March 2017

Saw this next to the abandoned church

I'm still doing the first cull of my Hawaii photos. You'll be seeing more of them soon. Beautiful sunset last night so I rushed out to the driveway for a shot. This bench is actually not on our property, just close to our driveway, but the neighbors are away so I took a few shots.

I was playing with different scene modes on my new camera while bored on the flight and was amused that we were on route to Hawaii with a magazine saying "Beyond Alaska!"

AT least needing to learn this camera before my trip has gotten me out shooting! I had plans to shoot the huge waves in Yachats but by the time I had taken Pearl on a walk, it was raining and this camera doesn't have as good weather sealing as my Nikon. There was a pause in the rain as I drove in our long driveway so I stopped to catch the moment of light before the rain started and the sun went into the ocean

we had a totally thrilling swim this morning with a sea turtle who came really close...so close I was almost afraid for a moment and had to back up to get any shots!

we had a totally thrilling swim this morning with a sea turtle who came really close...so close I was almost afraid for a moment and had to back up to get any shots!

We had a break in the weather yesterday when I got home from town so I decided it was time to see what I can

The rain has discouraged even the daffodils!

Sadly the spinner dolphins have been largely absent this trip but a small pod finally came into the bay. We've had so many stunning adventures, I have no real complaints since I've had the opportunity to swim with them previous years lots of times. i like how the one white dolphin is swimming with the darker ones.

Another visitor to the bird bath

What an amazing creature. Jim kept finding them.

Another angle on this hard working bird. I like her beak open wide to get a mouthfull of fluff

The man who owns the place we stayed has an incredible green thumb. Love his bonsais as do the birds

Heard him singing his courting song in the night so I got up and grabbed my camera

A whole other view of the volcano. If you look close you can see the red hot lava.

Our camera club's theme for our monthly competition is "full circle." To me that suggested the full circle of life- birth to death, but I wasn't able to get shots for that so this is the best I could come up with...full circle of tropical birdies!

Feral goats

Spent the day in a class to learn my new camera and my brain is fried...off to Portland tomorrow and we fly to HI on Monday...ahhh to sun and warmth! This beauty and his harem were in our yard yesterday...shot through a window. I thought bull elk would have shed their antlers by now, but he sure hasn't.

From the helicopter of course

We had a break in the weather yesterday when I got home from town so I decided it was time to see what I can do with macro using my Sony.

This was a shot from the helicopter ride

We planned this trip to Hawaii a year ago before we knew about the new lava flow into the ocean that started about two months ago. When we heard that it was happening we tweaked our trip to add adventures around it. The helicopter tour was a bit of a disappointment but not so the boat approach. We rode in a pretty big metal sided catamaran that was able to get really close. Watching the lava explode as it hit the ocean with fragments bursting in air! WOW!

We went on a helicopter tour of the Big Island today...what a thrill. Unfortunately the photography was disappointing since I didn't have the best seat, there was thick "fog" and poor light, and the glare on the windows messed upmost of my favorite shots. I did get a couple that I like of the lava flowing into the sea.

We saw this as we were taking a stroll...ah sun and warmth!

Loving all the signs of Spring at last

Got out to shoot dawn this morning and the clouds were less than I had hoped but the lighthouse is always beckoning.

From the helicopter ride

From the helicopter ride

Snuggled in bed last night giving me her "look". It's snowing here today so I am hoping our house sitters will be able to get here and we will be able to get to the airport!

Apparently manta rays are very rarely seen in Kealakekua Bay but when the dolphins finally came to the bay after more than a week of hopeful waiting, we saw a manta ray. A couple of years ago we brought our kids and their families to HI to share our 50th anniversary. One of the things we did was take them on a manta ray swim tour. Did we see even one ray? Nope. Did several people get miserably sea sick? Yup. And this year one came to the bay we swim in every morning! Not the best shot but a huge thrill.

Apparently manta rays are very rarely seen in Kealakekua Bay but when the dolphins finally came to the bay after more than a week of hopeful waiting, we saw a manta ray. A couple of years ago we brought our kids and their families to HI to share our 50th anniversary. One of the things we did was take them on a manta ray swim tour. Did we see even one ray? Nope. Did several people get miserably sea sick? Yup. And this year one came to the bay we swim in every morning! Not the best shot but a huge thrill.

I looked out our kitchen window and saw mom and her two yearlings. I grabbed my camera and took some shots. The quality isn't terrific but I was shooting through a wire fence at very high ISO and was pleased to even get the shots. On the other hand, I'm NOT pleased to know that a mom with two such large cubs feels as if she can meander through our property so close. Moms with babies are the most dangerous and yearlings the most unpredictable. Sure hope Pearl doesn't get the idea she should go anywhere near them.

This was shot at the overlook after hiking out there at 3 AM! Worth it though. The big gray metal sided catamaran is the boat day before yesterday's shot was taken from so you can see how close we were. You can see the red hot fragments breaking up after exploding in the water.

We left Oregon in the snow and arrived in Hawaii in the high 70's. It took 2 hours to finally get our rental car but we finally got here. I had to laugh when it poured last night. They've really been needing it! What a treat to be here.

At Manini Beach

We went on a hike on a pretty much abandoned trail near the ocean and came upon this abandoned church. Clearly people are still adding gifts and prayers to the altar.

The little crazy man who is looking down from just above the lava that explodes as it hits the water and might at any moment undermine the surface that it is coming from went way past the fences that are meant to keep people off the most dangerous areas. I was aghast! But he does provide a great sense of scale for my photo. For me, it was a sufficient thrill to stand where I was! This shot was taken at about 4 AM despite what my camera says...I forgot to change the time setting for HI's time zone.

The place we are staying has a bird bath with almost constant visitors. This was taken through the screen on the lanai.

This little sweet saffron finch was making stars as he splashed.

We had a fabulous time snorkeling this morning though sadly still no sign of the spinner dolphins. I was so excited to see this sea turtle swimming beside me, but infuriated to find all the circles especially the one on his head. Anyone have any ideas re what causes them?

We had a fabulous time snorkeling this morning though sadly still no sign of the spinner dolphins. I was so excited to see this sea turtle swimming beside me, but infuriated to find all the circles especially the one on his head. Anyone have any ideas re what causes them?

we had a totally thrilling swim this morning with a sea turtle who came really close...so close I was almost afraid for a moment and had to back up to get any shots!

We went on a hike on a pretty much abandoned trail near the ocean and came upon this abandoned church. Clearly people are still adding gifts and prayers to the altar.

This spotted eagle ray was too far away to get a good shot but I was so excited to see him that I just had to share.

Ahhhh! So wonderful to be in warm weather. I took my camera out to play with different shutter speeds last eve.

To me there is something so poignant about this homeless person's tent and pad in the arms of the dunes. Of course the poor man has endured the almost constant rains that have been here for months. May he have more sunsets to grace his days.

I took a quick trip before the rain started again down to the lake where hummers are often busy with nest building at this time of year. I wasn't disappointed. My shoulder still can't hold my big camera and lens for any length of time but at least I got a few shots before it started screaming

Playing a bit with long exposure. There is something about the moody feel of this that I like a lot.

From the helicopter tour