This is where I went on my break:
It's just minutes away from my home and is always a peaceful oasis where I can escape EVERYTHING. Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden is tucked away in Kaneohe at the base of the Ko'olau mountains. It's perfect.
I went with my husband and my girlfriend's family for a morning of catch and release fishing. I was the designated photographer for the day and I was happily reunited with my DSLR camera - it hasn't seen the light of day in months!
First delightful photo of the day, this wild mushroom patch (they were HUGE):
The fish were calling and these helpful signs guided us to the lake:
The day was overcast so it was nice and cool but not so easy to see the fish! The fish could see the bait though, and that's all that mattered. The fish started off small:
But as the day progressed, and our skills were honed to perfection, the fish got bigger!
And prettier!
I had the most fun watching my friend's son and seeing his face light up every time his dad had a nibble.
So, I have a "blogging" confession. I was trying to come up with some clever fish title for this post and turned to the reliable Google search. What I found was not a funny fish pun, but this quote by Henry David Thoreau:
"Men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."
It definitely struck a chord with me and as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it's become clearer to me what the "big prize" is in my life. Time. Quality time with my husband, my family, my friends and simply nurturing relationships that are important to me. This is what I'm fishing for and I'm so thankful for days like these that help to bring everything into perspective once again.