PCC Mission Statement

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a unique treasure created to share with the world the culture, diversity and spirit of the nations of Polynesia.
In accomplishing this we will:

• Preserve and portray the cultures, arts and crafts of Polynesia.
• Contribute to the educational development and growth of all people at Brigham Young University-Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
• Demonstrate and radiate a spirit of love and service which will contribute to the betterment,uplifting and blessing of all who visit this special place.

It has been and interesting 10 months learning and growing in this part of the world. There are so many memories I want to keep alive. It has been a great experience and I wish everyone I know could be a part of it.

We have been to many parties, devotionals and FHE this past few weeks it is hard for be to keep them separated but I will share a few experiences.

FIJI Devotional:

Jarrod Hester in back of the speaker is VP over financial services and we were at dinner with him the night before.
Alma, the speaker was in my YSA ward.  

Food and Beverage Devotional

And then there was Halloween

It was like monster city USA. We had over 800 pieces of candy and it was gone in less than an hour so we spent the rest of the night walking around Laie and being amazed at the thousands of people. We met one lady sitting by the side of the rode handing out candy and she said she was from another town and never got trick or treaters so she came here to pass out candy.

What is Halloween without Minnie and the Green Bay Packers:

Ghosts and Goblins:

Baby Moana  who is my bishop's granddaughter. She would be only second to my great granddaughter, Addie cakes.

Birthdays:

        MIsi's belated birthday party at Aloha BBQ Lunch

       Pua had a birthday, also and Elder G had one on Halloween but didn't want pictures.

Riding around Laie

Polly Beach and I like to go riding sometimes and find ourselves in unusual places. Today we decided that we had ventured into a not so friendly part of Laie.

I promise I did not touch his coconut tree.

Next:Glad I didn't see the owner! Last of all:No I did not enter! Was I tempted? Well, yeh I was but Polly wouldn't let me. 

I didn't have any pictures of the Island Buffet so I attached a couple. I think this is one of the most beautiful places in the world to eat. The murals go all the way around the building and the light fixtures are very unique. I enjoy taking tickets here.

Breakfast with Polly and Raeola in Haliewa. I would return here.

More flowers or a tree or a bush. I couldn't decide but it was unique:

And finally another sunset but this one is riding the surf.

AMEN for this week!

Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!

A really sad thing happened at our "ohana" earlier this morning. I was up early getting ready for church. I get to go at 8:00 am, now. It is so much better than 2:00 pm. I heard all this commotion and racket out in the front yard. Then a hen started clucking with a mournful cluck. Yes! Mournful! You just have to imagine it. It was awful and she just wouldn't stop. Then the other hens started. It was like they were being warned against danger. I went to the front door in time to see a mongoose dash across the blacktop to the side of the house and the hen had flown to the roof and was making the most awful racket. I went outside to try to calm her down and realized it was the hen I had seen outside the house on Thursday prancing around like a queen hen with her 7 little chicks. By this time a couple of the neighbors came out just as the mongoose took off in another direction. I guess the mongoose had killed a few of her chicks and the rest had scattered every which way. She kept up the mournful clucking for at least an hour. I think she finally rounded up a couple of her chicks but this afternoon she was back in the frontward mourning again. It was just a sad thing. I didn't know hens could have mournful clucks and for sooooo long. I know some of you may be laughing at this but it really was awful to listen to. Enough said. I don't like that mongoose.

Had another interesting p-day, yesterday. I decided to just take off in the car and go to wherever it took me. I went to the southeast this time. It was kind of a blah day. Everyone was busy doing things and I didn't want to stay home. We were have a taco feast later in the day so I knew I had to be back for that. Off I went. Just the little explorer.
It has been windy for the past few days so I parked and watched the ocean. She was very tumultuous. She was really washing up and down the shores and over the rocks. She was very angry at something.  I love watching the waves crash against the banks.
                                                                                     Next, I ended up at a park by Kaneohe. I found and ancient fishing pond. A gentleman that I was talking to said it has been there for about 800 years. When the tide is high the sea water and lots of fish get caught in it. Then they can't get out and it is a great fish pond and wolah they have dinner. It is also fed by the streams from the mountains so it is also a fresh water pond. A sign said not to walk on the wall and I looked over and there was a group of about 20 people walking on the wall. It was a tour group. Go figure. Anyway here is a picture.  Next, I ended up at a park by Kaneohe. I found and ancient fishing pond. A gentleman that I was talking to said it has been there for about 800 years. When the tide is high the sea water and lots of fish get caught in it. Then they can't get out and it is a great fish pond and wolah they have dinner. It is also fed by the streams from the mountains so it is also a fresh water pond. A sign said not to walk on the wall and I looked over and there was a group of about 20 people walking on the wall. It was a tour group. Go figure. Anyway here is a picture.  

