Posts from — June 2013

Yesterday morning, Connor pitched in to help me make a simple Father’s Day breakfast for his dad.

I was already working on an early afternoon dinner for 8, so I didn’t want it to be some big elaborate morning meal. These pancakes are about as light and fluffy as it gets.

Plus, with the two of us working together, it was a breeze to get on the table in less than 20 minutes.

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Happy Father’s Day…

… to all of you wonderful dad’s out there.

Photo: Me with my dad, Gene Otter, on our way to a family wedding in 1986.

Especially big wishes for a super-duper day to my own dad and my husband, Dave.

January 1988 photo of us at Marissa’s baptism.

Dad with his eight grandchildren in 1992, on Connor’s first birthday. Standing: Benjamin, Joel, and David. Sitting on chaise: Marissa, Dad, Connor, and Raina. Sitting on cool deck: Race and Jeremy.

Dad and me making Christmas dinner in 1996.

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Ten years ago, in 2003, we had a huge peach tree. It was too huge!

Somehow, it had grown completely out of control, and sadly, this was what happened to it. It was so top-heavy and full of heavy ripe peaches, that most of the branches broke from the weight.

I did what any resourceful woman would do – I had an impromptu “Pick Your Own Peaches” Dinner Party. To attend, you had to pick as many peaches as humanly possible and take them home with you! You were rewarded with dinner and profuse amounts of gratitude.

The tree was never quite the same. We had another couple of years of good harvest, but it was an ugly tree after all those branches broke off in such an inhuman way.

Then, in December of 2007, we took our backyard down to the dirt, literally. We took out and filled in the old plaster diving pool. We tore down the south and west sides of our block wall fence and the entire narrow covered patio, plus the dated columns that held it up.

And we said goodbye to the peach tree – and just about every other living thing in the back yard. The peach tree used to stand where that orange trash dumpster sits, in the photo above. And that’s my gorgeous Tanqueray in the center of the photo. How I miss my sweet boy!

All that was left were the citrus trees … the branches of the lemon tree are seen on the right, while the orange and grapefruit trees are out of view along that same side of the yard. Plus the orchid tree, which is on the far left of the photo, but can be seen more clearly in the photo above this, is directly behind Tanqueray. Also saved was the large fig tree, which is out of view, but is on the back side of that orange dumpster. The two queen palms were later transplanted, but in the end, didn’t survive. The tall eucalyptus trees in the background used to be on the side of our front yard, but we pushed out the fence and they now line the western edge of the back yard.

After living in a pile of dirt, dust, and far too often, mud, that wet winter – we were hugely rewarded in May 2008 with a beautiful backyard oasis.

I will soon be showing you more photos of the yard because we are about to embark on phase two of the backyard remodel. Anyhow, a new tiny peach tree replaced the previous monster. It’s hard to make out because it’s so small and barely in the picture, but if you look closely, you’ll see it on the far left center edge of the photo. That spot of green against the white of the house, that’s it!

Here is what it looks like now. It’s a dwarf peach tree, so it is still small today. This photo was taken exactly one month ago. It may be little but I generally get a nice size basket or two of fruit from it each year. More than enough for just Dave and me.

Along with plenty of peaches to make the dessert in yesterday’s post and enough “just eating” peaches, I was able to make a main course peach dish with what I harvested this year.

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When we left for Hawaii on May 22, the peaches on my tree looked as if they would be ripe any day.

Connor would be coming home on the weekends while we were away and Marissa was home one short weekend for the wedding shower of her college roommate, Paige.

The wedding is in August and Marissa is a bridesmaid.

I told both the kids and my dad to keep an eye on the peaches and to please please please pick and eat them. I hated the thought of the luscious fruit going to waste.

If not picked, they’d either fall off the tree and rot or more likely, the bugs would get to them as soon as they ripened. The idea of it made my stomach actually ache.

