I thought I knew What a Palm Tree Looked Like

Who Knew There Are So Many Kinds of Palm Trees?

October 13, 2013

This reminds me of the Palm Trees I remember from growing up in North Hollywood, California.  Not the prettiest of Palm trees.

This is what I thought Palm Trees in Hawaii looked like.  Notice the coconuts.

Some have bushy round branches with leaves poking out all around.

Some are short with huge flat branches.

Some have very tall skinny trunks.

Some have huge leaves that spread out like a huge fan.

Below is a close up of the interesting part in the middle.

Some have big leaves that look like individual fans.

Some look more like a bush than a tree.

Some have this interesting green shape at the top of the trunk and have fewer branches.

Tall, mostly straight or crooked trunks.

Ones full of coconuts.

More large fan shapes.

This one has something else, not coconuts, growing on it.  See the close up below.

Some grow to the side.

Some have short almost pineapple shaped trunks.  I walk by these every day, this is the first time I saw green leaves growing out of the trunk.  Usually the whole trunk looks like the top part, just woody stumps where dead branches were cut off.

Notice the "Christmas Tree" shaped trees, I should get a close up of one of those, they are really interesting, but they don't look like Palm Trees.  So that will be in another post.

There are Palm Trees of every shape everywhere you look.  

This picture was taken from our front  driveway.   The ocean is right behind those houses.

The Hokulea

Watching the Hokulea come to Hukilau Beach

October 11, 2013

 The Hokulea is a famous large canoe that was built in 1975.  It sailed to Tahiti in 1976 using only the stars to guide it, like the old Hawaiian sailors did.  It is now getting ready for a trip around the world that should last 4 years.  It is visiting Hawaiian ports before sailing west.

 Fatai, the woman who is over the Seamstress Department, encouraged the Missionaries to go and see this famous canoe arrive.  She said it was a once in a lifetime event for us and something we should not miss.

 It was pouring down rain as we waited for the canoe to arrive.  We were told it would arrive at 9:00 a.m. but it was after 10:30 a.m. when it arrived.  We sat in the rain for a long time and I was soaked from the waist down.  My umbrella kept the top half of me pretty dry.

 Sister Wang and Sister Nance trying to keep dry.

Sister Hubbard and Sister Woods are in front, me, Sister Wang and Sister Nance are sitting behind.

(When I first published this I made a mistake and it said,

"Me, Sister Wang and Sister Nance are sinning behind.")

When I told Sister Wang about my goof she said I should include the goof because it is so funny.

Kids played in the water, rain or shine, some played on the sand.  These boys are getting ready for a "snowball fight" Hawaiian style.

People are waiting in the water and on the beach.  Through the rain storm and in the hot sun.

At last it arrived with the two smaller escort boats.

This is the Hokulea.

This picture shows the kids on their boogie boards watching the Hokulea arrive.

The crew were brought ashore in this little boat.

After they dropped off one load of people they went back for more.

This is the greeting committee.  They blew big Conch Shells that made loud "horn sounds" to welcome the boat and the crew.

The crew were given leis and hugs and kisses on the cheek in welcome.

More leis and hula dancers.

This was a formal greeting and welcome.

This is what we were hoping to see.  It is so much more impressive with the sails up.

Nona's "Graduation"

Nona's "Graduation" (Retirement) Party

October 4th

Me, Nona and Tessie.  Tessie made a lei for Nona out of a measuring tape, spools of thread, buttons and a small pair of scissors.  She is wearing it and gave it to Nona after our dance number.  Nona often started to leave work with a measuring tape around her neck.

The next pictures are from our dance where we all stood up and started dancing our routine together to surprise Nona.

After our dance we each gave Nona a lei and a hug.

Here is Nona with all the leis that everyone gave her on.

Logo is helping her take off some of the leis so she can come up and speak to us.

Everyone loves Nona, we will miss her at the Seamstress department.