Hau'oli La Helewi!

Happy Halloween!

Tomorrow you may dress up as a surfer or a hula dancer for Halloween, but in Lahaina on the island of Maui, they take their Halloween celebrations and costumes seriously!

If you’re interested in reading more about Lahaina’s celebration or seeing some of the crazy costumes, click on this link.

http://www.lahainahalloween.com/

What are you going to be doing tomorrow night? Are you taking kids to a Harvest Party, celebrating with family, trick-or-treating, or maybe you’re staying home and handing out candy. We always took our kids to our church Harvest Party and visited family and friends—lots of fun memories.

This year I'm hoping my grandson will be coming by for a visit. Last year he dressed as a minion. Hmm . . . I wonder what he'll be this year.

Cute Little Ewan The Minion!

Happy Halloween!

Aloha, and Mahalo for visiting!

--Cheryl

The Hawaiian Island Detective Club

Book One—Pineapples in Peril

Available NOW!

Book Two—Menehunes Missing

Available NOW!

Book Three—Ukuleles Undercover

Available NOW!

www.cheryllinnmartin.com

cheryllinnmartin@yahoo.com

Ahh . . . A Kid's Life! (Part 3)

My niece, Nicole, grew up on the Big Island and is going to share a little about her life as a kid in Hawaii. This is Part Three of my interview with Nicole.

Aloha, Nicole! Mahalo for sharing with Life in Flip-Flops readers!

Share with us a favorite memory as a kid.

At a young age I remember going to Mauna Kea Beach. It’s been on the travel channel as one of the top beaches to visit. It’s more like a bay, with calm waters for swimming. I loved playing in the sand and water with my dad. He used to pile sand together in mounds and then formed letters to spell out my name. Took him a long time, but it was very cool.

A favorite “hang-out”?

In high school we would go to Waipio Valley. You have to drive a four-wheel vehicle to get down the roads into the valley. Once you get there, you see fields of Taro which is used to make poi. There’s a black sand beach where wild horses run free. At night my friends would play ukuleles. We’d sing and talk story for hours. 

Did you and your friends ever get into mischief? If so, tell us a story.

The end of the street where I lived backed into a huge pasture. Even though I wasn’t supposed to, I’d hike into the area with friends. Sometimes we’d swim in the ponds (which probably had lots of bacteria and bad stuff.) I remember racing home and throwing my wet clothes into the washer before my parents came home.

One time on one of our hikes we came across a cow. Maybe we were too close to its baby or something, but it charged us. We ran and climbed over a barbed-wire fence to get away. We were all cut up, but that was better than getting trampled by an angry cow!

What do you really love about Hawaii, especially the Big Island?

I love that The Big Island is the only one where you can be in the snow. My home backed up to Mauna Kea, and I remember seeing the beautiful white covering the mountain. I was about twelve or thirteen when I first got to be in the snow, as you have to weigh at least one-hundred pounds to go up the mountain because the air is thin at that altitude, and kids could possibly pass out.

It’s so cool how you can be in the snow, and then in less than an hour later be at a sunny, warm beach! The Big Island is the only place you can do that.

Anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

In Hawaii, May Day is Lei Day. Every year it’s a huge state-wide celebration involving every school-aged child on the islands, and I loved it!

Thanks, Nicole, for sharing your fun memories with all of us!

Aloha, and Mahalo for visiting!

--Cheryl

The Hawaiian Island Detective Club

Book One—Pineapples in Peril

Available NOW!

Book Two—Menehunes Missing

Available NOW!

Book Three—Ukuleles Undercover

Available NOW!

www.cheryllinnmartin.com

cheryllinnmartin@yahoo.com

Ahh . . A Kid's Life! (Part 2)

This is part two of my interview with my niece, Nicole, who grew up on the Big Island.

Aloha, Nicole! Mahalo for sharing with Life in Flip-Flops readers!

What is your favorite part of Hawaiian culture?

The sense of “family.” Younger kids always call adults “Auntie” or “Uncle” whether they know them or not! Growing up I remember spending lots of time with my entire extended family.

Also, people are so kind to one another—always willing to help and always saying “thank you” when you help them. Even with the simple things like holding a door open for someone. I actually get frustrated on the mainland when you are helpful or courteous to people and they just ignore the gesture. Many times there’s no “thank you” or any acknowledgement.

What are your favorite Hawaiian foods to cook?

Portuguese bean soup. It takes forever to make, but it is soooooo good!

What recipes would you like to share with my readers in two weeks on the Monday and Thursday blog posts?

I’ll share the recipe for Portugese bean soup. Also, bibingka, a Filipino dessert, and kalua pig. Of course the pork will be cooked in the oven, as I doubt anyone wants to dig up their yard to make an imu!

What other things did you do with your friends?

We did lots of outdoor activities. About five of us used to ride our bikes down the street in a long line like we were a biker gang or something. We also roller-bladed a lot. Birthday parties are a big thing in Hawaii and I remember many celebrations at the beach.

In high school my friends and I spent nearly every weekend at the beach—tanning, swimming, and walking. I always had a very dark tan. Now when I go home my family and friends comment how pale I am!

