I have been back for less than 10 days and this Hawaii vacation seems like a world away…I guess because it is. Back home it’s cold and drippy and I have battled a bad cold and eventually won.
I just spent a good part of the day sorting through hundreds of photos so that I could print some for a photo book for Kirby, share a lot with my family on Shutterfly, and finish up my blog posts. I am discouraged to find that I have had to edit so many to remove lots of spots. Some were from an outwardly dirty lens (my fault for not paying attention) but others are spots that I can’t clean. My camera and lenses need to go to the camera doctor and be cleaned inside. The dirt really shows up with blue sky and ocean landscapes.
Dan had left for home (life of a teacher) on Tuesday night. Chris and Meryl left for home on Wednesday. The rest of us visitors wanted to see what we could of the island before leaving the next morning and still get back to spend the evening with my father-in-law and his wife. We started by driving up the mountain towards the Mauna Kea Observatories, hosting telescopes operated by 11 different countries.
Do you see that white spot on the skyline in the photo? The telescopes are at 13,796 feet above sea level. The mountain itself rises 32,000 feet above the ocean floor. There are a lot more facts and a cool photo of the mountain top at this link. We didn’t make it all the way to the top. The visitor center is the recommended stopping point for all 2-wheel drive vehicles, especially rented ones as well as for all children. We had a full day ahead of us without including a trek to the mountain top (beside the fact that we had a toddler with us) so we satisfied ourselves with a look around the visitor center. The other photo shows an array of telescopes that I assume are put into service for special viewing.
Our next stop, a couple of hours away, was Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
We spent a little time in the visitor center and museum but mostly drove through the park, getting out to look at points of interest…
…and take photos…
…a lot of which, unlike most of my exploring/hiking trips were of family. 
I’m not sure that even amazing, steaming volcanoes can compete with beautiful family pictures…that is, pictures of beautiful family.
However there were plenty of other arms to hold Kirby on this adventure so I did try to get some photos of our surroundings, especially of the area of rain-forest where we walked. 
While much of the Park is more desert like this part of the trail is through lush rainforest.
This had already been a long day for Kirby but she did well in her backpack.
This is on the wall to the entrance to the lava tube.
Lava tubes are formed as slow moving lava cools to form walls, but the inner hot lava continues to flow.
Leaving the lava tube.
Seen in the parking lot. Should I decide to move to Hawaii, do I have a job waiting for me?
Catching a nap before Part 2 of the Blog.
While the big kids swam and paddle boarded and snorkeled Kirby and I walked on the beach. Or I should say I walked on the beach and carried Kirby. She still didn’t like the sand or the waves. At one end of the beach we found lounge chairs and buckets. As long as there was no sand she was happy. Another first for me. I went snorkeling with my kids and there is video to prove it somewhere. Very cool.
Dan had to get back to work and was leaving this morning so we cut the beach visit short. After he left we drove to Kona and had lunch at the Kona Brewing Company.
Then we loaded Kirby into her new backpack and went walking around Kona. 
This is the dock overlooking the start area of the Ironman triathlon. My father-in-law (who lives in Hawaii and is why we were all here) has completed the Kona Ironman twice and for many years volunteered here. Chris has plans to someday qualify for entry in Kona.
Some of the local wildlife…
…and color.
While the kids were looking in other shops I found a basket weaver and bought a few of his things.
On the way back to our house we stopped north of Kona to catch the sunset.
We enjoyed live music and I got a photo of Kirby and me.
Another day at the beach. Today’s choice was Waialea Beach, also known as Beach 69. Kirby would stand on the sand in shoes…
but still wasn’t happy about the water even with much coercing by Aunt Meryl and Aunt Kaleena.
She preferred refuge on her towel…
…even while everyone else (except Grandma) was in the water.
Kaleena creates a selfie-stick out of a paddle.
Matt rides a wave (ripple?) in to shore.
Chris looks like a pro.
Meryl perfected her headstand while paddleboarding and Chris valiantly tried to keep up.
