Leisurely Easter Drive Along the Coast

Just before breakfast I needed to check the water lilies. It was a good thing I did, as they were closed up when we got back from our drive up the coast.

Some girls were feeding the koi.

Do you think the koi on the bottom left resembles a pig?

The resort and especially the beach were quite empty when we went to breakfast.

Had breakfast again at the Ikena Landing

The birds even enjoyed some cereal.

Goats grazing along the roadway to the resort.

I assume goats are being used to help prevent wildfires by reducing the amount of flammable vegetation that can fuel a fire. I know in California the goats are hired by cities, counties, and even homeowners to graze on brush and weeds in areas prone to wildfires. By consuming these fire fuels, goats help create natural firebreaks and slow the spread of wildfires.

"The goats can eat the entire fire fuel ladder, and they're the only animal that can stand on their hind feet to reach it all. This describes the ascending vegetation that allows fires to climb from the ground up to low tree branches and eventually into the tree canopy — hence the term “fuel ladder”.

"As a goat moves through a fire prone area it will begin to target the light fuels while browsing on the branches of trees and shrubs as high as it can reach (up to approximately five feet). This vegetation is the ladder fuel, the vegetation which allows fire to spread upwards from ground, to trees, to homes."

So, this is why you should use goats for grazing.

Natural Firebreaks. Goats are effective at creating firebreaks – cleared areas that help prevent wildfires from spreading. ...
Vegetation Control. In addition to fire prevention, goats are skilled at managing unwanted vegetation. ...
Eco-Friendly Solution. ...
Cost-Effective. ...
Community and Agricultural Benefits.

"It takes about 100 goats to graze over an acre in a day. Theythin down plant coverage, making it harder for fires to spread.

If it weren't for coyotes, bob cats, and mountain lions in our neighborhood, I would suggest our Firewise Committee look into them.

What are the pros and cons of getting goats?

Goats are fun! They enjoy interacting with humans, are easy to feed, will eat weeds, and don't take up too much space. The potential negatives of owning goats generally involve noise (goats bleat loudly when they want attention) and upkeep, like regularly trimming their hooves.

Our first stop was at the original King Kamehameha I statue. The Kamehameha I statue is an outdoor sculpture by American artist Thomas Ridgeway Gould, cast in 1880 and installed in 1883. It stands in front of the old country courthouse in the town of Kapaʻau, located in North Kohala. Made of cast brass and painted with lifelike colors, it depicts Kamehameh , and represents an important cultural and spiritual object for the local community.

"The Kamehameha I sculpture is an oversized painted brass casting of King Kamehameha I, the ruler credited with unifying the Hawaiian in the early nineteenth century and establishing the Kingdom of Hawai'i in 1810. Though the surface of the sculpture was originally finished with a brown chemical patina and gold leaf, it has become local tradition to paint the statue with lifelike colors, and it appears as such to this day. Originally commissioned to celebrate the centennial of Captain Cook's arrival to the Hawaiian Islands and to stand in front of the Ali'iōlani Hale government building in Honolulu, extenuating circumstances during its delivery to Hawaiʻi delayed its arrival, and resulted in its being placed instead in Kapaʻau, near Kamehameha I's birthplace."

"The statue had its origins in 1878 when Walter M. Gibson, a member of the Hawaiian legislature at the time, decided to commission a sculpture to commemorate the 100 year arrival of Captain Cook to the Hawaiian Islands. The legislature appropriated $10,000 for the project and made Gibson chairman of the Commemorative Monument Committee formed to oversee the process. While the committee did include Native Hawaiians, it was strongly directed by Gibson and by King David Kalākaua. After searching several prominent U.S. cities for an appropriate artist, Gibson contracted Thomas Ridgeway Gould, a Boston sculptor living abroad in Florence, Italy to create the statue.

