Yes, I know we see plumerias all year long. But except for a few stubborn holdouts, most of the trees go to sleep during the fall and winter. The other day I looked around and saw plumerias everywhere. Hallelujah! Summer has arrived.

When I was growing up we had white, yellow and pink. That's about all I can remember. Today there are so many varieties and glorious, glorious colors.

 

When people come to Hawaii, I always try to give them a gift of a plumeria lei. They're what we grew up with before we knew about all the fancy variations we see today. They are fragrant, soft, welcoming. Many locals still pick the flowers in their yards and string the lei themselves.

 

 

What better way to say, "Aloha" than to give a gift from the heart?