Quiet Day Saturday with Memories

Saturday was another chill day. I thought I was going to feel great but that didn't quite happen.

Instead of hiking or taking a nice long walk, I took a dive down memory lane.

I decided to look at the photos my brother scanned from Dad's slides and shared with us online in a private album. 

My brother picked out slides from my Dad's enormous collection of photos that covered many years of our lives. My favorite ones are those of us  staying together in Hawai'i on the Big Island. 

My Dad had an friend at work who had a vacation home. Dad saw some lovely pictures of it and asked if he could rent it and take our family on a vacation. My dad's friend said sure and quoted him a price. Dad took him up on the offer.

He then told my dad it was in Hawai'i not in Florida. Dad wasn't fazed. Apparently he said yes and our first big adventure began.

Hawai'i became a state in 1959. This was 1965 [I think]. Around Christmas Dad had us sit down and watch a TV show. Unusual, because my Dad worked in Advertising and never insisted we watch the 'Boob' Tube.

A commercial for United Airlines came up with Hawaiian music in the background. The voice over said, "Guess what Tom Rogers is getting his family for Christmas! A trip to Hawai'i!...Fly the Friendly Skies of United!"

We kids sat stunned. 
Heck, I didn't even know there was a place called Hawai'i. 

Mom got our schoolwork from our teachers since we went during the school year. Mom was probably the hardest teacher we ever had. 

But here is what I recall.

My sister and I were inseparable. We played endlessly 'on the rocks'. We scoured the tidal pools and made up stories and pretended to be horses. We'd trot across the rocks in flip flops to lead our imaginary herds to safety.

We would build coral homes for our trolls to live in and then redo them after the tides washed the coral away.

It was a place like no other. Sometimes we would just sit and watch the waves crash into the lava rocks.

The photo below is of my sister and I in orange. The neighbor next door had gotten a great job at the newly built Mauna Kea Beach Hotel up the road. He had a Luau to celebrate and everyone that lived near was invited. Even us Haoles. [white people]

My sister and I are peeling cooked flesh off the pigs head.

Here is my mother in one of her beautiful dresses. I recall my father doing this 'shoot'. We kids were giggling. Dad was fussing with his camera. We were probably making faces and being idiots. But wow. It was an amazing shot with the sunset. Mom looked like a goddess.

The photo below is of my dad pointing out the island Maui to my sister. I'm sure my brother took the shot for Dad. He rarely was out from behind the camera.

We made trips to see the volcano. The road we drove on was called the 'Chain of Craters Road'. It wound around different sleeping  volcano craters. 

I recall Dad saying he wouldn't want to live near this area, he was sure that the Volcanoes  were not sleeping. He was proven right a few years later.

Mom took on a part time job to help pay for our rental. She caught the bug of Deep Sea Fishing and we booked at least one trip a week while there. 

I can say one thing mom was pretty ingenious. She packed our clothes in coolers. On the way back, the coolers were filled with dry ice and Mahi Mahi, along with Tuna. Our clothes were sent home in the mail.

We spent all year budgeting and saving for our yearly trip. I suppose folks wondered if it was all worth it. I say. Yes. We skimped on many things so we could go and spend a month on an island.

Our last trip was when my brother was a Senior. College tuition and life changes ended our trips. We had a good run. Nine years of summer adventures like no other.

The photo below is of myself on the left as you face this photo. My mom on the right. Spitting images of each other right?

However, that was not the end of that story.

In 2001, my father was legally blind and no longer drove. He wanted to go back to Hawai'i. My brother asked me to chaperone Dad on a two week trip to Hawai'i. 

It was another memorable trip. I took so many photos of Dad. This time I was the one behind the camera.

We went on crazy adventures together. At that time the wild donkeys of Kona were still wandering freely and there was a movement to find them a sanctuary as they kept getting hit on the highway.

I made some phone calls and inquiries and ended up talking with the head of their version of the DNR on the island. I inquired at coffee shops and other places on how to find and photograph the donkeys. It paid off.

We found them. 

I wrote a lengthy article for Mules and More Magazine and a sent a copy to the Governor of Hawai'i. 

[Eventually donkeys were captured and moved to a Ranch to be cared for not my doing really, but it was exciting to do some legwork while I was there with Dad.]

Dad passed away in 2005. When we talked on the phone before his death, the subject turned to Hawai'i and how happy he'd been there. How he wished he could be in Hawai'i forever.

