White Plains Beach

Annie had been telling us about White Plains Beach for months now, so before we left the island we had to check it out. I didn’t really have any expectations about this beach but she said it’s great for surfing, so we loaded up our two longboards, her SUP, and made our way south for the summer swells. It had been flat all summer on the west coast, so this was Jake’s first chance to surf in months. He was going to use my board but as he was carrying it down to the beach he jumped off a short cement block retaining wall (because I told him to go that way) and as he jumped down the back of the board hit the top of the wall and cracked open! I did the exact same thing my first time carrying that board down to the beach. You’d have thought I’d already learned that lesson. It was a major buzz kill, but Jake attempted Joey’s big ten footer anyway and while it was way too big for him, the boy surfed! and I didn’t get any pictures! but that’s not why he likes it anyway.

Unlike the reef beaches we’d been surfing on this one has a soft sandy bottom, so I was really looking forward to surfing myself but between my cracked board, and Jonas’ foul mood, I wasn’t up for it. Instead I boogie boarded with Jewel for a while and then set off to get a few photos.

I walked over closer to this fence thinking I could try to get a shot of Diamondhead through a chainlink.
And after I get one uninspiring picture that way I look down and see these guys sleeping right in front of me!
Two Hawaiian Monk Seals. Funny how my mood instantly brightened.

There was a man there from a monk preservation society who was making sure no one molested them, and to answer any questions people may have, and to just basically educate. While most people spent a couple minutes taking pictures, and then going back to the beach, Jewel stayed there for probably forty five minutes just soaking up everything he had to say and waiting for this Dad and his Daughter to wake up. They never did, but it was still exciting to be so close to these guys in their natural habitat. The thing Jewel remembers most was the story of how the big one (Dad) got bit by a shark and was able to make himself stop bleeding. Apparently they have a way of cutting off blood flow to wounded areas. Pretty cool.

White Plains gets a two thumbs up but I would definitely recommend not going on the weekend.

I like my beaches a little less crowded.

Diamond Head on Dwellable

Mauna Lahilahi

Mauna Lahilahi translates to “Thin Mountain”, and according to the locals this is the World’s smallest mountain. A couple months back I said I wanted to hike that mountain and ever since then every time we drive by it Jewel says, “Man, I really want to hike that mountain”. Now I don’t know if she’s saying that because she heard me say it or because it’s just screaming to be climbed, but today we decided was the day.

I did a brisk walk this morning up to the water tower and back, then figured we’d spend the afternoon at the beach. But then we remembered it was Sunday and since Jake only wants to go if he can surf, we figured we’d just wait until tomorrow after everyone goes back to school and work. (At least that sounded better then we were just plain lazy.) Then by about five Jewel was having a breakdown because she spelled a word wrong and Jake corrected her. I determined she was having saltwater withdrawals, so her and I took off for the beach, but brought hiking shoes just in case.

We headed straight for the mountain, and after walking almost all the way around it I had to ask a local on the beach how to get to the trail to go to the top. There’s a few paths but nothing that looked like an official hiking trail. Basically it was just find your own way up the mountain.

About half way up we were treated to gorgeous views of Maunalahihi Beach Park and Waianae Valley

We trudged along pretty good, really enjoying the easy challenge of the rocks

And then we hit a vertical wall and thought we were done, but we weren’t ready to give up yet and after a lot of debate we made the decision to tackle it.

I was very scared to climb it for a few reasons. One: Not a soul except the homeless man on the beach knew where we were. Two: My daughter is only eight years old. Three: We’re in bathing suits

Carry on.

We made it up the wall and then our adrenaline was through the roof! Jewel was thanking me for bringing her on this hike, saying she wanted to remember this moment forever, and that this was a GREAT day. I’m thinking the same things, but I’m also thinking: Holy crap…where did I bring my baby? What if she slips? Hawaiian rocks are infamous for giving way and killing hikers. What if I fall?  What if it gets dark?

  l’m literally shaking at this point and she’s all “Look…sailboats!”

Looking inland offered perfect views of our valley. Top left are The Towers which is near our condo.

We walk a little more and then get to another vertical rock wall that I’m frankly too ill prepared too conquer. I had planned on looking for the geocache hidden at the summit, but considering our situation and my inexperience with this mountain we decided to turn back. I want to try it again when I have some pants on and maybe with someone that’s done it before, or at least without my baby. I could never live with myself if something happened to her and I already felt like we accomplished what we wanted to do. It was MUCH harder and scarier than I thought it would be, and am actually extremely proud of what us girls accomplished today.

One thing I didn’t expect on our way down though, was to get lost.

Can you see the trail in this picture? Yeah…neither could we.

We ended up going down the wrong rocks and having to climb back up and around. At this point Jewel’s starting to get a little worried, and it’s funny….her fears kicked me into power mode. I had to let my fears go and assure her we would get down safely, and before dark.

Then because we didn’t take the same route down we passed our water bottle I set down to free up my hands, so Jewel happily climbed back up to retrieve our water.

