Waialua Public Library

Jarred Borton is my friend. He had just finished a soccer game and was coming to see me at the Waialua Library for the Saturday Story Time. I appreciated his enthusiasm and support.

Storytelling

Here I am at the Saturday morning Storytelling Hour at the Waialua Public Library. I loved being the center of attention while Mom was telling the children all about me and my travels!
This little library is one of the best known in Hawaii. It has an organization of 600 community members called The Friends of the Waialua Library which gives it money to buy lots of books.

Here We Go Around the World

Lana and Sienna were quite anxious to have their picture taken with me. They had been very entertained as Mom told them and the other children in the library my history and, using the globe, showed them our journey across North America on the train. It was fun getting so much attention!

I'm a Handpuppet

After Mom talked about me at the library and the children went to my blog, they got to make paperbag handpuppets too. Here is Sienna doing a great job of cutting me out! What a fun morning I had!

Three of Me

Here are Rachelle, Sienna, and Lana holding my littermates. They make great snuggly toys as well as soft, cozy pillows.

Open for Business

Nancy Wooley is holding me in her store, The Growing Keiki. It's a fabulous chlidren's boutique in my nearby little beachtown of Haleiwa. Did you notice the t-shirt above her head? I'm getting famous!

Rick Williams, North Shore Lifeguard

Here I am with one of the most famous lifeguards on the North Shore, Rick Williams. He has saved many lives during the past 26 years as he guarded swimmers and surfers at the Banzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach. Rick has also been an instructor for the Junior Lifeguard Program on the North Shore which is held during the calm surf days of the summer. He trains young people to save lives and prevent accidents. Bravo! Bravo! (I was visiting him on his 50th birthday!)

At the Pipeline

Kainoa Yester was visiting Rick on his birthday too. (He's the son of another North Shore Lifeguard, Dave Yester.) We're lounging at the beachpark called Ehukai. That means "sea mist" in Hawaiian.

My Pal, Casey McKinley

Case had an incredible adventure at the Duke's Ocean Fest in Waikiki. He competed in the tandem competition with his neighbor, Brian Suratt. They rode a tandem surfboard together. Several days earlier, after a breathtaking ride, Case was quoted as saying, "I had an out of body experience. This was the best day of my life!"
Bravo, Case!!
(This photograph and the following four were taken at the Duke's Ocean Fest in Waikiki at Kuhio Beach, by the Duke Kahanamoku statue.)

My Newest Friends

Namika, on the left, and her sister, Luna, were in top shape for the events in the Duke's Ocean Fest. They were having a fine day with their mom and dad. They love to surf!! Like me!!

A Fellow Surfer

Namika adored me!! She especially wanted me to "ride" my little surfboard like she rides hers. Here I am catching a wave in her arms!

Big Wave Rider

Ken Bradshaw lives a few houses down from me at Sunset Beach. He's a surfer who rides the biggest waves on the Earth!! Here he is in Waikiki competing in the Dukes' Ocean Fest. He's been surfing since he was a young boy. He shapes surfboards for a job and loves it!
Check out his web site at KenBradshaw.com

My Parisian Pal

Here is Maximillian holding me in my garden in the mountains. We had fun together! He was always making me laugh with his happy smile and witty remarks. He was visiting the islands with his parents from Paris, France.
If you look really, really hard, you can see my friend, Honey Girl, to the left of Max, sitting on the ledge!

My Friend, Kaya

Kaya is a very kind and generous friend of mine who lives in the little beach town of Haleiwa. It's about 15 minutes from my home in Sunset Beach. He has the most beautiful lotus garden which he loves to share. I felt fortunate to visit with him and walk around viewing his flowers and sculptures and collectibles. As I was leaving, he invited me to have a ginger ale under a giant banyan tree. He had a little cooler there and the drinks were chilled to perfection. He is such a fine gentleman. And best of all, he has a great sense of humor!
The next five photographs were taken on his property.

Wow! What a Fountain!

I loved this fish sculpture in Kaya's garden. The water spouting from its mouth into the lotus pond made a beautiful sound. It was quiet and peaceful there. I was ready to lie down, curl up, and take my afternoon nap!

Hawaii Takes My Breath Away, Again!

Living in Hawaii is so special. Today I'm in Kaya's Lotus Garden.
Everyday I am able to experience beautiful scenes of mountains, valleys, exotic flowers, blue skies with floating clouds, waving palm fronds (which tell me I'm in a tropical place) and all the while feel the trade winds caress my whiskers. Best of all, I'm on the beach.

Being here keeps me healthy. Read THE VELVETEEN RABBIT and find out where the main character went to recover from his illness. It's a great book, and one of my favorites!

The Lotus Flower Up Close

This breathtakingly beautiful blossom is a lotus flower. It lives in ponds where the seed grows out of thick, oozy mud. In Hawaii it starts blooming in May and continues until September. Artists love to paint the lotus. Check out this website to see some fabulous paintings:
www.the-gallery-of-china.com

Making Sugar the Old Fashioned Way!

Growing sugar was very popular in Hawaii for a long time. Now all the cane is grown in southeast Asia.
I'm standing by a very old sugar cane press. Sugar cane is just giant grass. It was harvested and fed through the rollers on this wooden machine when a crank was turned. The juice was squeezed out and then "cooked down."
Presto---sugar!

Yikes! Geese Everywhere!

Kaya keeps geese and they love the ponds. They are good "watch dogs" too because they start honking and moving in if strangers approach.
They made me a little nervous. I wasn't sure if they thought I was a stranger!!

My "Made in Hawaii" Surfing Throne

Last weekend I had a lot of fun. I went to the Made in Hawaii Show in Honolulu. There were over two hundred businesses selling items from cookies to t-shirts to photographs to sculptures. I could go on and on. I stopped and talked to lots of friendly people and tasted many yummy treats. I'll go again next year for sure. The following six pictures were taken while I was there!