Hummingbird nest

The Kindle

I had not intended to add a post right about now, but I simply have to get that luscious chocolate cake with the inch thick frosting off the top of the blog. So, I figured I'd show off my almost new kindle, Amazon's new ebook.

I ordered the kindle in February, as soon as I made plans to go to France in April. I took one look at my suitcase, and another at the pile of books I wanted to take along. That would have been fine, but I wanted to take at least one change of clothes for the three-week trip. So, after checking out a friend's kindle, I took the plunge. Of course, the famed two day shipping immediately stopped, and no kindles at all shipped for the next six weeks. During that time I busied myself learning all I could about how it worked, what people liked and didn't, and what books I might get on it before I left.

I also looked at the many sites offering free ebooks, and located some I wanted to have, like Jane Austen and the Wizard of Oz books - including illustrations.

Ultimately it arrived. Unlike some folks, I did not give mine a name, nor did I dress it up with sequins and feathers. I did apply some Velcro to make sure it stuck to its cover, and some felt padding to make sure it didn't bash its cursor wheel.

I took advantage of the special kindle feature of sampling books I was interested in for free before buying. Then I fired up the "whispernet" feature (cell technology connecting the kindle to amazon online), and purchased about a dozen books. As advertised, the books downloaded directly to the kindle in about 15 seconds each. At that rate, even though the top price was a heavily discounted $9.99, you could get into serious financial trouble in less than 10 minutes.

For the trip, it was a lifesaver. Read a book on the plane (the new Alice Waters biography), and a half dozen while in France (including Steve Martin's memoir). While there, I took the list of recommended French reading from my language classes, and discovered a substantial number in ebook form, and free. What's not to like?

Once back to Maui, I realized that I no longer had to wait a year for a hardback to become paperback before I could read it. In fact, I could read books the day they were released -- and for no more than $9.99. And having read a few books on the kindle, I also realized that it is easier to read than a book, and much more convenient. I was concerned that the tiny lag to change pages would slow me down, but it is plenty fast. I can also change the size of the font with two clicks, so there is more text on the page if I choose. And I can make notes, highlight text or dog-ear a page -- all without damaging my book!

There are a couple of disadvantages. It is pricey. And I can't give copies of books to my friends when I'm done. But so far the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Amazon offers free books from time-to-time, and recently TOR publishers offered about 20 of their sci-fi ebooks for free. And even when they cost money, it is not as much as a paperback.

So -- I have met the future and it's sitting on my bedside table. There are folks who say that they want the physical book in front of them, the smell and feel of the paper. Those folks have not tried the kindle. I thought I would use it only for travel, but I now can't imagine cluttering up my life with books -- I have to discipline myself to read three "real" books for every kindle book just so I can get through the inventory of unread books in the house. I'm looking forward to emptying the shelves! I'm sure there must be some who have tried it and have issues, but I really enjoy mine, far more than I thought I would.

I have met the future -- and it is sitting on my bedside table, containing about 70 books in 10.3 ounces!

Margie's Birthday!

We lead up to the big day with a walk along San Jose's Guadalupe River, a lunch (Bastille Day) at Santana Row, and seeing Wall-e, the first time I was deemed a senior by the powers that be (I would have preferred to pay full price, actually). On the big day, Margie, Tom, and friends Jo and George, on the 15th, the birthday that both Marge and Jo share. We had a swell lunch together, followed by a fabulously delicious chocolate cake, with raspberry filling and chocolate buttercream frosting (Safeway! Who knew?!) shared by all... And then toasting through the evening with champagne from Jo and George.

Baby Bananas

Did you ever wonder where bananas come from? Banana trees! And banana flowers! Here is a flower showing just the beginning spikes of bananas, the small, brilliant green spikes emerging from the deep maroon flower. It will take at least 6 months for them to mature into about 80 pounds of bananas. Then the mother tree is cut down, and a sprout at the base of the mother tree begins to grow. The bananas themselves will not completely mature and turn yellow until they are cut from the tree, and then -- all at once! Banana heaven!

Fruit from the garden

Giant papaya, mangoes, limes....

The daily sunset.....

Another day, another blossom

Before, and after....the bud, and the flower. Ginger, and the scent is lovely....

The Gardens

The Artist's Studio

In the Clouds

Today we went Upcountry -- up the Haleakala Crater Road -- for an event at the home and studio of George Allen, probably Maui's best painter. Very Maui. A Makawao art gallery is sponsoring a week of events around July 4 involving painters who wish to "compete" by painting in a variety of venues, ending in a show and sale next week. Today's location was the gardens of the Allen home. We have always admired his work, and lusted after his fabulous oils, but we've only acquired two prints, and those some years ago. If we were to win the lottery....we'd probably start at his studio and see how much we had left afterwards.

So we made our way up the hill after dropping a friend off at the airport, and noted that the whole area was engulfed in clouds, not that unusual, but surely a disappointment for the painters. When we got there we found a number of folks still painting away, and others inside sipping coffee and eating mango bread with homemade lemon marmalade. Everyone sort of shifted around, especially during a brief downpour, and we had a chance to explore the lovely gardens as well as chat with the artists.