In 2010 I went back with my son and his first wife. I carried Dad's ashes with me and ... well. He got his wish.

I'm with my Dad on this. Hawai'i was a magical place where we created and lived some of the calmest and loving times as a family. 

The rest of our summers were spent in another remote place in Wisconsin. We'd live with mom in a small cottage on my Grandparent's place and garden, fish, and play. No TV, no phone, no hot water, and no bathtub. 

Before school began, we'd pack up our canned and frozen produce to take back to the suburbs and adjust to Suburban Life. 

There are so many warm and wonderful memories of being on the island together.

I'm a lucky one. My parents gave us experiences that not many other families got to have.

I got to spend 9 summer vacations on the Big Island. I got to spend the rest of my summers in a remote location where I learned skills from my Grandmother and we essentially ran a bit wild with my cousins. 

Maybe it was all the different places and adventures I'd had through my childhood that makes me yearn to travel again.

Me in the 1970's
with a stray dog

My last trip to Hawai'i. Sunset over the ocean on a drive back from seeing the volcanoes with my son.

The sound of the ocean
Soothes my restless soul
The sound of the ocean
Rocks me all night long...

Last night in my dream
I saw your face again
on the white sandy beaches
of Hawai'i.

IZ 
White Sandy Beaches of Hawai'i

 

Into the Woods

Sometimes I dance to my own music that only I can hear. The squirrels laughed and chattered along with the chipmunks.
The trees swayed and applauded by dropping golden leaves on me.

So this is some of what I did. My first real self portrait shoot of sorts.
I had some fun. 
I used a 25mm lens and a self timer. I really took some crappy shots.

Yes I tossed the flip flops and went barefoot. It felt so much better. A lot of shots were not in focus but some were just fine. I even used and Art Setting called soft focus which gave the whole shot an Orton type look like in the first photo.

One of the very hard lessons I learned is that I think I messed with the art filters too much. I'd set up the camera to recognize the face. Good move. Except that the Artsy Fartsy Filter doesn't recognize the face. Soooo many shots were neat, but alas I was not in focus. 
However. That was okay for some of the shots. I didn't want close ups of my freckle face.

I learned that my glasses should be left on... no matter how much I wanted to have them off.

I have a ridge across my nose that shows up in the photos. But who is looking that close anyway? No way am I smoothing this out. 

Yes! I even applied some makeup. Yuck on reddish colored lipstick. But I used it.
Other fun notes.
Since I always wear a baseball cap outside doing work, my skin tone is different on my forehead and yes I have used sunscreen. 
Note to self. Keep the camera further away or wear a cap!

Then there is the scary person. Infrared! The eyes turn black! And of course I am holding a skull.

Then I decided to just sit in the woods and chill out for a while. 
If I stayed long enough I'd fade right into the forest.

[Layered photos one without me in it on top.] The magic of layers.

I can live with this one. I feel it is more true to myself in a way.

How I Go to the Woods by Mary Oliver

Ordinarily, I go into the woods alone, with not a single 
friend,  for they are all talkers and therefore unsuitable.

I really don't want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of praying,
as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can be invisible. I can sit on top of a
dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, 
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can almost hear the unhearable
sound of the roses singing.

If you ever have gone into the woods with me, I must love you
very much.

Dawg gawn it...

Dixie to Charlie: I got this! I am a 'Coon Hound!

Charlie to Dixie: Oh I think you may need my help. Seriously, this raccoon has a squeaker in it, seems dangerous to me!

Dixie to Charlie: I got it by the ear, you get the tail end.

Charlie to Dixie: I don't know, we better take it up on the porch and give it to Her!

Later...
See? I can dig in gravel too!

I like my little bed.

I like to play with it even better!

Life with dogs. I just wouldn't want to miss it for the world.

He is loved

Charlie.

With everything else going on I was surprised that I actually made Charlie's puppy appointment.
Dr. Grimm of Grimm's Tails had been one of the last vets to treat Mr. Morris.
She was curious and examined Charlie from head to toe. He got his shots and was still happy to be with Dr. Grimm.

The doc left the room and said she'd be back.
Soon she reappeared.

"There is only one problem that I can see with Charlie," she said. I held my breath.
She scooped Charlie up and held him.
"...the only problem? He isn't mine!" she quipped. "I really like him!"

The photo isn't great, but you get the idea.

Charlie is doing just fine. He has gained 3 lbs in 5 weeks and enjoys playing in the yard. Here he is playing and enjoying himself. Note the cord behind him. Sometimes Charlie doesn't always want to come when called.

