Kauai 2014: days 14 and 15

My last full day of vacation started off with a bit of a surprise when I found this little one underneath some books on my nightstand:

Then we took a trip to Poipu to visit one of our favorite lunch spots: Puka Dog.

While we waited in line, this female sparrow kept a close eye out for any stray morsels:

Back in the same spot after scoring said morsel:

As it says at the link, to make a Puka dog they take a bun made with Hawaiian sweet bread, put it on a heated rod to create a hole in the middle, cook up a Polish sausage, and then put the whole thing together with your choice of one of their special sauces and fruit relish (I usually opt for the mild sauce and mango relish). Add in fresh-made lemonade (probably the best I've ever had), and you've got yourself an awesome meal:

A look at the awesome meal, featuring my mom's hand:

After we ate, I photographed a few of the wild chickens that were hanging about the dining area:

Cute little chick:

Scrounging around under the picnic table:

One last look at this handsome fellow:

I didn't take all that many photos on my last day—probably because I knew I had a ton to sort through already. So, to wrap up the vacation, just a few photos of a female shama sitting on one of the support posts of the house next door:

The 12-step chocoholics program:

Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!

Terry Moore gets credit for that very accurate description; all I do is live by it every day.

Since following Mom's lead regarding the ice pictures yesterday turned out pretty well, I figured it behooved me to follow her advice again today. So I headed down to the Village Peddler to check out their Easter rabbits:



Of course, when you walk in the door attention must be paid to Cocoa, created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the teddy bear. Cocoa is 5' 8" from the tips of his ears to his feet, and though he's hollow he still weighs in at 100 lbs:



The assortment of chocolate bunnies (technically animals, as I saw a chick, a pig, and a squirrel in there as well) is absolutely incredible. There are bunnies filled with jelly beans, candy, and even toys:





You've also got the traditional solid chocolate and hollow chocolate bunnies:



And if that wasn't enough, there's the Patches Clan. The shell of each one is made from a blend of milk, dark, and white chocolate, with various fillings inside the different shapes—caramel, coconut, hazelnut, and peanut butter were among the options I saw.









A more traditionally decorated chocolate Easter egg:



A look at the whole shop:



But wait—there's more! I also spotted marshmallow eggs:



And lots of varieties of chocolate on a stick:



Chocolate-dipped Peeps on a stick. Genius:



Finally, because I am a dedicated blogger and chronicler I brought home Carmelitta, a member of the Patches family, so I could photograph at least one of these treats without any cellophane in the way. No need to thank me for my diligence—sometimes, such sacrifices must be made: