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November, 2022: Well Intended

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November is over; I can hardly believe it.  We accomplished much more than I had actually hoped to get done.  Here is our progress.

We did a little rearrangement of the foundation plants.

In addition to the numbered list I attacked the items in this post.

  • I emptied a box from the attic and removed a number of medium sized objects and toys which have now been distributed.

    This box was full of stuff in the attic. Not any more.

  • I added new people to my family tree.

    My ancestors all hail from western Europe.

  • I took a basic foraging class along with Sug.

    We were given supplies to make a little foraging diary.

  •  I also ticked #92 off the list: try Tai chi.  I tried it; I like it; I’ll continue with the practice.

    Calmness is a benefit of t’ai chi.

  • And #37 is accomplished: Fast for 24 hours.  Turns out this was not much of a challenge since I seem to inadvertently do it about once a week.

Now for my November list of good intentions:

  1.  Get out holiday decorations.

    Not magazines, Christmas ornaments.

    We lugged the boxes down to the living room and decorated a tree before Charlie has elbow surgery.  He won’t be able to lift anything for 2 months.

  2.  Celebrate Thanksgiving.

    Apple pie a la mode drenched in caramel sauce for dessert.

  3.  Wrap, pack up, and mail Christmas gifts.

    Wrapped

    Packed for shipping

    I wrapped all our gifts and packed the the ones that get mailed in a box.

  4. Attend an all-day retreat with a study group.  About a dozen of us spent the day on West River learning more about each other and asking the hard questions.

    West River is a 6-mile long tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.

    I wouldn’t want to do this every weekend even though the setting was lovely and the food delicious.

  5.  See a movie. Alone in the theatre I saw Tár starring Kate Blanchett.  While it was very long I was engaged to stay to the end to find out what she had done and what the consequences would be. I also saw Armageddon Time which had wonderful acting with A-list actors but it felt unfinished to me.

    What’s (or should I say “who’s”) on The Menu?

    Then I saw The Menu with Ralph Fiennes, a thriller, which was plenty scary for me. It was in a word: unsavory. Normally I wouldn’t see a thriller but I really like Fiennes. He’s playing on Broadway right now and I’ll have to miss it.

  6.  Start a course at the local college: Art of the Ancient World.  The teacher is knowledgeable and the class moves quickly.  I intend to learn what I should see when I visit Egypt and Greece and maybe a second trip to Rome.

    One of the most valuable artifacts in the world, the Narmer Palette, dates from the 31st century BCE. I hope to see it in Cairo.

  7.  Read a book:  Hamlet by Shakespeare.  I know I’ve read Hamlet before but a rereading was certainly enlightening — I didn’t remember all the characters and intrigue.  The language is beautiful.

    In its 20th season The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is offering Hamlet.

    And I bought tickets to attend a local production next spring.

  8. Organize, store, or move one box in the upstairs hall.

    These plastic bins hold up better than cardboard boxes for long-term storage. I like the see-through ones.

    I moved 2 large bins from the upstairs hall to the attic where things are becoming neater and more organized as the overall load diminishes.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: REMINISCE.  As I look through boxes of clutter it’s hard NOT to reminisce on times gone by and think about what was important then and what’s important now.
  10.  Write a goal list for December, 2022.

Jo

First At Bat

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After posting my new 101 in 1001 list I took a good look to see what I could start on RIGHT NOW! Could I knock a few items out of the park (off the list) right away. (I think the baseball allusion is due to recent World Series play between the Astros and Phillies.  I don’t follow the game but it had been preempting Jeopardy over the past few weeks.)

I always have a book to read.

Happily I can (and must) focus on a few items immediately and consistently since reading 50 books or seeing 50 movies takes time.  I generally have those 2 items as tasks in my monthly to-do list.

We’re hoping to visit Egypt next fall.

Trips and parties take planning so they also must be accomplished over time.

Who’s next?

The very first item that I plan to work on is #30 removing a box from the attic.  I’m hoping to get ambitious and get rid of more than one since I have a bunch of boxes and bins in the upstairs hall which came out of the two guest rooms I’m trying to reclaim.

Maitake is one of our favorites.

I have also targeted #45 learn to forage.  I do forage for wild mushrooms and wild greens most of the year but to the purpose of actually learning, I am signed up for Foraging 101 at our local library.