I call him and when he decides to run and play 'catch me if you can', I simply step on the cord.

He is doing fine. He loves playing fetch and laying in the sun or sitting on the porch with me while I read a book.

I am really happy he came into our lives.

And...he is
loved.

A little fun in the woods

Around Christmas last year, my Grandaughter Ariel and I thought it would be fun to each take some toys and photograph them.  We'd set them up and take the photo, then send it to each other with an explanation of what was happening in the picture.

See Making Up Stories from March of this year.  Of course I began to add little toys to the My Little Ponies we both had started to use.

The one character we've had the most fun with is Doe.  Doe is always trying to find a good place to live and she is always making terrible decisions.
Like the time that Stinky was 'horrified' to find out that Doe had decided she would live in a parking lot.

Well things happened this year and I sort of dropped the ball on hiking in the woods with a pocket full of toys.
I just didn't have time.

The other day I went to get groceries in town and I decided to check out the resale shop.  I wandered around their 'new' store front  and thought to myself, boy it stinks in here and everything is crammed in.
I was looking for jeans, I like finding them for $2.  For farm work, they are just fine.

Anyway I turned around and a display amongst the clutter caught my eye. Trolls.
I hadn't had trolls since I was in Jr. High.  I'd gotten my first troll in 1965 and it had coal black hair.  They provided endless hours of play.

Well that brings me back to this display.  Everything flashed through my mind and suddenly I found myself carefully looking at the trolls.  I wanted the old ones, not the newer soft mushy ones.  I ended up... with two.   At $1.00 per troll, I was pretty tickled.

And this afternoon I thought I'd take Morris for a short walk and look for Indian Pipes.  I grabbed my camera bag and the trolls off from the table.

I paused when I put the trolls into the bag, sitting in the extra space was Doe One and Doe Two.  Doe Two filled in when I temporarily misplace Doe One for a couple of months....

Picture me carefully crouching on the forest floor and trying to figure out if the canopy of leaves will make the scene too dark, or will the breeze blow the leaves and brighten things up?
I set everything up and then....
PHOTO BOMB!

Morris who is never interested in anything I am doing in the past 11 years, decides to smell the trolls and then push them over with his nose.

I take Doe One and Doe Two and set them back up with the trolls and chastise Morris.  He blinks at me and then marks a plant to tell me what he thinks of me.

We achieve success and the lighting cooperates just fine.

I'm finally happy to say that Doe has found a home with the Wood Troll and the Wild Troll.  I don't know...does the look on the rainbow haired troll just look a bit crazier to you? Wild Troll looks like he is trippin'.  Just saying.

Wood Troll seems more sane and subdued.

I put the Trolls and the Does in my camera bag and stood up, brushing my pants off.
I smiled and zipped them up safely and began to think of what sort of adventures they may all have together.

The sun was low in the sky and it was time to go home.  I smiled to myself, half expecting to hear my mom call me in for supper.

No, I was all grown up.  Well let's think about that, who is all grown up that plays with toys in the woods?

I whistled for Morris and we started down the trail that would lead us back to the farm.  Both of us were happy.

I'd also found what I'd originally came out to find.  Indian Pipes....

It was a good afternoon after all.

The Natural Playground

I happen to be very lucky that my neighbor needed someone yesterday on very short notice to 'play' with the kids.
I jumped at the chance.

We decided to take a hike down the hill road and when we got there, the kids decided that they'd like to go rock climbing.

I was a bit hesitant because the area I like to go in ... is a huge dry run.  This means that over many years, this is the path that flash flood waters take when heading towards low ground.
It is filled with tumbled boulders, roots, rocks, branches, and slippery surfaces.

I soon discovered that these kids were naturals.  They climbed, hiked ... and watched out for each other.
Yes, I did a lot of helping.

But what an adventure we had.

It was incredible to be able to share my 'secret' spots with the kids.  The spots that I like to go to with Morris sometimes just to sit and relax deep in a ravine surrounded by rocks.

I wish that all kids could have outdoor experiences.  We should toss the TV's aside, go outdoors and play, make discoveries, and challenge ourselves and the children.

Not for one second in 2 hours did the kids complain or say 'I'm bored.'
They were showing the rocky dry run to me with new 'children's' eyes.

We all found some cool rocks to bring home and as we headed back [1/2 mile] we discussed about the next time we could go out and hike again.

Soon we hoped.

Nature is the best playground ever.