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 Notice the little sticker on the Stop Sign? This sticker advertises a company called Maui Rippers which website boasts, "Supplying Quality Board Shorts To Surfers, Lifeguards and Watermen Worldwide!" This website also has lots of Maui water photos, just in case any of you are curious. September Theme Day for Daily Photo Bloggers worldwide is Street Lights and Signs, and all of the bloggers below are participating in this theme. Take some time and enjoy their interpretation of the September theme. On another note, I will begin traveling soon, and I will resume posting upon my return home to Maui.On yet another note, have you ever noticed: if you do an anagram of Stop, you can make the word Post? I find this rather ironic, especially when it pertains to blogging.Seattle (WA), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Singapore, Singapore - Boston (MA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia - Mainz, Germany - Evry, France - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Nottingham, UK - Toulouse, France - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Manila, Philippines - Mumbai, India - Montpellier, France - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - Moscow, Russia - Paris, France - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Lyon, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Hyde, UK - Hong Kong, China - Joplin (MO), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Chandler (AZ), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Sydney, Australia - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - San Diego (CA), USA - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Nelson, New Zealand - Quincy (MA), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Bend (OR), USA - Wellington, New Zealand - New Orleans (LA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Detroit (MI), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Selma (AL), USA - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Arradon, France - Sheki, Azerbaijan - New York City (NY), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - North Bay (ON), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Tenerife, Spain - Auckland, New Zealand - Forks (WA), USA - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Chateaubriant, France - Madison (WI), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Ajaccio, France - Baltimore (MD), USA - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Budapest, Hungary - Lyon, France - Saarbrücken, Germany - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Le Guilvinec, France - River Falls (WI), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Naples (FL), USA - London, UK - La Antigua, Guatemala - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Paris, France - San Diego (CA), USA - Trujillo, Peru - Haninge, Sweden - Prague, Czech Republic - Oslo, Norway - Grenoble, France - Shanghai, China - Toronto (ON), Canada - Durban, South Africa - Zurich, Switzerland - Cape Town, South Africa - Singapore, Singapore - Torino, Italy - Flagstaff (AZ), USA
 This beach in South Maui is where many beginner surfers practice because the waves aren't very big. There are many surf schools which operate out of trucks nearby, and you can rent a board and get surfing lessons.
 This car was ahead of me today on S. Kihei Road, and I was amused to see an English car with a right-side steering wheel, a site I don't see very often on Maui. The surfboard on top of the car was nearly as long as the car. I don't know what kind of car it is--perhaps English bloggers will recognize it.
 My photos of the Total Lunar Eclipse were a bust. There's lots I need to learn about digital photography--as I'm sure most of you are well aware of! Nevertheless, observing the eclipse was an awesome experience, and one I'll always remember.
 Today the wind was whipping again, and so many windsurfers were windsurfing in South Maui. As you can see from the photo, the sky was rather hazy today as well. It was one of those days where any moment you think it's going to rain. The buildings in the far distance are condos in an area called Maalaea.
 When I took this photo (as I was rushing to a concert), the little dot in the center was bright red on my camera lens. And yet when I've published this photo, the dot is merely golden. I wish the published photos would look as good as they do on my camera lens.
 Yesterday I posted a photo of a moon between flagpoles. Today I'm posting a photo of a smashed beer can, an empty plastic container, and what looks to me to be a heart formed from a blob of sauce (probably once in the container) which I encountered beside my car door as I came from the health food store. Why am I posting these photos?One of my wise spiritual teachers taught me to remain aware of all that is around oneself. She said that when you're aware, you could read the future from anything--you don't need cards, runes, or to check-out animal entrails as the old witches do in the popular movie " Stardust". Everything tells a story and prompts your intuition.On the other hand, I wish people wouldn't litter! :smile:
 As a daily photoblogger, I'm constantly looking around for great photos. Yesterday was a banner day in this regard as my eye perceived beauty and opportunity everywhere. Tomorrow I will post an amazing photo from what happened when I looked down. To top off a perfect photography day, I discovered and photographed the "sign" for the September theme day as well!