My grandmother (right) and her sister in 1926. I bet they didn’t know they were part Portuguese.

Finally #81 is work on genealogy and family tree. Recently I have made new connections of ancestors I was not aware of.  I was especially intrigued by my 2% Portuguese heritage.  Now I know which side of the family that is and the person’s name.

I’m gonna get busy.

Jo

November, 2022: Intentions

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November is the start of the holiday season for us.  Charlie works on holiday music and I try to organize and edit our overly abundant decorations.  We have no trips nor special projects planned, just stay home and enjoy the coziness.

Now for my November list of good intentions:

  1.  Get out holiday decorations.

    I’m trying a new theme this Christmas with a new color scheme.

  2.  Celebrate Thanksgiving.

    Time to pull out the Redwing stag — my go-to fall decoration.

  3.  Wrap, pack up, and mail Christmas gifts.

    Some of our gifts are mailed to the recipients.

  4. Attend an all-day retreat with a study group.
  5.  See a movie.
  6.  Start a course at the local college: Art of the Ancient World.
  7.  Read a book:  Hamlet by Shakespeare.

    Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. Act 5, Scene 1

  8.  Organize, store, or move one box in the upstairs hall.
  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: REMINISCE.
  10.  Write a goal list for December, 2022.

Jo

October, 2022: Well Intended

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I felt very energized at the beginning of October then a hurricane hit with lots of rain and cold weather which dampened my resolve.

Even through the screen in the master bathroom the yard is ablaze with fall color.

Nonetheless, I accomplished a few things above and beyond my numbered list.

  • All the wall plates in the laundry room have been replaced.

    All of the outlets now have wall plates.

  • I filled out my social security application.
  • I participated in a Zoom webinar on Medicare Part D — the prescription plan.
  • I got an updated bivalent COVID booster.
  • Charlie and I worked on details for a travel surprise for next year.

Now for my October list of good intentions:

  1.  Work on travel plans for Winter, 2023. I have booked flights, ground transportation, accommodations, and rental vehicle for Vieques island in Puerto Rico.

    Instead of staying in San Juan, we’ll be staying on the island of Vieques.

  2.  Autumn décor for the mantel and tables.

    Dried hydrangeas in terra cotta.

    I’ve chosen reds and oranges so we can easily transition into Christmas.

  3.  Take a day trip.  Charlie and I took a day trip by train from BWI Train Station just south of Baltimore to Philadelphia.

    The Liberty Bell

    We had a lovely day.

  4.  Clear out all clutter in pink bedroom including non-functioning printers.

    Before

    After

  5.  See a movie.  I saw Amsterdam with a cast of well-known actors including one of my very favorites, Christian Bale.

    Christian Bale in Amsterdam

    The intricate plot kept me interested through the entire film.  I liked it even though Nazis are a scary lot.  I also saw Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile which was entertaining in a very G-rated way.  Julia Roberts and George Clooney were fun in Ticket to Paradise.

  6.  Address work-related items concerning retirement .

    The view from my office window.

    I spoke to my bosses and we have devised a plan that benefits everyone.

  7.  Read a book:  The Dramatic Imagination. I don’t remember having read this book before and perhaps would not have appreciated it as much as I do now.

    Love this quote from Michelangelo.

    I understand better what the spark of imagination entails.

  8.  Start getting Christmas gifts together.  I have made a list already and have begun amassing gifts.

    The Aloha Spirit of our Hawaiian trip will surely creep into Christmas gift giving.

  9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: CHANGE.
  10.  Write a goal list for November, 2022.

Jo

Day Trip to Philly

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I am always looking for a day trip that can be accomplished with little money but high adventure, or at least something new to Charlie and me.  Thus I came up with a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from our home just south of Baltimore, Maryland.

We caught the northbound train at about 8:30 in the morning.

Normally we would drive the 2 hours but I checked out the train schedule from BWI to 30th Street Station on a whim.  I was delighted to find that a round trip ticket was less than $30 per person.  Considering tolls and parking, a train ride seemed like a reasonable, if not way more fun, transportation option.

The BWI Amtrak station is not at the airport but is nearby.