When we arrived home on June 3rd, surprisingly there were still peaches on the tree! My dad said that they were always hard as rocks when he checked and I never did remember to ask the kids if they had any.

The little fruit flies, gnats, or whatever those nasty little bugs are, had already been to work on more than 2 dozen of the peaches, but I was able to pick a decent boxful! Joy!

I made a delicious Peachy-Chicken entree one night (coming soon to a post near you) and today I am using the last of the peaches for this dessert.

It’s a partially-make-ahead dish. I’m starting it today and we will be enjoying it on Sunday for Father’s Day.

Of course, I had to make one serving from start to finish so I could photograph and post it for you today.

The things I do and the sacrifices I make for you people!

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Yes, it’s true, I’m finally putting a recipe on this recipe blog!

Miracles can and do happen. As evidenced by the sunset photos below!

But before I get to that, I need to do a little housekeeping on some final miscellaneous Hawaii  happenings.

I hope you won’t mind  But if you do … scroll down to “read more” and skip ahead to the cocktail.

My feelings won’t be hurt, only because I won’t know you’re doing it. But be careful, there could be a quiz at the end, and if you do poorly … yeah, then I will know and … whatever… do what you must.

I mean if these gorgeous photos aren’t doing the trick to keep you right here, nothing will!

The first thing I want to share with you are photos of Punalu’u Beach, also known as Black Sand Beach.

It is located on the southeast side of the Big Island.

We drove out of our way just so I could collect some black sand.

I collected sand from all of the islands we visited. I had expected most, if not all, of the sand on the Big Island to be black, but no, only at this beach.

The texture is completely foreign from any sand I’ve seen or touched before. (Special thanks to Connor for being my hand model – sand holder!)

Here is a sample of my sweet little “Sands of Hawaii” collection. Crazy how different the sands of the various islands are. It may not be apparent in this photo, but the sands from Maui and Kauai are vastly different from each other too.

Next up, I forgot to show and tell you about the awesome collection of vintage Hawaiian  signs that were all over the exterior breezeway walls at the B&B we stayed while on the east side of Hawaii.

I am still coveting the Laupahoehoe Sugar Company sign. It was so long, that I had to use the panoramic feature on my iPhone to get it all in one shot! Then I discovered the sad history of Laupahoehoe … heartbreaking.

And this fabulous C and H Sugar sign! Sigh… if I could have figured how to pry it off the wall and fit it in my suitcase… it was tempting! I may have to begin an eBay search for such a treasure.

I was intrigued by the “C and H” instead of the “C&H” that we’re used to today. I did a little research and was surprised to find that 107 year old company didn’t switch over to the ampersand in their iconic logo until the early nineteen-seventies. Do you know what “C and H” stand for?

California and Hawaiian. Now you know.

Each Friday night at the Beach Tree Restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, there is a the beachside barbeque. The Friday we were there… fresh Mahi Mahi…

… cooked on an open grill, in the sand, on the beach, waves rolling in only steps away. Outstanding!

Finally, I have to show you a souvenir I bought myself from the resort. It’s the beach bag that awaits you in your closet. You are encouraged to use it during your stay. I did not, I wanted it to be pristine when I brought it home.

This adorable burlap coffee bag turned into a chic beach bag, lined with vintage Hawaiian fabric. Now you are privy to my plans for the burlap sacks I purchased at the store at the Kauai Coffee Company while we were on Kauai.  All I have to do now is find vintage Hawaiian fabric and then learn how to sew.

Thanks for sticking with me through all the Hawaii posts, I hope you enjoyed it half as much as I enjoyed reliving it. Now it’s time for your reward, a Hawaiian cocktail recipe…

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Dave never left the grounds of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai during our four day stay. He loves laying out in the sun, swimming, and reading by the pool.

The “adults only” Palm Grove Pool was just steps from our patio door. His idea of the perfect oasis.

That’s our room, lower level, on the far right.