By 1880, Gould finished the full-size plaster model for the work and sent it to the Barbedienne Foundry in Paris, France to be cast in brass. The finished brass sculpture was shipped from Bremen, Germany in August 1880 en route to Hawaiʻi, but after encountering a storm in the south Atlantic, a fire broke out on deck and the ship sank near the Falkland Islands. Its entire cargo, including the sculpture, was presumed lost. When news of the shipwreck reached Honolulu, officials decided to commission a second cast using the $12,000 insurance collected after the loss of the original. Ironically, and unbeknownst to Honolulu officials, fishermen managed to recover the sunken statue, which was recognized and bought by a British ship captain who then sold it in 1882 to the Hawaiian government for $875. Now in possession of two identical statues, government officials decided to place the second cast, in considerably better condition than the original that had been damaged in the shipwreck, in the location originally intended to receive the statue, the Ali'iōlani Hale government building in Honolulu. After some debate, the original was installed near Kamehameha I's birthplace in North Kohala. Due to the shipwreck, neither statue was on-hand in Hawaiʻi to fulfill Gibson's original plan of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Cook's arrival to the islands. However, Gibson was able to convince King Kalākaua to incorporate the unveiling of the Honolulu cast into his coronation ceremonies in February, 1883."

"During the initial stages of the statue's design, Gould and Gibson made efforts to create an accurate likeness of King Kamehameha's face, body, and clothing. This proved to be a challenging task, as there was no consensus on what exactly Kamehameha I looked like. When in Boston, Gibson provided Gould with an engraving of King Kamehameha, a French copy of a Chinese copy of the king's official watercolor portrait by Russian artist Louis Choris in 1816. Gibson directed Gould to use this copy of a copy of a copy, but to portray Kamehameha at approximately age forty-five, much younger than he appeared in the original watercolor. Attention was also focused on the proper way to depict Kamehameha's body; it was eventually determined that to convey his heroic and larger-than-life status, Kamehameha should be depicted with typical Herculean features, including a broad back and shoulders, strong, powerful arms, and a commanding chin."

"Since its unveiling in 1883, Kamehameha the Great has come to be regarded by Hawaiians as an important cultural, economic, and spiritual object. Despite its Western origins, influences and artist, and despite the fact that the statue was not considered a spiritual object at the time of its creation, some Hawaiians consider the statue a receptacle of mana, a term that translates to “supernatural or divine power,” and associations have been drawn between it and ki'i (image), figurative sculptures created by Native Hawaiians prior to Cook's arrival to the Islands. While scholars debate the exact functions of these sculptures, Hawaiian oral traditions describe that kiʻi could represent various entities, including akua (spirits, divinities) and manifestations of natural phenomena, and could serve as āumaka sculptures (family or personal gods, deified ancestors). It was believed that through various prayers and ho‘okupu (offerings), the mana held within these figures increased. For some Hawaiians, any image of Kamehameha is considered a very strong kiʻi, even a Western facsimile such as Kamehameha the Great (original cast), and it is common to find offerings of food, ribbons, and pōhaku left as tribute upon the sculpture's pedestal. Even Hawaiians who do not believe the statue contains mana still venerate the statue as a representation of the spirit of Kamehameha I, and regard it as a connection to their ancestral history."

"One of the statue's most important cultural functions is its role in the annual celebration of Kamehameha Day, a two-day festival starting on June 11 in which much of the Hawaiian population participates. Activities include hula, chanting, singing, and telling stories about Kamehameha and the significance of the holiday. Various cultural groups, including representatives of each island, travel to the sculpture to present and drape it with long lei. In addition, a parade takes place during the festival, beginning in Hāwī and ending at a location just past the sculpture in Kapaʻau. Those participating often stop at the sculpture to bestow offerings before moving on."

"Kamehameha the Great (original cast) has also become an important political symbol for the Hawaiian Islands. It is featured on the official Hawaiian state seal, and in the logo of theKamehameha Schools, which has campuses located throughout the Islands. In 1959, a replica of the statue was cast and placed inside the United States Capitol as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection to honor Hawaiʻi becoming the fiftieth state. Various businesses, especially those working in the tourist trade, have capitalized on the resulting popularity of the sculpture; its image has been used to decorate brochures, postcards, T-shirts, folk-art, etc., and small reproductions of the sculpture are popular souvenirs in many shops."

Most of the conflict examples are easy to figure out. WWII (World War II) DS (Desert Storm) PT (Pacific Theatre) KC - (Korean Conflict) VNW - (Vietnam War.) We aren't sure what NG stands for. Let me know if you know what it stands for.

