Carbondale Union High School Reunion

Well we made it.  Got to the BRB around 2 p.m. just as planned.  Shirley, Nellie and Norma had been there camping since the previous day.  The whole time was very nice - a good group.  I don't know what the total number of folks there was but it was very well attended.  Some coming for a very short time and more who stayed the whole span.  Betty Jo Matheson and sister Julie were there for just a short time on Saturday, but good to see them.  I didn't take near as many pictures as I should have but glad for what I got.

Just a group shot, showing people I can't name...

Nellie Marks visiting with Scott Abbot

Margaret and Desmond Harris.  

Lupe Zamora and her Mom

Joe Robbins visiting with Scott, Jane and Becky Abbot

Bill Boyd and sister Shirley Waters visiting with Konea Piffer and Joe Robbins

Jane Abbot and Alice Hackbarth

Shirley Waters, Norma Jean Jones Waters, Margaret Harris, Nellie Marks watching the auction action.

Glenn Bair starting the auction.

Crystal river beside the BRB campground.

Fire pit, reunion group and cabin used for food prep etc.

A collection of pictures from our trip to the W. Fork of the Little Cimmaron. What a good relaxing week in a beautiful setting!

Wonderful camping trip

It's been two years since Bill and I visited our favorite camping spot on the West Fork of the Little Cimmaron and it was great to get back there.  Some things have changed with our new "Patches" - great company for Roxie and entertainment for us.  Also different is we sold the old 5th wheel and bought a newer camp trailer.

This picture was taken of Patches while we were camping on the Grand Mesa.  Now that he has had his first appointment with the vet we have the vets estimation of his age at 5 months and that besides Corgi he has Australian Cattle Dog in him - the Red Healer 'branch'.  He and Roxie really had a good time chasing around and exploring the area.

Update on Patches

Running like crazy on the deck.  We've learned with a little help from our friends, that Patches is most likely a Corgi.  Now that we've done some reading on line we believe him to be a Welsh Cardigan Corgi.  May not even have any other breed in him, he matches the description and pictures so well. 

The other part of the update must be that Roxie is beginning to accept him.  Not with open arms yet but we now think they will one day be 'buds'. 

We have a new dog!

And this is him.  We've named him Patches and we don't know what the breed is but we guess a mix w/ some beagle for one.  He is absolutely the sweetest thing!  We were taking our newest pick-up acquisition up on the Mesa for a test drive after Bill had done some work on it, and as we turned onto 2375 there was this little dog under our mailbox lying with his head propped up on the post.  Weird!  So we said when we returned if he was still there Bill would check him out.  He was there, but not in the same position.  He was backed into the brush behind the post peeking out.  When Bill assured himself that he hadn't been hit by a car and there was nothing apparent wrong he brought him home on his 4 wheeler.  Had we been searching for another dog, this is not what we would have looked for.  Initially we tried to find an owner, checked with all neighbors, called the sheriff and pound.  Settled on dealing with CAWS who were very nice and helpful, but when she sent the 'contract' for us to sign on as a foster home and it said we would in no way be able to find a home for him ourselves or keep him ourselves we opted out because this little doll was worming his way into our hearts.  Not Roxie's of course.  She thought and you could tell by her attitude and actions that there was no reason in this world why we would need a pet, even a dog.  In her mind she isn't one of course.   We have decided the poor thing (probably not more than 4 mo. old - still has baby teeth) was 'dropped off' and he was waiting for his people to come back after him.  They don't deserve him!

Composit of the squirrels

Just had to give this a try.  Do wish I could insert some video as I have a lot of these little cuties!

Baby Squirrels

 Bill found a dead mother squirrel just a couple of days earlier and then while sitting in the same area taking in the sun he spotted these 7 SEVEN! baby squirrels coming out of the hole:

New composite I have to share!

Most of the componenets are already on this site but the fact that I was able to put them together is what I NEEDED to share!  What fun!

Well how about that.  I managed a crude collage!  These are some of the flowers we saw on Molokai

Driving west now and the hillside so evidently shows the difference in moisture once you leave the east "rain forest" end of the island.  This was a picturesque private bay that begged to be photographed. 

