Warm & Sunny

Just another garden shot. This is the time of year that I celebrate no longer living in the Midwest.

All Wet Again

I've been somewhat out of commission recently due to a recurring cold, and it felt sooooo good to finally get back into the water this morning. My turtle friends thought so too and many of them swam by to say Hello. 

Surreal Model

Yet another glorious day on Maui. But, what's new?

We watched a Japanese photo shoot unfold across the street while we were dining at Fred's Mexican restaurant this midday.

It was a surreal experience. Their one model was very skinny and twice as tall as anyone on the team who were all Japanese. All in all we enjoyed the show and the lunch.

Who's the Hunter Now?

I went to capture Koi today and found out that I wasn't the only one. I was out to get photographs and succeeded somewhat, but this guy had other plans for the Koi and wasn't nearly as successful. Some of the fish were huge and I'm almost surprised that it wasn't the bird that got eaten.

A Big Grin

I feel no end of gratitude for my life. How could I not love being able to sit on a warm beach on Thanksgiving day?

In the past I would focus on everything which wasn't perfect. For instance, the fact that I have a cold and am completely broke (well, not completely, I have $78 to get me through the next two months). But those things do not matter at this exact instant in time.

What does matter is that I actually feel pretty darn good at this instant, I have no shortage of food to eat, I have a wonderful place to live and am in a glorious relationship. What more could I want or need? Truly? Nothing.

Even the cars travel around here with a big grin on their faces.

Red and Green

It must be that time of year again because Holiday decorations are going up all over town.

And here on Maui that is pretty much the only way you can tell, because winter weather is still a couple of months away. Brrr, I dread to even think of those chilly days in the low seventies.

Even Mother Nature is getting into the spirit. She is decking out nature in colors of Red and Green.

Looking in All the Wrong Places

I have recently been going to places often frequented by dolphins, but have not seen them.

Today I went down to the beach in front of my house - and there they were, waiting for me.

They didn't stick around any longer than it took them to say, "Hello." But that was okay, I was delighted to see them again.

Desert Reaching

Nope, not a studio shot. I photographed this flower on its bush at Ahihi this morning, then upped the contrast so that the leaves got too dark to see. I love the way these desert flowers seem to reach out.

The Young are Taking Over

I encountered a lot of small young turtles on my ocean swim this morning. Far more than I'm used to seeing, and in fact they outnumbered the bigger older turtles. 

Never Gets Old

Another glorious day in paradise. And yet, somehow, it never gets old.

Transect

I got to do a transect of a stretch of shoreline with the experts this morning in search of endangered Hawksbill Turtles. And we actually found one! 

Surfing Not Allowed

Yet another "wild" stretch of beach in South Maui bit the dust today. I guess people need to build their vacation homes somewhere... Meanwhile, four hundred yards north, the only beach access for a popular surf spot has been permanently closed due to construction of a fancy private swimming pool. It's all about progress.

Fortunately, a few undeveloped oases still exist. You just have to know where to look.

Anchored

Green Sea Turtles like to wedge themselves under things while resting on the ocean bottom, usually rocks or coral. This guy was enjoying the presence of an anchor this morning.

Exquisite or Boring

 I grew up in the Midwest where we only had a precious few perfect days every year.

Here on Maui every single day is one of those Midwestern exquisitely rare perfect days - and I've gotten used to it.

I almost did not post these photographs which I took this morning because they were just "more boring Maui beach shots." Then I remembered where I came from and decided they were worth showing. So here they are...