White Sangria

Here's a little Holiday Spirit Dawn made for a recent party we had and it was a hit. I have never heard of "White Sangria" before until someone mentioned the idea of it to me on a recent trip I was on.

Well, I brought home the idea and told Dawn. We decided to try and put something together so Dawn went to the store and gathered ingredients, based on what was in season this time of year. She and I put it together and I began playing with various combinations until I thought I had what would work.

As I mentioned, we served it at a recent party and, yes, it was a hit! So, here it is for all to share and maybe try for yourself during this Holiday season. We have added it to the cookbook in progress, but may alter it a bit in the future, when different 'white' fruits are in season.

Here's the recipe:

Mahalo for cooking with Captain Bobby Mitchel

Hanging With The Honu While The Humpbacks Serenade

Oh, the love of diving...slowly sinking beneath the surface to another world below.

I began as a young boy in 1972 at the young age of 11 and was immediately addicted to SCUBA diving, although I missed out on many years of it, traversing the world on other adventures and finding myself.

From a kid, lying on the bottom of our swimming pool in Hawaii Kai as did Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, escaping the world above, to 'being with' the beautiful creatures of our undersea world as I watched Jacques Cousteau do so every Sunday evening on the color TV (with the round knob channel changer that only went to 13) while I was growing up, diving has for so long been a love of mine.

So, back on point now...Here's a sampling of what I mean. Here in the beautiful Hawaiian waters off Maui, I came upon this beautiful Hawaiian Sea Turtle (Honu), just grazing in the grasses on the bottom while the Humpback Whales sang off in the distance. It was whale season in Maui and the humpbacks, large and small, were everywhere. The Honu let me slowly come up right to her and just hang out. It was absolutely amazing!

Enjoy...

I suspect there are two types of people that watch this video. The one that goes, "Oh, cool, look at the turtle," and moves on. And then there's the other that 'gets it' and watches the video while concentrating and listening to the beautiful sounds of the Humpbacks in the distance and/or looks into the soulful eyes of the Honu as she feeds. Which are you? If you were number one, did you go back?


Either way, thank you for taking the time to hang out here.


“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.”  ~~ Jacques Cousteau


~~ Life is good

Mahalo for diving with Captain Bobby Mitchel

Happy Birthday To My First Officer

Just a quick note to say Happy Birthday to my First Officer, Kona Kai Waikoloa.  We picked her up when she was just 10 weeks old and she is now 5 years old (35 in 'people' years).  How could we resist this face?

Like many of us, she's been through a lot in just five years. From losing her 'bestest buddy' Shilo in 2007, when Kona was just 9 months old, to undergoing surgery on her left knee and having titanium implants installed from a cruciate ligament tear. 

Shilo taught Kona everything from chasing chipmunks to fetching sticks

And what did she get for her birthday? Yup, a trip to her favorite place, Donner Lake. Enjoying the weekend at the cabin chasing chipmunks and swimming in the cold, cold water.

"Someday I'm gonna own this lake!"

"...And that day is now"

And, oh yeah, she was hit by a car 6 days ago, but thankfully, she's fine now with just a wound on her front paw.

Yes, you've come a long way, my little poser puppy.

 Anyway,...Happy Birthday Kona Kai!

"Weeee...Happy Birthday to meeee"

Mahalo for flying with Captain Bobby Mitchel