Ram Dass, new friends, Saturday markets, and kids on Maui

When I heard that Ram Dass was going to speak at a Sunday afternoon spiritual get-together where a buffet of Indian food was part of the deal (suggested $20.00 donation), I knew I had to go. Ram Dass, in the center, has had a stroke but was still able to tell us about his life and meeting Timothy Leary. I'd forgotten that he was a friend of Mr. Leary. Years ago I met Timothy Leary in Los Angeles when I took a workshop he was giving. Later, a writer friend hired me to take his photograph for an article she'd written about him and I had to go to his home for the shoot. Below are some photos I shot Sunday. A funny story, I had no way to get home except the bus, but it was over an hour wait so I decided to hitch hike to Makawao. Three cars passed me and I was losing my nerve when a fourth vehicle pulled over. Kathryn turned out to be a Waldorf teacher - I only seem to meet Waldorf teachers here, it's so weird. She ended up taking me all the way home and met Deborah (a Waldorf teacher) for the first time. Small world but they hadn't met until now. Another coincidence is that Kathryn recommended Deb's pre-school to a friend with a three year old and that friend just called as I was typing this.







I haven't had time to be creative but I used a bit of left over, junk wood to make another "Facebook", this time using Lobo, my dog friend here, as my model.

Maha had her birthday on the 22nd so I made her a special manifestation necklace. I spent the day at a beach looking for a special piece of coral. When I found the piece that looked exactly like a heart I knew I'd gotten what I needed. I added crystal beads to make it a one of a kind necklace. Below, Maha had some of her friends over for a birthday party where we ate good food.



Every Saturday we go to the Saturday market where we can get organic produce. They sell giant avocados and grapefruit, macadamia nuts, strange looking flowers and lots of things I don't recognize.








A day at the beach in Paia.

I met Adele, below, while we were waiting for the bus. When I saw her violin case I asked her if she would play for me - and she did. A wonderful way to say goodbye to the beach. We sat beside each other on the way to the next stop, which was the airport. Adele had come to Maui to play for an event, then had stayed on with friends. She owns a home on the big island of Hawaii, about 12 miles away from the lava flows. We discovered that we both had been system analysts in Southern California. So many coincidences. One of the best things about traveling is the instant friendships that materialize along the way. She got off at the airport to fly back to the big island, while I waited for the next bus to take me home.

More shots of the kids. I spend four days a week with them so it's hard not to photograph them. From time to time they insist on climbing a small tree in the back yard. I decided to teach them how to climb safely and hold on. They are surprisingly strong. Below are some pictures of my "Monkeys".





My contribution artistically is a pair of "outdoor" horses the kids can ride, below. They've been road tested by some of them all ready.




More photos of the kids using the magnifying lens they play with.




While waiting in the car for Deb I was able to shoot a self portrait using the vanity mirror on the sun shield.

Beautiful sunsets guaranteed almost every night.

German Television in Maui

When Deb picked the carrot she asked me to photograph it and I asked Skye to pretend to eat it. Later on we found it gnawed halfway down and Deb eventually cut the rest of it up for a soup she was making. Above and below are a few shots of the kids.





Lorenzo is a future Latin lover - a really sweet lovable cutie-pie.


Dalia, below, spoke no English her first week at school and now is becoming fluent, asking me things like, "What are you doing?"


One day the kids were playing with a magnifying lens and I took their portraits with it.




We had some excitement at the pre-school yesterday. Dalia's mom, Daniela, is from Germany and a friend of hers kept telling her she should get on the hit reality show called Goodbye Deutschland. They had been planning to go to Maui to stay with friends and one sleepless night she went on the computer to check out the web site of the show and saw an ad to get people on the show. It was 4:30 in the morning, but for the heck of it she sent them some pictures of her family, then went back to bed. The next morning the phone rang at 8:30 - it was the Goodbye Deutschland people. It didn't hurt that she's an ex model and very beautiful. The show sends people out to visit every month or so and this time they wanted to shoot Dalia at her pre-school. I decided to document the German camera crew's visit.
















One day I decided to try out the bus system on Maui. For $2 you can get an all day pass, something only the locals know about. I ended up at a tourist area, Lahaina, where this amazing Banyan tree and lots of its attached babies are growing.






The view of Haleakala from Deb's back deck.

Aloha from Hawaii

Above, Deborah, shortly after she picked me up from the airport.

I shot this photo the day we decided to go to the top of Haelakala, the big volcano on Maui. We went up with Deb's friend Maha to have a manifestation ceremony on the new moon. I made Maha stop as soon as we got above the clouds.

At the very top the crater was spectacular, like standing on the moon.







Below, Deb with her new acquaintance, Baby.

Below, Iao's Needle and surrounding park.









Below are a few of the photo's I shot of Deb's pre-school. Deb is a Waldorf teacher, based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Whenever she wants the kids to do things (clean up, wash your hands for lunch, etc.) she sings "clean up, clean up" or "wash hands wash hands" and they jump to do what she wants. No plastic toys are allowed, only things that are made of natural substances. At snack time she feeds them brown rice or millet or fruit and the kids love it. She only speaks to them is a soft, calm voice and they really respond to it. I've learned a lot from watching her.

























Below, the kids love the organic garden because they're allowed to eat the strawberries, carrots and beans whenever they want.











Last, but not least, a sunset from Deb's yard.