 Are you bored viewing Maui sunsets? So far, after 16 years, I'm not! :Smile: I looked up Maui Sunsets in Google to see the number of links for these keywords and discovered lots of links. So I guess Maui sunsets are popular! Unfortunately, these two words have been usurped by Maui condo rentals and other business ventures for the most part.
 Placed beside my front door are two fu dogs and plants in planters. The hot winds are so strong that the plants often don't survive here, and I've had to replace them a couple of times. "Imperial guardian lions, also called Fu Lions or Foo Dogs, and called Shi (獅) in Chinese, are powerful mythic protectors that have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, temples, emperors' tombs, government offices, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), until the end of the empire in 1911. In Greater Tibet, the guardian lion is known as a Snow Lion and similar to japanese shishi. Imperial guardian lions are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, and other structures. In Myanmar they are called Chinthe and gave their name to the World War II Chindit soldiers. The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of Imperial guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of Imperial guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use therefore no longer restricted to the elite. The lions are generally present in pairs, with the male on the right and the female on the left. The male lion has his right paw on a globe, which represents his "feeling the pulse of the earth." The female is essentially identical, but has a single cub under her left paw. Symbolically, the male fu dog guards the structure, while the female protects those dwelling inside. Sometimes the male has his mouth open and the female closed. This symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om." However, Japanese adaptions state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death. Other styles have both lions with a single large pearl in each of their partially opened mouths. The pearl is carved so that it can roll about in the lion's mouth but sized just large enough so that it can never be removed." Read more here.
 Question: Why is Kuanyin posting this 'thing' on her daily photo? Answer: I find beauty in common things-- industrial things. Question: What does this 'thing' have to do with Maui? Answer: Industry is what keeps this island going. This thing serves a good purpose. Behind the scenes of every glossy, glamorous resort are 'things' which keep the whole operation moving. These common things go unappreciated, even though without them everything would fall apart. Besides, I like it's shiny gold sheen.
   These photos were taken from my car as I drove past the road construction. This new road will turn the current two-lane Mokulele Highway into a four-lane road. Everyone is eager for the road to FINALLY be finished! As you can see, progress is being made. These are photos you'll probably never find in any tourist brochure! :Smile:
 This photo was taken on the day Hurricane Flossie was supposed to pass by us on Maui, and I rather like the energy of it. The establishment featured here is co-owned by the famous actor Woody Harrelson who has a place on Maui. Have you ever tried kava? I drank LOTS of it when we traveled to Fiji many years ago because we traveled with a "son of Fiji" who was a famous performer on Maui, and thus, his return and stature were being celebrated with many a long kava ceremonial. I drank so much kava in Fiji I've never wanted to drink it again! I will say this: floating in a warm turquoise ocean in Fiji high on kava (it's legal by the way!) is one of those 'must-do' adventures to put on your list of things to do before you die. What happens is you blend into the ocean and become one with it. This incredible experience is like returning to the womb, and it's very hard to leave the nurturing ocean--you simply want to keep floating.
 Piilani Village Shopping Center is my basic, everyday shopping center where I come to gas-up, grocery shop at Safeway, and visit lots of other small shops for other needs. There are several restaurants I like here also--Roy's and Outback Steak House. There are shopping centers closer to my home, but this shopping center is the biggest one in South Maui.
 This car is parked alongside the curving road to Hana, and it belongs to a woman that sells jewelry and gifts along this notorious, winding road. (One of the common things tourists buy is a t-shirt which says I Survived The Road To Hana). She is a die-hard Elvis fan, and this car attracts a lot of attention!! I might have posted this photo before, and it comes from my archives, but today is the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, so I'm posting again.
 Even though Hurricane Flossie has been downgraded to a Category 1, the breezes are strong today! Maui is always a windy island, but today the breezes are keeping the Hawaiian and American flags flying straight! Mahalo Nui Loa to those DPB's who left comments of concern.
