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.

I took this video the other day to document the triplets we've been watching. I've read that they really aren't all that uncommon - twins normal. Has most due to the health of the mother and the amount of forage. So, things must've been pretty good.

Two pics belonging to last post

I was motivated to include this shot of a profile in the rocks up the Poudre Canyon because Kim has one similar to this on her Argentina blog. She has so many neat pics of the beautiful parts of her field. Plus they are so creatively displayed!!! I want that program...




Below is another shot of the gathering up the Poudre river, and proof positive that I was indeed there too.

A little more from the weekend in Ft. Collins

Just adding to what is above... wanted to include some "young" pics for comparison. Had none of Kate or Susie, and Becky's is so dim. Still it was fun

Ft. Collins weekend

Nice time in Fort Collins. Had supper with Joe and Angie at their home. Delicious rib eye steaks, roast new potatoes and tossed salad. My first time to meet Angie, great lady. Had met Joe before but only the one time. Bill spent his childhood, through graduation with Joe - best friends. Kind of fun to listen to the "Remember when" stories and there were a lot of them.

They have four dachshunds, one long haired and all sweet. One has recently had back surgery - on Angie's right in the photo. She has had her hands full taking care of him, the others and herself as she too has had recent surgery.

On Sunday we went up to the service for the 50th anniversary of the chapel for which Scott and Kate had donated the land. Scott was Bill's 5th and 6th grade teacher... and his favorite. Joe lived with Scott and Kate so Bill spent more time with them than would otherwise be the case. So they were a special part of his childhood.

Debbie, Scott, Joe, Bill, Susie and Kate sitting.
We stayed there for the service and the lunch afterward. But so sorry to have missed out on our own fellowship meeting. Bill called later from the hotel to see if there might be a gospel meeting in the afternoon (as there was here at home) but they haven't restarted yet after conventions. So we did w/out but did study the scripture that was the main focus of the morning chapel service: Joshua chs. 3 and 4. Our study was better than provided by the pastor at the chapel.


On Monday we checked out and took ourselves on a tour of our old homes. Now that was great. There have been a lot of improvements of the house on Regina Dr. in Ft. Collins. I should find a picture of this house when we lived there for comparison's sake. We planted that tree in the front yard that is now so big. Of course it was '72 when we lived there. A new garage has been built and the old garage turned into family room or some such. Nice to see the improvements.

Next was the house on 1st Street in Loveland. We moved there in '69. Most changes in this place and we had lived longer in this house than any of the others. The first house we bought. I think I will try to get a 'before' pic in here:
Those pine trees in the front yard are in really bad shape now. Some disease has savaged them.









I can't put all of the pics I took of the house here but it was really nice to see all of the changes. A man was working on the house and has been for three years. The house has been doubled in size, at least. Very high quality work being done. The fellow gave us a tour and I got pics inside and out. It was actually a little heart tugging when some situations from the past came flooding in. The cellar Bill dug for potatoes was still there only it is now a wine cellar. The little garage was still there and the barn, chicken coop. The pasture remains but the Italian plums are gone. So glad we stopped there.

We did also stop at the place we first rented in Loveland, which has been improved nicely. Only the place on Terry in Longmont had not been improved. But the color of the house has changed.  This is cream I guess and it was green when we owned it. Bill built that stone retaining wall