(Cheryl’s comment: Nicole is NOT pale by Pacific Northwest standards!)

Mahalo, Nicole!

I’d sure love to spend that much time on a sunny beach with warm water. Wouldn’t you? 

Aloha, and Mahalo for visiting!

--Cheryl

The Hawaiian Island Detective Club

Book One—Pineapples in Peril

Available NOW!

Book Two—Menehunes Missing

Available NOW!

Book Three—Ukuleles Undercover

Available NOW!

www.cheryllinnmartin.com

cheryllinnmartin@yahoo.com

Ahh . . . A Kid's Life (Part 1)

My three main characters in The Hawaiian Island Detective Club are thirteen years old. They’ve grown up in a small town surrounded by pineapple and sugarcane fields, beaches, tropical vegetation, and amazing surfing waves. Ever wonder what it would be like growing up in Hawaii?

My niece, Nicole, grew up on the Big Island and is going to share a little about her life as a kid in Hawaii. This is a three-part series and was first posted four years ago--time to share Nicole's wonderful experiences again for all my newer blog readers!

Aloha, Nicole! Mahalo for sharing!

When you were a kid, what was your favorite thing to do?

All of our family, including cousins, aunties, and uncles gathered at Nana’s house, my Filipino grandmother. She’d cook traditional foods from the Philippines on a Friday or Saturday night and after we’d eaten, we would sing Karaoke and talk story until late at night. I loved it!

   

What was your favorite food?

Marunguay. It’s a Filipino dish made from mongo beans. The texture of the dish is similar to refried beans. They are cooked with the oval shaped marunguay leaves and served with rice. Unfortunately, I’ve never found marunguay leaves here in Oregon.

Favorite Hawaiian food?

My own concoction of poi mixed with lomi salmon. I also love kulolo which is made with poi and coconut milk. It’s rich and creamy. I love guava cake, too.

Favorite Shave Ice flavor?

Strawberry with li-hing mui powder on top. The powder is made from grinding up tiny salty, sweet and sour red plums. It looks like paprika. In the center I like the soft serve with azuki beans which is a red bean. I know it sounds strange, but it’s good and I love it.

Did you learn the hula or go surfing, and at what age?

I learned the hula at around age eight and continued to dance for about seven years. I don’t recall my halau (dance group) having a specific name, but usually they do. Most of my friends danced too, no matter their ethnic or cultural background. I remember once during the spring Cherry Blossom Festival dancing on top of a huge float in the parade.

One year there was a big competition scheduled in Hilo, but right before the event, I sprained my ankle and couldn’t compete.

At an event in Kona we danced a traditional hula, which meant we did it with bare feet. Kona is in a very hot part of the island, so the sun beat down, heating the rocks we danced on. I remember how hot they were and later discovered blisters on my feet!

As far as surfing, I’ve had only one experience in high school with a friend on a longboard. They are supposed to be easier, but I never could stand up. And, of course, every time you fall, it’s water in your nose! Anyway, it was a horrible experience, so that ended my surfing career.

Mahalo, Nicole!

Aloha, and Mahalo for visiting!

--Cheryl

The Hawaiian Island Detective Club

Book One—Pineapples in Peril

Available NOW!

Book Two—Menehunes Missing

Available NOW!

Book Three—Ukuleles Undercover

Available NOW!

www.cheryllinnmartin.com

cheryllinnmartin@yahoo.com

Is It Magma or Lava??

When geologists group volcanoes, it’s usually into four main kinds.

The Hawaiian islands are made up of Shield Volcanoes. A shield volcano is a broad, domed volcano with gently sloping sides that is built up by successive outpourings of very fluid lava.

Last week I posted about the Kilauea eruption on the Big Island. I thought this week you might like to learn a little about volcanoes.

You may hear a variety of terms used when people talk about volcanoes. What’s the difference between the terms? Here are a few definitions that may help you.

Caldera—The large basin-shaped depression formed when the roof of the magma chamber collapses because massive amounts of magma have erupted. Some are formed when a huge explosion removes the upper part of the volcano.

Crater—A depression around the orifice of a volcano.

Magma—Molten rock within the earth’s crust that is capable of extrusion onto the surface.

Lava—Molten rock that has extruded onto the surface.

Lava Tube—A tunnel formed under a lava flow.

Pahoehoe—As the lava flows along the tube, a top crust will form. As the lava flows underneath, the top begins to wrinkle. This is pahoehoe.

Aa—Sometimes the pahoehoe will shift as it cools and loses gas, forming sharp edges and spiny projections.

If you would like to see some photos of Pahoehoe and Aa flows, or would like to read more about the Hawaiian volcanoes, here is a site to visit.

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/hawaii.htm

Aloha, and Mahalo for visiting!

--Cheryl

The Hawaiian Island Detective Club

Book One—Pineapples in Peril

Available NOW!

Book Two—Menehunes Missing

Available NOW!

Book Three—Ukuleles Undercover

Available NOW!

www.cheryllinnmartin.com

cheryllinnmartin@yahoo.com