhelming if you have never been. I recommend it at least once in a lifetime.
LouC
Have fun Christi! Will you be taking the motor home and staying a few days? I guess I will have to wait until you are back to hear about all your purchases!
Guess we are all going on plant adventures!!!
This Friday and Sat. is the BIAN sale...Big Island Assn. of Nurseryies...the members put up booths with their new stock, best plants, exciting hybrids and the public waits outdoors in Loooooong lines for the door to open!!! I work with a friend of mine who has great plants and help him with the public (and I also get to go into the area hours before and choose what I want before the public gets there!!!). It is also a social event...EVERYone in the plant/flower world comes and talks story and we all catch up with eachother. One of my favorites is David Shigi who sells and hybridizes bromiliads...has some drop dead gorgeous crosses...
Anyone want to come over for it? Randy??? Jenny????
The house is a mess but the sheets are clean!
Carol
Wish I could come - unfortunately I work over the weekend, or I would be over in a shot!
Do you know ahead of time on the date for next year's BIAN? I am absolutely going to get time off for it, but I have to give them a running start on finding someone to cover for me.
Have loads of fun, will be very interested to see what you buy and hear about all the new things that caught your eye. Take pictures!
Aloha my friend.
They both sound so fantastic! We haven't got that many people on our whole island, let alone for a flea market/plant sale! Enjoy both of you! Carol, those broms sound so great - yes, please take pictures! Anymore, if I'm around that many people I start hyperventilating and twitching...big crowds do me in. Had to take the malls a bit at a time when we were home. Been livin the "little" life too long I guess.
Yokwe and have fun!!
S