After our hike we walked down to Turtle Beach

Where we enjoyed a sunset swim and snorkel

Hawaii. Never a bad day.

Mauna Lani Point on Dwellable

photowalk

 

Across the street from our complex is a botanical garden…of sorts. It’s actually empty land that two retired guys decided to garden, but it is a pretty garden, none the less. I finally decided one morning to go out specifically to get pictures of the flowers. I took my 50mm lens and was hoping for great things. I did not get anything great. It’s been a month since then, as are all the pictures I’m posting today, and was the beginning of me making a real effort to learn how to use my camera. I get the shutter speed and focal point, although it still takes me a few minutes to get them adjusted good. I mostly remember to set my ISO and almost never forget the white balance. My main focus  right now is my area of focus. My lens seems to fall right below of where the focus should be, AND I cannot stand still to save my life. I hate tripods but if I want to get any better I’m going to have to start using one.

 

 

A couple days later Jewel joined me for another photo walk, this time in the late afternoon, though, so we had a much different light, and as far as I was concerned….I had a much better model. I hadn’t intended to take pictures of Jewel but when she’d pick up sweet smelling plumeria flowers and put them in her beautiful blond hair, how could I resist?

While Jewel took this picture of a yellow flower, I’d take pictures of her taking picture of said flower.

If she captured the spikes on one plant, I’d capture her…..well, she did get a little sick of it.

But most of the time she’s a good sport about having me take her picture. She’s even starting to actually try to model now. She thinks about her smile and her stance, and always looks to put herself in the best light. Much like she tries to line up her own shots. After seeing the above bright yellow picture on the computer I remarked about how bright it was, much brighter than from my camera, and she said…”Yeah, that’s because the sun was at a really good angle.” …………..She’s eight!

  

We finished off the photowalk inside the complex surrounded by dozens of peacocks but among the hundred pictures between the two of us, we just can’t seem to capture a good enough one of them. I think I just need to stick with what I do best………….. my people

The Road Here

Our backyard went from this snowy mountain:

To this mountain in the clouds:

 

Before making it to Paradise we did have to work for it a little, as I’ve mentioned.

Jewel found laying face down in the snow was more fun than another minute stuck with her brothers inside.

After finally getting out of Tuba City we were a little surprised to see NO SNOW. We were stranded because of what? But not to fear, there was still some snow left.

Good-Bye Snow

Chickens 101

*New Update Below*

When we got the chickens the day after we got here in Texas, I was hoping we'd be here to witness the first egg laying, but doubted we'd actually be here THAT LONG.
Ta-da:


That poor hen, too, she can't get away from that ruthless rooster. He grabs the back of her neck all day long, briefing squatting on her back, causing Jewel to say matter of factly, he's taking a baby.

We never planned on letting them raise their chickens but now there's no choice. The kids will not let us eat them!

Jewel's even numbering them. We're not quite sure why, even she doesn't know, but it's good she did because from now on the ones that aren't numbered are getting stolen before she knows they're laid. She's going to grow up thinking chickens only lay seven eggs, but until we can think of another way to not get run over by chicken poop, we have no choice!

We're not too sure how these chicks will turn out, really. She spends hardly any time during the day laying on them. Instead she roams the yard being pushed around by the rooster or RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM. If she could speak, she'd say: Polygamy!

UPDATE: I spoke with Jewel about gathering any and all new eggs for our consumption, and explained to her that we'd be buying them from the store anyway so why not use our own. She agreed and has now added Official Egg Collector along with her duties as Official MailGirl

Two Men in the Desert

Jewel made a little movie the other night on small notepad paper, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you guys. There's eight frames, from left to right, top to bottom.

There's two guys stranded in the desert, trying to survive. One punches the other, he flies up in the air and lands on the cactus. Then they go running, argh! The one guy climbs up the mountain with an American flag and he gets too close to the sun causing it to catch on fire. They keep running, it burns bigger, and then the sun goes down and out comes the moon....and the snow. The two guys make up in the snow and build a snowman together. The End.

Reality check

Hanging out in the jacuzzi with Jewel yesterday:

Jewel: What's that? (pointing to my chest)
Me: A mole
Jewel: What's that? (pointing to my chin)
Me: Since it's on my face, it's a beauty mark. That means I'm beautiful.
Jewel: Well....you're not really that beautiful.
Jewel: You're just kinda beautiful.
Me: Oh, are you beautiful?
Jewel: Yaaaaaaaaaahhh

And I thought I liked her.

Not all smiles for everyone

Brown Trout
Originally uploaded by jakesmome.

While the bus was full of excitement today over Joey's latest catch, one member was oddly missing. I found Jonas in my bed crying over the fact that Dad didn't catch and release this time. I won't be surprised if this big hearted kid of ours turns vegan. He freaked out once when Joey caught a grasshopper and pulled his wings off to throw it on the lake for fish bait, I don't know why I didn't see it coming today. Poor kid. Jewel made it up to him by finding a claw to give him to add to his collection.

All is right in his world again.