 This is last night's sunset photo from my window. It probably will change tomorrow as Hurricane Flossie is headed towards the Hawaiian Islands. If you don't see me posting any photos for awhile, the letter from our computer tech may offer you an explanation---something screwed up, or I didn't follow his instructions very well! Gulp! "Aloha, Please take extra care in case of emergency due to the impending hurricane. Immediately, you should make sure to backup critical data. If possible, backup to CD, DVD or external device (hard drive or flash memory) and store the backup safely away from the original data source. If it looks like the wind and rain are going to severely affect Maui, I recommend you shut down and turn off all computers, servers, printers, dsl or cable modems, routers/firewalls, etc. Then unplug these devices from the wall. Most of you are probably connected to battery backup or surge protection, best to also turn those off and unplug from the wall. If you only unplug the battery backup it will being running off the battery. You need to manually turn off the battery backup. In a pinch, you can turn on the battery backup and charge up a cell phone. Most importantly, stay safe and hope mother nature is kind to us."
 The vivid, bright colors of Hawaii never fail to blow me away with their beauty. This photograph is beautiful enough to paint, don't you think? Come on over to another of my blogs, Who's Yo Mama?, where I recently posted a new blog contest. I'm doing a little pre-celebrating over there as this grand dame SENIOR citizen blog will hit her 400th post very soon. Elvis is helping me out. Wailea Daily Photo isn't far behind her, even though she's a young un by comparison of years.
   ...and so little time to enjoy all the beauty and creativity that went into them! Many of these books will end up on remainder bins in some bookstore somewhere. This is what happens to a great many books, and you can then purchase them for ridiculously low prices. Many years ago my partner in our publishing company and I flew to the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany. It is the world's largest trade fair for books. Walking through the vast, multi-leveled, enormous football-field-sized rooms with book publishers hawking their wares was an experience I'll never forget. Even weirder was seeing the television star Mr. T standing in the aisle handing out comic books in which he was one of the heroes. Mr. T didn't look as big as he did on tv, so I wasn't impressed, but the immensity of books published every year throughout the world staggered me.
 It's 100 degrees in the shade today on Maui, and since I naturally generate a lot of heat, I'm so grateful for air conditioning! Here's a soothing, cooling photo as an antidote for this hot day.
 These two children raced from the ocean and found the perfect beach chairs by the ocean to take a sunbath. Wouldn't you like to be this wet, dirty, joyous, and free on a hot summer day?
 Yesterday I saw that Kate of Visual St. Paul had posted a photo of a VW bug with plumeria flowers painted on the side and back of it, and I was amused. I think more than almost any other flower, plumeria flowers are associated by others with Hawaii. For those of us that live here, we tend to take them for granted as they are everywhere. I took this photo of a plumeria tree outside our local movie theater.
 An artist friend dropped by today with this painting as a gift for me. Its very whimsical and unusual--and I love it. Artists of all stripes are drawn to Maui, and there's a large art market with many galleries here.
 One side of our home faces Haleakala, and one faces West with panoramic ocean/sky views. Every dusk we are treated to a variety of magnificent sunset displays. This is the one from last evening.
 For those of you who are golfers, you know how important the golf driving range is for practice and for warming-up prior to a game.
 There's a lot of talk about GMO's on Maui and whether it's impacting our papayas. Whaddya think? Is this papaya a mutation or just big and fat?
 Bamboo is also one of my favorites, and like the palm trees I featured yesterday, I photograph bamboo a lot. Bamboo groves and forests are very peaceful and have such great vibrations--wonderful places to meditate too. Check out these great companies which promote, educate, and sell this wonderful plant on Maui:Bamboo MauiBamboo LivingWhispering Winds
 Palm trees are one of my favorite subjects to photograph, and through the years, I've taken LOTS of photos of them. Long before I dreamed of making Maui my home, I was told by a psychic that I would be moving faraway to the land of the "tall trees" and that I would love these trees. I didn't understand what she was talking about then, but now I do! Here's the website of an artist who paints these beautiful palm trees.
 Yes, even Maui folk celebrate Swiss Independence Day. We attended the celebration last evening at the restaurant Bridget and Bernard in Kahului.
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