Niu

Ke'anae Congregational Church

Construction of the Ke'anae Congregational Church began in 1857 and wasn't completed until 1863. Though it took six years to build this 60 by 30 foot structure, the meticulous construction paid off: it was the only structure in Ke'anae to survive the devastating tsunami of April 1, 1946.

I've been fortunate enough to spend significant time on the Ke'anae Peninsula over the years and have attended, and even participated in, several unforgettable events at this church. The Ke'anae Congregational Church is a beautiful window into the soul of the past, yet a striking reminder of where we should be today.

Sweet Beauty

Sugar Cane, Kahului

Yours and Mine

"The sun comes shining as I was strolling

The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling

The fog was lifting, a voice came chanting

This land was made for you and me."

-Woodie Guthrie, 1958

Picture taken in Door County, Wisconsin

Nalu

Years ago I had a '67 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible. When I bought the car is was a a bunch of mismatched body panels: some were faded red, some were faded blue, and some were simply primer. Bit by bit I restored that car with the help of a good friend. When it was ready for fresh paint, I took it to the local shop and said I wanted it painted "sea foam." The guys looked at me like I was crazy. I said, "you know...the color of a wave (nalu) when it stands up and the sun comes through...that turquoise blue?"

Nothing.

I went home and grabbed an old t-shirt I had purchased from a surf shop in Santa Cruz. It was the color of the wave above, so I took it back to the shop and said, "paint it to match this t-shirt." A few days later I went to pick up the car. They had matched the t-shirt so well that when I spread it out on the hood and stepped back, it looked like the pink surf shop logo (it was the '80's) was painted directly on the hood...the actual t-shirt blended that well. Somewhere I still have my receipt for the paint job, and handwritten in the text area it says, "match car to surf shirt in front seat."

Haven't thought about that car for years...but when I took the picture of the wave above, it all came back. I believe in looking ahead and following dreams, but I also believe in hitting "replay" every once in a while. After all, capturing moments in time is the essence of photography.

Absolute

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Three things will last forever: faith, hope and love,

and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13

Night Kalo

Kalo patch, 9pm on a full moon night, Ke'anae Peninsula

Shades of Shade

Faith in the Simple Life

Waihe'e Protestant Church, founded 1828