I did spend a little time out there, my heavily sunscreen-lathered feet are a testament to that! The pool, cruel harsh sun and all, was hard to resist, it was so quiet and relaxing.

Especially if you have fruity cocktails on hand! Yes, the cocktails helped lure me out there.

Other times, while Dave was sunning himself, I was inside, formatting photos and writing blog posts…

…or outside exploring the property.

This is a Grey Francolin. They are everywhere! With babies! Loved them.

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Our last night in Hilo, the night we went on the tailbone-damaging Lava Ocean boat right, we were too dirty, wet, and in pain to go out to dinner. Instead we stopped at Safeway and picked up wine, cheese, and crackers.  Then we spent the evening in our room.

After breakfast, the next morning, we loaded up the car and headed back to Kailua-Kona and the west side of the island for the final four days of our Hawaiian vacation.

It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re repacking your bags for a 2-hour “road trip” than it is when you’re packing your bags for an ocean-crossing plane ride. In other words, just toss everything together. Nowhere as carefully or neatly as you normally would when traveling.

When we pulled up to the front of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, a bellhop was immediately there to assist us. He encouraged us to just head on into the lobby and he would take care of our bags. Our car was packed as if we were relatives from The Beverly Hillbillies. I’m talking used napkins, the little boxes from the Advil and Aleve, and even the doughnut cushion box, all just tossed into the back seat. A discouraging mess for such a nice place. We may as well have been the Clampetts clan pulling up in from of the Drysdal’s palatial home.

I was busy grabbing my computer bag, the Safeway paper bag with the remaining dinner from the night before, the beach bag, my purse, and my doughnut cushion. At the same time Dave was struggling to get out of the car with his computer bag and his cane.

We looked ridiculous as we stumbled into the gorgeous lobby – where a handsome gentleman with outstretched arms – held out leis to elegantly drape around our necks.

Timothy was our host. He led us to a pretty sitting area, pre-set with refreshing cold scented towels, snacks, and Mai Tais to sip on as we went through the check-in process.

As you may have already deducted, this was our first time staying at a luxurious Four Seasons Resort. At least now – I am privy to the knowledge – the Four Seasons is far too dignified and classy to have guests stand at a registration desk while checking in!

Unfortunately, instead of fully enjoying the relaxing process, I felt like a fool with all my bags and my Clampett-family ways.

Although I must say, my beautiful flower lei, Dave’s Kukui nut lei, and the Mai Tai did help take the sting off of my foolishness… more than a wee bit.

After the painless registration, the bellhop, Haku, came over and retrieved all my bags and set them on the golf cart. We loaded ourselves on as well, cane and doughnut in hand. On the way to our room, Haku gave us a tour and some recent history of the property.

We learned that after the ferocious tsunami, spawned by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, slammed Japan’s eastern coast on March 11, 2011, the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island had about 12 hours notice that a tsunami would hit their shores.

Understandably, because the aftermath in Japan was so catastrophic and so many lives lost, with over 15,000 confirmed dead, the severity of damage to Hawaii went largely unreported. Although, mercifully, no one on Hawaii died, flooding and property damage were extensive in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island.

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For our time on the east side of the Big Island, we stayed at The Palms Cliff House Inn, a B&B just north of Hilo.

Sunrise comes up early on the east side.

As do the Gold Dust Day Geckos.

How cute are these guys?!?

We enjoyed our breakfast on a lovely patio overlooking the bay. After breakfast, the first day, we explored the volcanoes and the tropical forests.

Including another tree tunnel – so gorgeous!

The east side is the tropical side of the Big Island and it receives over 125-inches of rain a year.

Hilo is said to still be old-style Hawaii – where the native Hawaiians live. More relaxed and much less touristy than the west side, where all the beaches and resorts are.

I can see that. I loved Hilo, but then again, I’m not a beach, white sands, sun and fun sort of person. There aren’t as many beaches on this side, the shoreline is often difficult to access. But it is so much more beautiful!

