Outlook

Spend the Day with Phalaenopsis Lovers

January 26, 2012

Phyllis Erikson’s passion for orchids began 30 years ago. As hobbyists, Erikson and her husband, Dale, filled their home with orchids. Soon, they ran out of room, moved the orchids to an outdoor shed and quickly filled it.

“That first winter, all our orchids froze,” she said. “That’s when we built the greenhouse.”

Erikson turned her hobby into an avocation, a vocation and now a business. Ironwood Estate Orchids is located behind the Eriksons’ home, nestled in the woods, with two greenhouses full of orchids in various stages of growth and bloom.

Shimabukuro's Ukulele 'Gently Weeps'

January 12, 2012

Jake Shimabukuro believes music is the greatest gift, and the ukulele is the friendliest way to present that gift to the world.

Jake Shimabukuro’s life is centered on the ukulele — it’s been that way since he was 4 and picked up a “uke.”

“My mom played and taught me my first few chords,” Shimabukuro said. “I started strumming mainly traditional Hawaiian music has a child.”

Later, though, Shimabukuro enjoyed the challenge of trying to play other styles of music on the four string, two octave instrument, such as jazz, classical or rock.