Sad to see this posted on the community bulletin board. There are many help wanted signs posted. One job came with a $2,000 signing bonus while other posting had a $1,000 signing bonus.

Next, we drove to Waimea for lunch. We wonder if the Korean restaurant is still in business and open on Easter.

Many large cattle and horse ranches as we drive up the hills. Parker Ranch is the largest.

The first horses were brought to Hawaiʻi in 1803 by an American trader as a gift for King Kamehameha I – who initially placed a kapu (restriction) on the animals. A few decades later, the kapu was lifted when horses became necessary for hunting wild cattle that had also been introduced in previous years.

We pulled over many times to enjoy the views toward the ocean.

The view at 2500 feet.

Hard to tell where the horizon is.

Crest at 3564 feet

Parker Ranch

In 1943, Parker Ranch leases land to the U.S. military, transforming Waimea into a training ground for Marines preparing for the battle of Iwo Jima, and introducing modern amenities to the community.

Cattle Operations

"Parker Ranch, one of the oldest and most renowned cattle ranches in the United States, operates on over 135,000 acres on Hawai‘i Island. As both a scaled grass-fed beef producer and the 6th largest calf producer in the United States, Parker Ranch plays a vital role in the beef industry. The ranch’s operations are pasture-based, with the cattle grazing primarily on kikuyu, pangola, and buffelgrass, which are well-suited to the island’s climate and terrain."

"The ranch’s herd primarily consists of Black Angus cattle, complemented by strategic infusions of Simental and Charolais genetics. These carefully selected breeds are adapted to the unique and varied environment of North Hawai‘i, ensuring that the cattle thrive and produce high-quality beef. Parker Ranch develops its own breeding stock and bull battery, sourcing some of the finest genetics available to ensure that both the cattle and the beef they produce meet the highest standards."

"By blending traditional ranching wisdom with modern agricultural techniques, Parker Ranch upholds its historic legacy while also embracing ethical practices. This dedication not only honors the ranch’s rich history but also contributes to the economic prosperity of the island. The natural, stress-free environment provided by the ranch’s pasture-based operations ensures the well-being of the cattle, resulting in consistently high-quality beef."

"Parker Ranch is dedicated to providing a world-class eating experience for consumers. With a focus on excellence in every aspect of its operations, Parker Ranch continues to be a leader in the cattle industry while maintaining a strong connection to its roots and the community it serves."

Horses

The primary goal of the Parker Ranch Horse program is to produce safe, functional, durable work horses to be used on our large-scale cow calf operation by Parker Ranch cowboys. Without the horses, the operations of the ranch would be nearly impossible. Additionally, in alignment with our overall mission, we aim to provide the community with horses to fulfill their work and performance needs. Each year, hundreds gather at our Labor Day Horse Auction to bid on both prospects and finished horses. The Ranch takes immense pride in being the best and most trusted place to find quality ranch horses in the Hawai‘i community.

Parker Ranch has been a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) since the early 1960s, having produced it’s first registered Quarter Horse in 1955. In 2021, the ranch was recognized as a 50-year Cumulative Breeder. As one of the largest horse breeders in Hawai‘i, it has expanded the beneficial reach and impact of AQHA to our island home in the middle of the Pacific. Over the years, the ranch has hosted many AQHA competitions, and the Parker Ranch Arena is still often utilized by AQHA members for local rodeos and NHSRA events.

We had lunch at the Parker Ranch Center in Waimea.

Parker Ranch Center is part of the 250,000-acre Parker Ranch, one of the oldest and largest cattle ranches in the nation. The center was built to serve the needs of the ranchers and their families who made their livelihood on the ranch. The history of Parker Ranch and Waimea is rich and captivating. It’s a story of the land, of the melding of cultures as diverse as New England and native Hawaiian, of cowboys, and of community spirit.

Like this better than STOP.

The shopping center has completely changed since the last time we visited years ago. They have a food court now instead of individual small restaurants.

Michal had the Kalbi and chicken. It came with two scoops of rice and 4 sides. Michael had two servings of kimchi, japchae, and an unknown noodle side dish.