When Thanksgiving comes each year it gives us all a chance to express gratitude and be content for what we have and what we are. Finding the good parts of all situations helps me cope with anything that's going on.
It is the little things that count most. In my life this past year I've encountered many little inspirations just sitting at my desk and looking out the window.
The view changes depending on time of day and the weather conditions.
What I noticed is that the same little creatures come to visit on a daily basis. Some of them peck on my window, or if I'm outside, flew right toward me to face me head on, in a friendly way.
I recognized and welcomed them as they added a peaceful continuity to the hustle and bustle of daily living.
After more than a year of this view, along with my daily visitors, still takes my breath away.
So far in this series I've covered Maui's plant life, sunsets, and beaches. Those are things that immediately come to mind when one thinks of Hawaii. Today I'd like to share with you some of the beautiful scenery we encountered during our daily drives through the island.
 |
| Kula Highway - view of road from the car |
This wonderful, twisty Kula Highway captures the sense of adventure one feels when traveling through this rural East Maui district. It is largely a residential area where many full-time local residents prefer to live, as opposed to the warmer, busier tourist areas near sea level. There are hardly any commercial development here with the exception of a botanical garden and a couple of charming wineries that dot a portion of the up-country highway.
 |
| View of the isthmus from Upper Kula |
The weather is cooler, although many micro-climates exist. With these lovely bi-coastal views, one can see why new homes are starting to dot the area.
 |
| Chickens and bikes at Sunrise Protea Farm |
No trip to Maui is complete without a visit to Haleakala National Park. On the way there, we stopped at this protea farm and along with the flowers, found a great mix of colorful chickens.
 |
| Haleakala Summit |
The East Maui Volcano forms more than 75% of the island of Maui. The tallest peak is at 10,023 feet. The thin air requires slow movement. During our visit it was approximately 40
 |
| Haleakala Summit |
The early Hawaiians gave the name Haleakala, meaning "house of the sun" to this massive mountain. The slopes are lined with rare, fragile species of plants. Even the views look other-worldly.
 |
| Haleakala - earth |
 |
| Haleakala - Nene |
 |
| Botero's Woman Smoking a Cigarette at the Grand Wailea Resort |
Besides the natural beauty of the landscapes, Maui's luxury hotels also harmoniously integrate original artwork by internationally renowned artists. Each time I've been to Maui, I've made a special trip to visit Colombian artist Fernando Botero's human figure sculptures with exagerrated proportions. This beautiful bronze sculpture found in the lobby's atrium, Woman Smoking a Cigarette, is exhibited to allow viewing from all sides. All nine of the Botero sculputures are placed among beautiful flowers with the ocean view as a backdrop.
 |
| View from Maui Botanical Garden |
 |
| View from Maui Botanical Garden |
These last two photos were taken at one of Maui's many gorgeous botanical gardens. Even with a huge selection of lush flowers and trees, these incredible shots from the heart of the valley caught my eye. They are merely the setting for the garden and not the main event.
In October my family took a rejuvenating trip to Maui for a week. It was the first time we traveled together in over 12 years. Also, after about 12 years, my college roommate and I had a reunion there, complete with tuberose leis. It was a happy trip.
We went on many drives around the island and one aspect of it that made a huge impression on us was the rich, abundant plant life. Everywhere you turn are stunning plants that thrive in the tropical weather. The air is heavy with floral fragrances wafting through the clean air.
Consider this part 1 of series on this enchanting island. This installment covers its inspiring landscapes.
Over the summer I took a beginners' photography class and this trip was an opportunity to do some field studies. I practiced macro photography on the flowers and capturing movement with the ocean waves. The Valley Isle, as Maui is known, is a fertile ground of beauty, providing the perfect backdrop for photography.
At first glance the most prevalent plants are bougainvillea vines. We see these quite a bit in California, but not with so much color variety. I love how the different colored plants are grown together and start blending into multi-colored bushes. Sometimes the bougainvillea climbers start overtaking nearby trees! One of my first projects upon returning home was planting a two-color set of bougainvillea in the front yard. We shall see over time how that turns out.
 |
| Bougainvillea at a residence in Makena |
|
|
 |
| Mixed colors of bougainvillea |
 |
| Detail of white on pink bougainvillea |
|
|
|
Hibiscus plants are also found everywhere. In California I never noticed them much but in Maui, with all the different colors and shapes, they just popped. Some Hawaiian ladies are known to put these red hibiscus flowers behind their ear to attract new loves. They are also edible.
 |
| Tall hibiscus with bare branches and red hibiscus flowers at the tips. |
Even the most simple looking plants had a twist of unexpected color.
 |
| Green plant with red tipped leaves |
 |
| Lipstick palms with red stems |
 |
| Fiery orange bromeliads at dusk |
There are various micro-climates within the island, contributing to the variety of plant life. In the rain forest zones, hundreds of species of lush plants grow on 150 inches of annual rainfall.
 |
| Plumeria tree - sweet fragrance and velvety texture; used to make leis |
 |
| Ginger flower |
 |
| Heliconia, or lobster claw flower |
 |
| Laue'e fern - hardy ferns with raised dot texture on their graceful leaves |
 |
| Gardenia - intoxicatingly fragrant |
 |
| Elegant, all green anthurium bouquet at Four Seasons Hotel |
 |
| Red anthurium bouquet at Ritz-Carlton Hotel - heart shaped leaf with spike flower |
In "Upcountry" Maui, cooler temperatures and moderate rainfall contribute to native plants growing mostly on cloudy slopes. We stopped at Sunrise Protea Farm and enjoyed multiple varieties of protea along with other lush plants.
 |
| Protea - the tips appeared like feathers |
 |
| Protea - known as the pin cushion protea |
 |
| Protea |
In Maui's cold, dry highlands near the Haleakala volcano, only a few hardy, adaptable plants grow. Maui's coastline contains plants growing in the ocean salty spray around the beaches.
The native silverswords looked like they were made of mirror or silver. They were stunning against the reddish earth.
 |
| Silversword at Haleakala Crater |
Maui's coastline plants grow among the ocean's salt spray and on loose, sandy soils.
 |
| Coconut Tree |
 |
| Pine tree at Haleakala (possibly Ironwood Tree) |
 |
| Pine cone and dry pine needles at Haleakala |
There are other micro-climate areas such as the coastal desert and freshwater plants. Besides the climate specific species, we discovered several exotic trees.
 |
| Monkey Pods - the branches look like roots; originally from Africa |
 |
| Tree at Hookipa Lookout - name unknown |
 |
| Tree pod at Kihei |
 |
| Bread fruit tree with falling sap |
 |
| Hong Kong Orchid tree |
 |
| Noni tree - used for medicinal purposes; roots contain a yellow dye |
In case you are wondering what "Leave Only Footprints" means, it came from a hand painted sign at Wailele Farm that reminded visitors to "Please respect the land. Leave only footprints".
Stay tuned for the next in the series, covering another inspiring aspect of Maui.
