X is for X-COUNTRY SKIING #AtoZChallenge

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.



X is for X-Country Skiing

Skiing is far more fun than writing business letters or editing incident reports. When I took up writing novels full time, finding the fun in writing extended to X-Country skiing to keep my muscles from atrophying over the computer keys. Of course, this activity continued for only as long as I stayed in Wisconsin. When I moved, my skiis stayed back, along with thermo-insulated jackets and underwear, padded gloves, ski caps, thick socks, and snowmobile pants. 

Finding snow on Hawaiian soil is a bit more of a challenge. I've seen it on mountaintops. But my favorite "snow" these days is Hawaii's much better version of snow cones: Shave Ice!

 

Passion Fruit Shave Ice

As you can see, this was taken during one of my "Flat Stanley" projects!

 

 

 

For those who would like to see photographs of real snow in the Islands: 

Snow in Hawaii courtesy of Google



 

U is for 'UKULELES AND UNIQUE FLOWERS

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.



U is for 'Ukuleles and Unique Flowers

Several days ago, a friend and I drove up to Haleiwa along the

North Shore of O'ahu. She spotted a sign that fit perfectly with my post for today so we stopped to get a photograph! The sun was hot, the waves at Haleiwa Beach Park were high, and the shave ice with vanilla ice cream and azuki beans from Matsumoto Shave Ice was ono! Along with ukulele music and unique flowers, they are all good reasons to stay living in Hawaii, or at least to come for a visit.

My first introduction to the 'ukulele was through Arthur Godfrey strumming a tune on his radio show. He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum in 2001. "It is likely that no other single person has been directly responsible for the sale of as many ukuleles as Arthur Godfrey."

 

When Mr. Godfrey visited Hawaii in 1959, he piloted a plane from Honolulu to Lihu'e Airport on Kaua'i. He was accompanied by the Ambassador of Aloha, Duke Kahanamoku, Duke's wife, Nadine, and Hawaiian singer Haleloke Kahauolopua.

 

Haleloke performed on his television show several times in the 1950s. On the show, she sang and danced while he strummed his 'ukulele.

One version of how 'Ukulele got its name

'Uku is the Hawaiian word for flea; lele is the Hawaiian word for fly, jump or leap. Seeing  a musician's fingers fly or jump over the strings of a musical instrument reminded the local people of a flea leaping around. (Now it makes sense where the ukulele string-tuning words originated: my dog has fleas).

 

What could be more Hawaiian than ukuleles and unique flowers?

 

After a recent board meeting, I walked past an area that always brings me to a stop so I can photograph the colorful, fresh-blooming hibiscus offerings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On ukulele:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
by
Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

 

 

 

I is for ICE, Shave Ice and Mochi Ice Cream

PUPUS, Hawaiian snacks similar to hors d’oeuvers, tapas, and canapés,

make up the third segment of my A-to-Z Challenge theme. 

Ice may not sound like a delicious snack food, but in Hawaii Shave Ice is King. This treat differs from the mainland snow cone because the ice is shaved from a block of frozen water rather than crushed. The sno-like texture of the shaved ice absorbs the syrup so you can eat it with a spoon, not just sip it through a straw.

 

My visitor from Minnesota, Flat Mary (of Flat Stanley fame),

enjoying a Passion Fruit Shave Ice

after our hike up - and down again - Diamond Head in Honolulu 

 

Shave Ice comes in multiple flavors, including the more local kine like pineapple, coconut, guava, lychee, mango, li hing mui, and passion fruit. My favorite Shave Ice is served with sweet azuki bean paste at the bottom and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Eh, brah, dis Ono*!

*See the letter ‘O’ for definition of Ono. 

Mochi Ice Cream is the other ‘Ice’ that tops my list of favorite dessert pupus. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake. It is very chewy and sweet. Mochi Ice Cream is fruity ice cream wrapped in mochi and dusted with a white powdery substance. 

 

The verdict is still out on whether Flat Mary likes Shave Ice or Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream better.

 

There are lots of steps to making mochi ice cream, easier if you buy it ready-made. It is popular in Asia, Hawaii, and the West Coast of the United States. 

Why not plan your next vacation accordingly?