Slightly off topic...but not really. Texas visits Hawaii

Susan (Nightbloomer) left today after a wonderful week visiting me. We have been corresponding for a long time...and she is as beautiful a woman as she appears to be on the forum! Smart, funny, fun and a great houseguest (I didn't do the dishes once!)... In our "free" time, we loaded up the truck with supplies and NOID hoyas and planted them throughout the property!!! I am afraid she was shocked at my 'treatment' of some of them....threatened to form the SPHA (Society for the Protection of Hoyas in America). Nearly a year ago I put out some pots I wanted to grow up trees and forgot about them...they were growing, blooming and darn healthy. I am blessed with a climate hoyas love.

HONOLULU - I met Susan at the airport in Honolulu on a Sat. eve. That Sunday we drove out to Ted Greens which is about 1/2 hour from Honolulu but we managed to take the wrong route and it took us 21/2 hours!!! Needless to say, we were late.
Ted Green is one of the most entertaining, delightful and intelligent men we have had the pleasure of knowing. His wife, Dorothy, is lovely... I enjoyed both of them very much.... It rained all day as we visited and toured Ted's garden armed with Bumpershoots.
Ted's hoyas are healthy and growing beautifully EVERYwhere!!! I learned much more about the confusions and contradictions in hoya labeling and identification...there were many not ID'd hoyas Ted had collected...he has a gorgeous garden. We traded a few hoyas....and I bought a slew of more, as did Susan. Ted has beautifully healthy plants, growing everywhere! A delight! He also has a wonderful collection of Orchids and has recently published a book on the Orchids of Hawaii. Very well done. We made it to our plane for the trip back to the Big Island.

BIG ISLAND - Susan DID go a bit nuts on the orchids at the local Open Market...10$ for 18 plants (can you blame her?)...we did some of the tourist 'stuff', drank way too much wine, took long walks around the property .... My husband decided that the better part of sanity was going to his daughter's house on Maui....so he took off and Susan and I had the whole place to ourselves!!! We also drove to Kona on the dry side of the island and spent 2 days in sun on white sand beaches... For the first 4 days it rained non stop...then it cleared to more tolerable weather. I have lots of trays of hoyas with NO IDs...so we schlepped them out to the 'jungle' and planted them to grow up trees...probably about 20 - 25 hoyas. (psst, I have 20 more to do the same thing to!).
With all the rains, we had to fertilize...so we were very busy!

I really loved Susan's visit...we had such fun and got along so well! She will probably go thru fresh tangerine withdrawals back in Texas....I look forward to her return!!! Pictures to come...she took them all and I trust her to post t hem!!!

Carol

Sounds like a great time was had, but we want to see pictures:-).

Blessings,
Awanda

How exciting! I noticed you didn't post very much last week, it's no wonder, you two ladies were doing the town. Sounds like such a great time! I'm with Awanda, let's see some pictures!
Heather

So I want to know...did Susan get to meet your Fed Ex driver????LOL
Karen

OH yes...she met Micha!!

Today I should get our big order from Ted...and she will be busy unpacking everything tomorrow we sent out yesterday. Both of us are SERIOUSLY dieting!!!

Susan will post the pictures...

Carol

Sounds like a fun, relaxing vacation for the both of you....lucky girls!

Can't blame Susan a bit for going nuts about those orchid deals! Wow!! (What did you get, Susan?!)

I'm looking forward to the photos, too!

It is nice to hear that you ladies had such a lovely time! Sounds like a ton of fun in an amazing place. It does not get any better than good food, good wine, good friends and a tropical paradise.

I am so glad you ladies had such a lovely time! Like the rest of the posters, I want to see some pics.
Now, sober up and ... oh, heck, why sober up...keep on having a good time!
Ann

What a wonderful week the two of you had !! Time always goes by so fast when you are with friends and enjoying things. Your visit with Ted Green and his wife sounds so interesting and apparently you have come back with more hoyas to add to your collection!!! LOL A TRUE HOYA ADDICT, always looking for something new and different, something to add to the collection--got to love it!!

I can just imagine the fun the two of you had at the open market, all the fresh air, sun, food, wine, and talk. Sounds like a great time and I am glad it happened for both of you.

Karen

Sounds like you both had an awesome time! I'm surprised Susan wanted to leave. Can't wait for pictures.
:) Donna

Sounds like it was a great visit, Carol. I'm looking forward to seeing pics of you both galavanting around Hawaii. I have this mind's eye picture of you two skipping around the big island planting Hoyas here and there... a glass of wine in one hand... ;-)

Barb

I'll let Susan tell you about her trip...and put the photos up. She just got back today after a long long long trip!!! Yes...we had a ball!!!

Indeed, it sounds like you two had a fabulous visit! Can't wait to see pictures. Island hopping, Hoya Hunting, and wine tasting....ah yes, THAT is the life!
So glad you guys had a good time!!!

Sounds like a great time. Can't wait to see photo's.