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I feel in love when we landed at the Kona International Airport.  It is the most charming airport I’ve ever been to. “Airport” and “Charming” – now that’s an oxymoron!

You step off the plane, down the stairs from the plane and onto the tarmac – like the good old days – it’s as if you’ve stepped into another world.

It almost made flying fun. I say almost, because by the time we arrived back home, we’d been on nine different flights, this was #5 of the nine.

But this particular airport, I could fly into and out of over and over. The relaxed attitude and the wonderful tiki hut-style buildings makes me smile.

Once we had our rental car, we began our drive on Highway 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Highway) from the west side of the island, up along the north side, and down to Hilo on the east side.

The first thing that you notice when you’ve left the airport is the desolate black lava landscape. I was amazed at how barren the land looked, almost nothing but lava flows. Most of the lava flows are from the last eruptions of Mt. Hualalai, in 1800 and 1801.

A few miles down the road you run into what I’d have to call lava graffiti. Thankfully, there is no paint involved.

Instead, white stones are used to write and make pictures on the roadside lava deposits. The white really stands against the dark black lava. At first I didn’t like it, but after several miles of more of the same, it began to grow on me.

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One of the coolest things we did while in Hawaii was to get on a boat and travel out to the lava flow. To the Kupapa’u ocean entry points, where the smoldering 2,200 degree lava flows into the unsuspecting and viciously crashing 70 degree ocean.

Earlier on the same day, we drove to the Jaggar Museum and the Kilauea Overlook in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. This is the Halema’uma’u Crater. It has been erupting consistently since the crater became active again in March 2008.  The photo above shows what we saw during the light of day.

In the dark of night, it looks like this! We didn’t see it at night because we were busy breaking body parts on that boat out in the Pacific. More on that in a moment…

In many areas of the park, this is what it’s like when your driving around. Thick smog-like smoke from the eruption hangs in the air.

And steam vents. So cool! Too learn more about the volcano and about the park, with continuous updates, GO HERE.

This map shows how the lava flows. Click Here for a larger view and an explanation.

According to VolcanoNews.com, over 2 dozen volcanoes in the world are currently erupting. Who knew?

But, I believe there is only one volcano that has lava flowing directly into the ocean, and that is this one!

At sunset, we went out on this big metal boat with 22 other brave souls. Not brave to get up-close and personal with molten lava, brave to endure the boat ride out to see it!

Here is just some of what the Lava Ocean Tours website says about the adventure:

Conditions: High Speed open ocean touring along East Hawaii’s southeast coastline
Restrictions: Guests need to be 4 years old, able to climb a 10 ft ladder. People with any of the following conditions will not be allowed on tour, recent injuries, frailness, obesity, osteoporosis, pregnancies, back, neck, joint issues. This is not a powder puff adventure expect the ocean to be rough we cover 36+ miles of rugged inaccessible Big Island coastline during the open ocean tour.

Of course, as with all adventure activities, you have to sign a waiver, that you really don’t read, that basically says that if you are grievously insured or die, you and/or your surviving grieving family members will not sue the adventure provider.

Since I did not read, but instead just signed on the dotted line, I probably missed the paragraph that read;

“If you are a female and you sit in the front row of the boat, you will, in most all instances, crack or severely damage your tailbone on our unforgiving metal, thinly cushioned seats-from-hell, as the front of the boat lifts 8 to 12 feet out of the water and slams back down on the rock-hard ocean with the force of a Lear jet crashing onto a runway. This will occur over and over and over again until you beg whatever God it is you worship for mercy and relief! If you don’t worship a God, be advised, you soon will!”

“P.S. Kiss your ass goodbye. Ass meaning, the ass you have that does not hurt at this moment in time – yeah, that ass, kiss it goodbye!”

But once again, it was worth it! Although a cracked tailbone is painful and slow to heal, it does heal. Whereas, I may never have the opportunity to see this again!

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