Saturday we went up to Koke’e. It was our happiest day in a long time. By the time we arrived it was almost noon, so we had a lunch picnic near the museum, and then hid from the rain for a while in the museum. Although Leilani really likes museums, this one was not her favorite, and fortunately the rain stopped soon.
Here we are starting out hopeful for a rain-free hike, on the Kokee meadow
We tried to go along the watertank trail, but turned around when it started raining again and and we went walking along close-by dirtroads and trails – just staying close to the car because of the weather.
When the rain finally got too much we went to the Kalalau lookout, where the weather was much better, not only did we enjoy views and the meadows to run around in, we also found lots of strawberries – Leilani loves the small wild variety. Koke’e strawberries never turn red, they are fully ripe and still white, it took me several years to figure that out, and I needed to search through several books to veryfy that, but never learned why. White or red – Leilani gobbled them up, and wanted to pick them herself too.
“Can I try the big hat?” Andy later realized in all these years he had never come that close to loosing the hat forever….
Although there were clouds, the views were spectacular, as always.
We saw lots of wildlife. This is a native Apapane bird, searching for insects in a native tree called Ohia Lehua.
This is a plover, called Kolea, they are fairly common. In the summertime they fly all the way to Alaska, to brood, and in fall first the adults come back, and remarkably the fledglings start their long journey across the Pacific a few weeks later, alone, without a guide (and still find home)
We also saw lots of beautiful flowers, Leilani loves them and we let her pick a few, she carried around a pretty pink Banana Poka for a long time. This, we think is a white Montebretia, very common in orange, but the white variety we have not noticed before.
We came home just in time to see the sunset through the rain behind Nounou mountain, the Sleeping Giant.
We have been packing for our big trip to Austria. Leilani was allowed one small bag of toys and a small bag of books. Not enough for her. While I was not watching she packed a few books into her suitcase, when came back and I asked she replied. “Its OK, my dad and I packed the books…” I did not believe it and asked Andy, who was innocent. So the books went out. I left the room once more, and a while later I had to rearrange a few items in the suitcase, and this time I found the books buried under quite a layer of – still nicely folded – clothes.
Leilani readily admitted that she had hidden the books, seemingly expecting that we’d reward her resourcefulness by letting her take more books. Although I had to smile, I did take them out – we are shooting for 3×50 pounds, and that is not easy…
“There you go, Mom!”
“Since when do you call me Mom?” (still used to being Mommy…)
“There you go, Sonja…” (without missing a beat)
Andy comes in “Are you ready Leilani?”
“Not yet. I will be ready in a few minutes”
When we then put on the sunscreen she started to sing:
“You are my sunscreen, my special sunscreen.
You make me happy, when trees are green.
When trees get yellow…”
to the tune of “You are my sunshine”
Elsa’s birthday started as a pool party. We had barely walked into the door, when Leilani took off all her clothes. Fortunately we hadn’t forgotten her bathing suit.
Heaven, Elsa, Leilani and Halea in the pool, Allie in the background.
I painted them, and the kids all loved it.
Leilani, Elsa, Raya, Audrey and Elise
Saturday we hiked the beautiful Kuilau trail:
We found lots of Timbleberries. Leilani loves them.
The trail is the pettiest easy hike on the island I think.