I took all of those photos while sitting on the sand holding a sleepy baby. She was finally ready to put down to finish her nap. I went paddleboarding for the first time. Eventually I will have photos taken by my kids but for now it’s just my photos.
A group photo before we left the beach.
In the evening we waited for our chosen sushi restaurant to open and wandered around the Mauna Lani shops. It sure doesn’t feel like Christmas here but there are decorations everywhere.
We strolled along the resort paths.
Look! I finally got a wildlife photo! This is (I think) a black-crowned night heron.
Kirby found kitties in the parking lot before we finally went to dinner.
The potential for wildlife photography began with turkeys walking down the road in front of the house where we are staying, but that is my only wildlife photo.
First things first. An island girl has to have her nails painted… 
…and then stay out of the house until the polish dries.
On the way to the beach.
Stopping to smell the flowers.
Kirby gets a good view of the ocean.
We discover that she doesn’t like the feel of sand on her feet. 
It’s hard to get in the water if you won’t walk in the sand. The water was a bit cool at the start and Kirby decided that it really wasn’t for her. 
While Mom and Dad swam…
Kirby was happier in the safety of the lounge chair, although I walked the beach with her quite a bit too.
After the beach trip we met up with my father-in-law and others to see the Macadamia Nut Company.
One of many special nut flavors.
Photos at the gift shop.
…and met up with Katie, Kurtis, and Kirby who flew in from Austin. We all boarded the next plane for an almost 7 hour flight to Kona, which is where my father-in-law lives. I have been there only one other time.
Leaving the California coast. I have this naive feeling that if the plane had to go down it would be better to be over land because you could find an airport or highway or somewhere to land.
There is an awful lot of water before you get to Hawaii.
But what an amazing site!
The contrast between the wet side and the dry side is amazing from the air.
The airport is in Kona on the dry side. That is also where my father-in-law lives. Love those colors in the ocean.
Unleashing a 16-month old after being constrained for so many hours.
She found this grate fascinating. Hmmm. I don’t think she had to travel 3000 miles to find one of those.
Relaxing at the house that we rented. The rest of the family will show up over the next couple of days.
Gorgeous fleece.
Why, it’s Jade! Who else? She’s the one in the Santa hat in the 
Sheep going out to pasture last week. I’ve closed the gate today. The grasses are dormant and need warm weather and more daylight to get growing well again…if they get water, that is. This grass is showing signs of drying out. I hope some of the rain that is predicted comes through.
…a holiday craft project (above) and…
…a photo op with our friendliest sheep dressed in her Christmas garb.
Here are some more ornaments that I made from locally grown and dyed wool.
This is 5 batches of yarn out of the same dye pot. The first four skeins on the top are from the first batch. The next four are from the second and I crammed the tablecloth in that pot too. The rest of that row is from the third batch using the same dye. It looked like there was still plenty of dye in the pot so I did two more batches that are on the bottom row. They are lighter but still colored. 
Here is another view. It is interesting (at least to me) that the fifth batch appears to have slightly more color than the fourth. It is a different yarn. The first four batches included 
I was photographing the skeins outside and out of the corner of my eye I kept seeing this other brilliant color.
The first was a rigid heddle weaving class with four students.
The second class was a new one I developed using the Schacht 
I couldn’t bring 16 different cones with me but I had wound off several groups of all those colors in 8 yards (enough for a Zoom Loom square) each. It wasn’t difficult to separate the colors.
Students learned how to use the loom and went home with flowers and the knowledge to go further with the little loom.
After that Sunday morning class Katie and Kirby and I walked around the vendor buildings.
These are batts of fiber ready to felt…
…on the needlefelt loom that this vendor brings to the shows. Customers can needlefelt the fiber they buy from her for no charge or pay a fee to use the loom for fiber that they bring.
Angora goats are common in Texas and there were some at the show.
Where you have Angora goat producers you’re going to have dyed mohair.
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