If you enjoy manicured wastefulness of a golf-course condo — Shanda’s place is not for you. But if a peaceful cabin amidst a tropical jungle sounds good and you are interested in off-the-grid living — it’s your kind of place. A chorus of coqui frogs will sing to you all night, and roosters and doves will awaken you in the morning. Be prepared to turn on the generator for an hour or two each day to maintain the battery charge in the solar system. And you will hear an occasional hum of other generators in the distance. The cabin is lovely — built and tastefully decorated by Shanda herself — it is well equipped, and you will never run out of hot water or drinking water (filtered from a rain-catchment system). There are three porches to relax on and enjoy the view of tropical blooms. Shanda, who lives in a cabin next door, was very hospitable, responsive, and accommodating to all our needs. She gave us a tour of the house (pointing out the various things to pay attention to, like the state of the battery charge, or how to operate the generator), brought extra blankets when it got chilly, and even borrowed a guitar from a friend for our use. We had two stays (4 and 3 nights) punctuated by a 4-night stay elsewhere on the island, and Shanda let us have the place for the entire time, as no one else was staying there in between. The “guard”dogs are behind the fence and very sweet once they see who you are. Bring your fleece, long pants, and socks — the nights can get chilly up here, and the little propane heater does not quite heat up the place if the temperatures drop into 40s. The location is perfect for visiting the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (30 min drive), or the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens (40 min). A big grocery store in Keaau is 20 min away.