 

This view is on top after coming out of the rain forest.  I also did a 360 degree video of this area but the wind was terrible and would not have been pleasant to post viewers.  If it weren't so cloudy you could see Maui across the channel.

This was also right along side of the road in the rain forest as the drop of rain on the lens attests to.

I don't know the name of this tree but it was very unique to us with those roots along the ground standing up like that.  We spotted it right along the road as we were driving back from the Halawa Bay.  Still in the rain forest end of the island

Hula exercise classes

This is taking place in the cabana at the Wavecrest Resort.
The 'music' is really just rhythm to do the hula moves in time to. Most seem to be doing exercize but the lady front left is gracefully using her whole body in concert. She is probably getting the most complete benefit.

Halowa Bay

This beautiful little bay is the end of the road and a wonderful place for swimming or getting a sunburn. To the left is the Halawa Valley and steep mountain with a gorgeous waterfall. I know because I've seen pictures. Not because we saw it ourselves. You can hike up to the base of the falls on your own or with a guide, but the weather this day was far from conducive for that. Too bad because that is something I would really have enjoyed and oh the pictures I could have gotten.

The 'jam session' at the Hotel Molekai

If you've seen video of these folks playing their instruments on the web this isn't a very good comparison. But it is mine, and reminder that we were THERE, experiencing it for our selves. I also did a video of a woman doing the hula. She was not young, thin and sexy but she was so graceful and it was a pleasure to watch. The video was too long... 2:00 minutes and I don't think it will upload here.

I suppose this little video of the waves could have been from any shoreline. But it is from Molokai Hawaii and makes it special to us. I must apologize for the sound of the wind across the mic - it sounds ferocious and was pretty strong, but we encountered worse winds on this trip.  After this we did learn about the high and low tides, to a degree. There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hr. period.

We were particularly noticing the low tide at the condo where it is only a 'fish pond' rather than the waves that reach that shore, still the water level at the shore raises and lowers with the tide.

After a stop at "Coffees of Hawaii" we went to this nut farm (always knew that's where we'd end up). Just made it actually because the lady was just about to close. She is the sister of the owner and very nice, very knowledgeable. I took some video of the little talk she gives in explanation of the operation and the characteristics of the trees, but I know it would be too long to try to upload. The trees don't produce for the first 10 years of their lives but after that they are constantly producing with nuts in every stage of development from flower to mature fruit at the same time. They were delicious. She opened some for us and Bill got his chance to open some as well. He preferred the roasted ones but I liked them best raw.

We had a very interesting time at the old sugar cane mill and museum which we visited on the same day we went to the Kalaupapa overlook. The mill was built and operated by the man who was played by Kris Kristopherson in the movie about Father Damien and the leper colony he started on the peninsula.

The reclining stone in the picture is a birthing stone. Fortunately mats were placed on the stone before the mother would lie down. The small stone at the side is a god to whom they prayed for a safe delivery and healthy baby. The plant on its right is sugar cane.

I'm afraid I don't know much about posting on this blog. I get things arranged the way I want, even with multiple photos and commentary, check the preview and finding it acceptable I "publish" the post. But the post that appears on the blog does not look like what I just approved. Frustrating! So until I learn more I will do one photo at a time.

Vacation Time

On the right is the "pali" (cliff) and most of the peninsula of Kalaupapa. It was the Leper Colony established in the 1800s by Father Damien. Quite a story about the early days of the colony in the book "Molokai". It is so very good. While we were on the island there was so much rain that the only trail and a bridge down to the peninsula got flooded out. That trail is only for walkers and mules - no vehicle can traverse it. Otherwise the only access is by plane or boat.

Long time no post so must add a bit to at least show the passage of time...
Most everyone has had an exceptional winter this year and we're no different:





...and let me tell you - Bill has had enough. Keeps saying he's gonna put that shovel over his shoulder and head south until someone asks what it is! Still the moisture is going to be a nice plus.