The Word of the Day is "Pukana Lā"

Credit: Depositphotos.com/Galyna Andrushko

Aloha mai kākou,

As night comes to an end and dawn breaks, the sun peeps through the horizon and starts a new day in the east. We are fortunate to see the sunrise (pukana lā…. Poo ka na lahh) on the east side of the Big Island. Every morning (unless its raining) the sun’s warmth greets my window. That’s when I know that another day is here and another opportunity to live in paradise. If you’ve never experienced a sunrise, come to the east side of the islands and you’ll experience a beautiful thing…..

A hui hou,

Haunani

P.S. Stay tuned next week, for words associated with Halloween….

The Word of the Day is "Mānana"

Credit: Depositphotos.com/Jennifer Via

Aloha mai kākou,

Along the drive towards Makapu’u (ma ka poo oo…. or bulging eye), on the Windward side of O`ahu island, lies an islet, nicknamed “Rabbit Island”. The Hawaiian name is Mānana (mahh na na), meaning buoyant. The name refers to its shape, like the head of a rabbit. It is made of 2 tuff cones, and it is currently a state seabird sanctuary that is home to thousands of different birds and Hawaiian monk seals. In 1880, John Adams Cummins introduced rabbits, which later populated the islet. They were eradicated about 1980, due to the destruction of the ecosystem. You need special permission from the Hawai`i Dept of Land and Natural Resources to go there.

A hui hou,

Haunani

Today's Word of the Day is "Nalu"

Credit: Depositphotos.com/Sander Claes

Aloha mai kākou,

The surf is starting to pick up during the fall season in Hawai`i.... Surf, or nalu, is today's word of the day! Nalu (naw loo) is a wave, the surf, to form waves, or full of waves. Famous surf spots, such as the north shore or Waimea bay (why may yah…. Meaning ‘Red water’), are very active during this season, producing huge surf (some at 50 feet or more), attracting brave surfers from all over. The Quiksilver surf tournament, in memory of a beloved surfer named Eddie Aikau, has been held there several times. The only way the tourney can be held is if waves are at least 20 feet or more. That’s like 2 stories of a powerful, crushing wall of water! Even the most experienced surfers can get hurt. So, please heed the warnings posted. I included a photo of waves, but your more than welcome to view the following link to read about the surf report there….

http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/waimea-bay-oahu_4755/

A hui hou,

Haunani

Today's Word of the Day is "Leahi"

Credit: Deposit Photos/Cloudia Newland

Aloha mai kākou,

As the plane makes its final descent into Honolulu International Airport, the most noticeable feature you will see is the dormant volcanic tuff called “Diamond Head Crater”. The Hawaiian name is “Mt. Leahi” (lay ah hee). Leahi refers to the shape of the ridge, which resembles the dorsal fin of the tuna fish. Formed about 300,000 years ago, it sits at the east side of Waikīkī. British sailors in the 19^th century thought the calcite crystals that sparkled in the rocks were diamonds, hence its nickname, “Diamond Head”. The park covers about 475 acres and is full of trails. There is a $5 per car fee, or a $1 per pedestrian fee, to enter the park. A beloved musician by the name of Gabby Pahinui (pa hee new wee) made famous a song called, Leahi (Kaimana Hila …kye mah na hee la). Behold this majestic landmark, as it is an iconic symbol and welcomes you to our islands.

A hui hou,

Haunani

The Word of the Day is "Pua Kiele"

Aloha mai kākou,

I had come across a blooming bush of gardenia, and have selected it as our word of the day….. “pua kiele” (poo wah kee yeh lay….. ‘to emit fragrance’). Pua kiele, or the Hawaiian gardenia, shares the same genus as the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It was named after a naturalist named Alexander Garden and brought with the early Chinese immigrants. Its sweet perfume is unforgettable, and it was made quite famous by jazz singer Billie Holiday.

My grandma had tons of gardenia bushes in the backyard of our Kahalu`u house. There had to be at least 20 bushes or more that were laden in blooms, and you could smell them from the road above. Whenever I see or get a waft of them, the smell always reminds me of her and grandpa. They can be full with tiny black bugs called thrips, so be advised to inspect it, before you inhale…. I’m not kidding! Lol. It's wise to spray the buds, leaves, and stems with an insecticidal soap, or do what we did…. Collect your laundry rinse cycle water as a spray. It's economical and good for the environment!

A hui hou,

Haunani

The Word of the Day is "Kope"

Credit Depositphotos.com/Andy Dean

Aloha mai kākou,

Its hump day, and that means its “Starbuck’s day” for me, which I will use my trusty coupon, and buy one, get another one free, for someone! Lol. In celebration of my special treat, to re-energize myself, today’s word is….. “kope” (ko pay) and yep, you guessed the definition…… coffee!!! The coffee plant was brought to the Kona side of the Big Island in 1828 by Rev. Samuel Ruggles. Henry Greenwell established coffee in the later years of the 19th century, but after the coffee crash of 1899, the plantation owners sold off its land to their workers. At the time, the Japanese and Filipino immigrants scooped up coffee parcels, in which most are still running as family farms.

Kona coffee is one of the most expensive coffee in the world. It blooms its white flowers in February and March, and then it produces green berries by April. Few months later, they turn a bright red, called “cherries”, and are roasted and processed for consumers. I’m very lucky to have Kona coffee available to me on a regular basis, but today…… it’s a Mocha coconut frappucino from Starbucks to give me a little boost ….. Bottoms up!!! =]

A hui hou,

Haunani

Two Words for Today: Pāhoehoe and `A`ā

Credit Depositphotos.com/Charles Taylor

Aloha mai kākou,

I’m starting this blog a little different than my norm, with a few facts about our active volcano, and types of lava flows that occur here. The islands of Hawai`i, were formed by hot spots and shield volcanoes millions of years ago. Each island was formed by one or several volcanoes. Eventually through time, erosion led to the islands that stretch about 1500 miles across. The tectonic plate moved east to west, causing the hot spot to form each island, one by one. As you can imagine, because of the movements, the oldest islands are north west, continuing on to the youngest, which is the Big Island of Hawai`i.

The Big island is still growing, and visitors flock to the island to see actual lava flowing from Kīlauea (kee lao way ya) Crater at the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The lava that emits from the volcano is of basaltic rock, which brings us to the two types of lava that I want to share with you. Pāhoehoe ( pahh hoy hoy…. or smooth, unbroken rock) and the much rougher of the two called, `a`ā (ah’ ahh). You can visually see the stark differences between both all over the Big Island. I suggest to include a visit to the National Park, and you might be lucky enough to witness the actual flow, which is one of the most amazing things to see……

A hui hou,

Haunani