Happy Campers, pt. 1

Camping

We traveled maybe 10 to 15 mph as our load was heavy with two motorcycles in the back of our truck- (so it took us about that speed for a good part of the way) along the Mauna Keanakolu road -accessed from either Saddle Road or Waimea. Basically it's a 45-mile route around Mauna Kea.. here, about (6- 8,000 ft. elevation) but takes about 4-6 hours depending how quickly one wants to go. The roads can only be accessed by a 4 wheel drive and can be quite treacherous with heavy rain and mud, making steep hills difficult to climb. Believe me, we've been stuck before but we happen to be in the midst of a severe drought right now.."some swaths of the Big Island are the driest places in the United States, designating it an agricultural disaster by the fed gov."

Ever since we (me on the back of my husbands motorcycle) discovered this route at the beginning of the 90's- it still seems to evoke the same magical feeling - right out of a story book. The journey through this old ranch land twists along a bumpy path with thick dense grass and powdery clay dirt. You need A.C. too (we used to come back with dirt in our pores from our bikes or jeep).

(do enlarge)

 Did you really think they'd leave us out- ha

 The forest is full of enchantment

&

Holds deep secrets

 Old Kohler generator

View- leaving the modern bathrooms (behind)

Some of the grounds..

We made do until our son's joined us with a coffee maker

You can't think of everything - but someone else might?

(Running water from catchment~just not suitable for drinking)

 Because this is just the beginning of Fall, it wasn't too too cold- but warranted a nice stove at night-

 Women and dogs get left out..but often its the women that get to choose. I left out the bikes (oops) but you can see who would of loved to chase the motorcycles below-

(Son's Shepherd on the right- is pup in previous post)

 I couldn't resist- a handsome pooch in Monochrome (this guy made off with a nice skewer full of mushrooms wrapped in bacon) He was tasered (shock colar)-just like his daddy now! lol))

We are so over it..

See how we could care less (lucky for our concentration)

Look at us frolicking below

L-R- (Apollo, Moo Moo & Munchi)

This place is hard to put in words -with the combination of high altitude and unique vegetation..but the Seasons are evident and Autumn can even be felt back at home- it's here.

Second night of a full moon
:
Thanks for letting me share my adventures with you~
(Apples, Koa trees and some things we did (including a few before and after shots from the 90's), coming up next in pt 2..

Season's Change..

Well, I noticed there were a couple different dates heralding the new month of Fall? So I'm going to go with the 21st..why you ask? It was my birthday..hmm

Anyway, I'm preparing for a camping trip this weekend (in a cabin though.. hopefully with some running water) -the first time in years! Ought to be grueling (hah ha)..and I suspect it will be cold as heck too. I have lots of memories being out in the open air- with just the stars above..but I'm not quite ready for that yet. At any rate it will be a chance to get out of the house/ routine? Wish me some inspiration (lol)

Here are a few images I'm leaving you with~

The seasons pass by

Before the blink of an eye
:
Everyone was longing for winter to end not so very long ago..
Remember all the photos of snow in the blog-sphere?
As you may know already- we didn't get any this past year (sniff)

Yellow variety of Strawberry Guava  (small kind) -

Below, my son introducing his new puppy to my dog

(taken in July)

They change..maybe too quickly-

(Enjoying their visit)

I will be sure to stop by when I return...

Blue Monday

An active lava flow
(Plume in the distance)-

:

Goats out on a blind date

Walking over an old flow-

(He tells her not to trip)..

:

Rainbow at the end of the day

From the porch..

(sounded good) but it is from our porch-

How many rainbows have they seen?

A virtual perspective-

:

What a Love Bird looks like day dreaming-

Maybe the best tail of um all~

Grandma's Hat Box

(My mother on the left)

How do I explain?
Life becomes just a fragment from another time..like the old photos I'd pull out of my Grandma's hat box. It was back then- when my mother could tell me who was who. These were from stills (except for the wedding photo)- my husband took from a video a relative sent after copying it to a CD.  The humidity already began to take its toll.

Ship Germania~

My maternal Grandparents sailed from Germany to Minnesota in the mid 1800's. My Grandma's parents were from Switzerland. 

Mankato- Blue Earth  was rich farming land, settled mainly by German Immigrants-mostly Catholics and Lutherans.

(Woman is actually part of the logo on the window)

Grandpa was an entrepreneur who started a cookie factory In Minnesota. My mom was just a few years old when they decided to sell the factory and move to Hollywood. They opened another one on Melrose Av. near La Brea and named it Calirox,"California rox". 
According to the census, they were farmers and bakers (what his father~my G. Grandpa did) 
:

They moved into a home on Laurel Canyon in the mid 1920's, which is where my mother grew up.  Anyway, they did really well..  that's my Grandpa (in the middle) walking beside a fleet of his trucks- next to my Uncle (left) and I believe his brother-in-law (G.Aunt Rose's husband)-(who's father had his own little cigar manufacturing business) back in Minneapolis.

(Both Grandparents at home on Laurel Canyon)

:

 The story was, my uncle contracted tuberculosis and nearly died- then ended up working for American Express (Railroad) as a station manager.  But because of my Great Aunt's care, he recovered..and they eventually decided to move from Minneapolis to California where he began to work with my Grandpa at the cookie factory until the depression.  
My Grandparents sold this, along with the lovely home which was later turned into a duplex. They bought a charming old house in Sierra Madre- (another story). My Grandpa died the year I was born
but my Grandma lived to be almost 92 yrs.
:
These are really wild photos..but like the hat box- its closed and so is that era- (Ironically, my parents just gave away that old box of memories on impulse one day?)
:
"..While yet the rolling earth abides,
Men come and go like ocean tides..
.
And ere one generation dies..
Others succeed, like wave on wave"
:
Life can often leave you feeling burned..only I'm reminded of the following in
Phil 3:13-
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.. forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus~

(My mom with my uncles & Grandma above)

Left is taken from a book (Dreams of Glass)- The story of William McLaughlin and His Glass Company-
It'was written by Fred Pagent- a kind gentleman who sent a copy to me when I was doing a  search on line a few years ago. Very meaningful in light of the fact that I came to a dead end (a pun now, ha)..but couldn't really find help from relatives or any more information on the cookie factory here. (outside of a genealogical search which provided the family linage and census though.

Tree Chatter

Wait, don't go, I'm not offended..

I just won't serve broccoli anymore!

Like my new prom dress?

(do enlarge)

Exotic lamp shade?

Trees above surveying their growth..think it maybe slow?

Zoom in -and you can see that's a rock wall beside the lava flow-

Dinnerware design?

Faith

& 

Hope 

Should never wait for

Love

:

1 Co 13:13

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three;

 but the greatest of these is love~