Breakfast at the "Mango Table"

The east-facing window on lanai 

"MANGO TABLE" --highly recommended stop in Puna on the Big Island" -- Not only do you have a beautiful view, service is excellent and fare is yummy and includes fresh fruit, vegies and juices from the estate, mini cranberry scones with pecans, fresh coffee just to mention a few. Be sure to schedule a leisurely visit to the "Mango Table" at the Haysmer Estate just south of Pahoa. 

As we were enjoying breakfast the other morning out on the lanai, we were remembering what this view looked like when we moved in. So, it was fun to scrounge through the old photos from February 2012 when we first saw the property.

Whirling galaxies collide in the dense mango burl

First of all the lanai was something we decided to build onto the existing house and is complete with wicker furniture, lots of plants and art, and of course, our cedar hot tub at the other end.

The mango table, however, has its own interesting story: After Hurricane Iselle a few years ago, a dear friend had a fund raiser to help her repair her badly damaged roof. This five foot slab of mango was one left over from another friend (on our street) who had just finished building her new home. We bid on it -- and after taking it home, Phil worked his magic on it to bring out all the glorious details of the mango burl.

Pictured below with three composite photos are views of our east side property 2012 and now.

No grass, no landscaping, no lava beds -- just dry red cinder and a bucket for compost: What potential!!

This photo is exactly what we see out the window, taken four years later, after a lot of hard work.

**** - Just to clarify (for blog visitors who may not know) the "Mango Table" is a private residence, not open to the public, but generally a great meeting place for any and all of our friends and ohana.