I spent the next little while driving around and taking in the ocean views. It always takes my breath away when I think of being on this little island and just surrounded by all this water and beauty. The island is not really very big.
Then I was hungry and tried to decide where to eat. Next stop Burger King. My favorite hamburger stop and I've only had one in 10 months. I figured I deserved it. While at Burger King I saw a sign that said:

Off I went to explore the Botanical Gardens. I thought it would be just a small area to walk around. It was acres and acres of beautiful trees, flowers to drive through and then when I went for a walk I found a beautiful lake. The grounds were all groomed and beautiful. I don't know how I ever missed this.

The Garden of Eden

This is my rendition of "Fall in Hawaii"

Flowers and more flowers, trees and pods abound!

   

  

This one was very unusual. It looks like a fish hanging from it's tail.

This one was different, also. Looks fuzzy wuzzy to me.

Water falls of flowers    And a few more 

Must be fall and other flowering trees are producing pods and fruits:

  

This one has the chicken pox or small pox or just the pox!

And 1 bird video:

Utah Is Paradise, too!

What a great conference we experienced this weekend. I always hate to see it end but end it does and then we have to go back to the real world where it is hard to try to always be better. Then it was sad to hear that Bro Hales died. Another passing. I feel in our community we have had too much of that this past month. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones. It is hard to lose a loved one even when we know that they are in much better hands. Whoa, where did all that come from?  Anyway I have six months to digest all the talks that were given.

This is what I miss about our beautiful state of UT. Angie sent some pictures from Sep 22 and today Oct 1. It makes me miss home a lot. We have many places in UT that are just like paradise and here are a few of them. The only thing that is hard is all the cold but after such a hot summer maybe you can enjoy the cooler weather. 

I don't know about that because I always seemed to be cold in UT and know the only place that is cold is BYU-H buildings in which you freeze your bottom off most times just walking through them.

Logan Canyon today Oct 1, 2017. If that doesn't take your breath away nothing will. 2016 fall was not even close to this pretty. It seemed like the leaves all fell in one day without any color.

Angie said that this was taken at first dam. The colors are stunning and then I don't know about that white stuff on top of the mountain?

Back to the other paradise. The parties and the fun continues on our P-days. Most times after a week filled with work and other things going on that it is hard to keep going all weekend, also.

About the middle of Sep a couple of sisters were leaving so it was time for another get together. This time we decided on one of the shrimp trucks on the North Shore so off we headed for Kahuku to have an outing. We ended up at one of the most famous trucks, Giovanni's. Don't forget your sharpie so that you can add your name to all the others.

The best garlic shrimp on the island.

 Me and my two favorite "hale sisters" Judy and Raeola. We are the "three muskenaries"

Visitors always welcome!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Toni and Verda took a cruise to Hawaii and at the end of their cruise they ended up on Oahu and came to the PCC for a quick visit. Got to spend part of an afternoon at the PCC with them. It felt good to see someone from home.

I took a trick out of Angie's book after conference on Saturday. It was over at noon for us so off we went for a ride around the island. Which way to go? Angie would go with her girls on a ride and toss a quarter. Then the would go right (heads) left (tails). Well it was left for us and the adventure started.
First stop the Kahuku library. (Closed) Second stop. The wildlife refuge. (Closed) The birds were nesting. Third stop. Around by Turtle Bay, (No trespassing!) Fourth stop. Turtle Bay. While there we took a walk on the beach. It was a beautiful beach. We stopped at the stables and contemplated riding a horse. NOT FOR ME, anymore.
Next, Lei, Lei's for food. Very good! Next on to the banyon tree. Had heard one day they were filming Hawaii Five'O by the banyon tree so I thought it would be fun to see what it looked like. It was not easy to find but we did. It was right next to secret beach. As we were coming out we met six missionaries. How secret it that?

Secret Beach

 




     The Banyon Tree       

And to end this blog: A few more flowers---------