...blerg

M also liked pulls, and I picked the specifics. Although the finish of the pulls and the base of the knobs are slightly different, overall, they work very well together.

I love the look of the dark oak floors under the white cabinets.

Made by M’s uncle Frank. His first set of kitchen cabinets look incredible.

M liked glass knobs, as they fit with the era of our home and I was tasked with picking the exact style. I like the sparkly star inside these, and the color of the glass, others were a bit green.

And yes, I need to straighten this knob.

Monk Seals
Mature Hawaiian monk seals feature a gray pelage, or coat, which weathers to a brown shade. Juvenile Hawaiian monk seals are silver with creamy white stomachs, chests, and throats. Pups are black and woolly with fuzzy short hair. Newborns are clad in a black natal fur. A number of Hawaiian monk seals sport scars from shark attacks or injuries from fishing gear. Females are often scarred by encounters with males, which can be particularly brutal during mating. Adult males are 300 to 400 pounds (140 to 180 kg) in weight and 7 feet (2.1 m) in length while adult females tend to be 400 to 600 pounds (180 to 270 kg) pounds and 8 feet (2.4 m) feet in length. Pups average 30 to 40 pounds (14 to 18 kg) at birth and 40 inches (1.0 m) in length. Life expectancies are 25 to 30 years.

Status
In 2008, it is estimated that only 1,200 individuals remain. It is listed as critically endangered.

Why ‘monk’ seal?
Its common name derives from its round head covered with short hairs, giving it the appearance of a medieval friar.

Comeback?
Slowly, however, the monk seals are returning to the main Hawaiian Islands. Lone seals hve been sighted in surf breaks and on beaches in Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Maui, and O’ahu’s Turtle Bay[9] and some of the other islands. They often leave the water haul out on busy tourist beaches, where they are vulnerable to disturbance. NOAA has cultivated a network of volunteers who protect the seals while they bask or bear and nurse their young. In 2006, twelve pups were born in the main Hawaiian Islands, rising to thirteen in 2007, and eighteen in 2008. As of 2008 43 total pups have been counted in the main Hawaiian islands.

Wikipedia - Hawaiian Monk Seal

Hiking back across the valleys edge, a thick fog moved in over our trail, hiding the steps just in front of our feet. Occasionally, the fog would clear to show the edge opposite.

springs

took some pictures of this little guy for a friend a few weeks back - he’s a feisty little guy.

Nova, a juvenile (<1 year) male Peregrine Falcon, one of the educator birds, at last weekends Steel City Safari event in Hamilton.

Alex and Bruce, a female western Horned Owl, one of the educator birds, at last weekends Steel City Safari event in Hamilton.

Falon, an adult female peregrine falcon, one of the educator birds, at last weekends Steel City Safari event in Hamilton.

magnificent frigatebird (female)

A long-winged, fork-tailed bird of tropical oceans, the Magnificent Frigatebird is an agile flier that snatches food off the surface of the ocean and steals food from other birds. It breeds mostly south of the United States, but wanders northward along the coasts during nonbreeding season.

Although the Magnificent Frigatebird spends most of its life flying over the ocean, it rarely if ever lands on the water.

wingspan 85-88 inches


Photographers note: This bird almost never flapped it’s wings, soaring delicately across the sky, making us feel very small. It looked enormous flying overhead. Best viewed at least large

Magnificent Frigatebird - AllAboutBirds