this time two years ago...

This time two years ago I was injuring my back right before taking off to Maui.  It was such a tragic feeling.  Leaving that is on an airplane with an inflatable ring under your bum, back brace, heat pack, and strong pain killers off to paradise.  But looking back, I'm so happy I chose to let myself recover on the beach rather than the sofa at home.  And since then, Hawaii has come to mean something extra special to me.  I get the warm fuzzies just thinking about it.  I think there is a sense of connectedness to people and places along (and in Hawaii's case in) the Pacific.  That is, were are inextricably connected to our environment.  The mountains, our rugged ocean, volcanos, and the works are constantly present.  It's present in the way I talk of and conceptualize home.  And I think Hawaii is no different.  I love places like that...  Where the environment almost becomes apart of living itself.  So In honour of that memory, and this feeling, I thought I would share some of my memories of Maui.

Of course, being a self proclaimed beach boy, I love the beach.  LOVE the beach.

And to me, the ruggedness of some of Hawaii's beaches is the best part.

Snorkelling anyone?

Of course, part of my love for Hawaii stems from the fact that they can grow pretty much all of my plant lusts.  Oh to have my garden looking like this!!!

And they even have wild chickens everywhere! If I haven't yet told anyone, it's definitely a dream of mine to have a chicken coop.

Minus the tropical, this scene could be anywhere in the PNW.

I love seeing these ... screw pine?

And of course there's the pineapple wineries.

Imagine that this picture doesn't even begin to capture just how beautiful this spot is...

I want to go back!!!!!!! And this time minus back injury this time.