Sug drove us to the train station 5.5 miles away where we caught the 8:25 a.m. train which would get us to Philly around 10 a.m. (1 hr 35 min trip) which added to the lead time of 30 minutes means timewise the trip was about the same as driving but without the headache of traffic.

Heading left out of the train station and across the street the subway station is well-marked.

After arriving at the 30th Street train station in Philadelphia we crossed Market Street to the 30th Street SEPTA station.

We got off the subway at the City Hall station. City Hall fills an entire city block in all directions.

We caught the blue line subway to 1234 Market Street so I could get a SEPTA Senior Pass which would allow me to travel on public transit for free within Pennsylvania.

1234 Market Street is about a block and a half east of City Hall.

I had made an appointment in advance for 10:30 a.m.  for which we arrived exactly on time. While I got my SEPTA pass Charlie had breakfast just outside the office door.  Win-win!

We spent a few minutes talking with the Park Ranger at the Liberty Bell who gave us interesting information.

Our first sightseeing stop at around 11:30 a.m. was the Liberty Bell which is open daily from 9 to 5.  We had to go through a security screening every place we went.  It was fast but thorough.

Independence Hall fronted by a trim statue of George Washington.

From the Liberty Bell we walked about 2 minutes past Independence Hall into the security station for the historic government buildings on their own quad.

The upstairs chamber in Congress Hall housed the US Senate from 1790 until 1800 when the capitol moved to the District of Columbia.

Inside the quad we headed to Congress Hall (2 minute walk) for a free guided tour available on a first come, first served basis. (We did NOT tour Independence Hall because timed-tickets from the recreation.com website were required.)  Our tour was led by a former history teacher who gave us great details and stories about the the building while it was used as the US Capitol.

I got “the works” on my rib eye sandwich.

We were ready for a rest and some food so we headed east on Market Street for a Philly Cheesesteak  at Sonny’s Famous Steaks in Old City.

The guard allowed this photo Tiffany stained glass above the mint shop.

After lingering at Sonny’s we walked by Christ Church graveyard which is NOT at the same location as Christ Church.  (Charlie and I had attended a wedding at Christ Church in 2009 so a tour was not necessary.)  Our next stop was the US Mint at Arch and 5th Streets  where most of the coins in the US are made.  It is the largest mint in the world. Photos are not allowed but the self-guided tour is definitely worth a stop to see oodles and oodles of pennies being processed for shipment. No reservations are necessary. The mint is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except federal holidays.

Ben is buried here with his wife and other family members.

Just across Arch Street we stopped to see Ben Franklin’s grave which can be seen from the sidewalk.  Visitors have been able to see Franklin’s grave from Arch Street since 1858, when the church opened the burial ground’s brick wall, and every year “hundreds of thousands of visitors toss pennies at the grave for good luck” as a nod to Franklin’s adage, “a penny saved in a penny earned”. The graves of 5 signers of the Declaration of Independence are among the more than 4000 on this 2-acre plot. Charlie and I have toured graveyards in Arlington, VA, San Juan, PR, and New Orleans, LA among other places.

From Arch Street we could see Independence Hall looking south on Independence Mall.

Looking at all that money left us a little hungry so we walked a few blocks to Reading Terminal Market for a snack.  We each had donuts from Beiler’s and cortado coffee from Old City Coffee.  The seating is limited in the Market so we shared a table with a couple of genial fellows.

30th Street Amtrak station.

We walked by LOVE Park – near City Hall – 8 min walk from Market where we took the blue line subway back to 30th St Station back to the Train Station. We caught our 5:03 p.m. train on platform 5 track 5.  I watched the scenery while Charlie napped on the way back to BWI station where Sug met us.  It was a lovely day and I’d do it again.

Jo

Hawaii: Hana Highway

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At the end of our stay on the island of Maui Charlie and I planned to drive the Hana Highway, 52 miles of winding road, 59 one lane bridges, and 620 curves and hairpin turns. The road takes you through lush rainforests, by flowing waterfalls, and offers jaw dropping seascape views.

While illusive Hawaiian rainbows never disappoint.

We started out early  on a Sunday morning from Kihei to the small town of Pai’a where the Hana Highway begins. In Pa’ia we visited Baldwin Beach where we were greeted with a morning rainbow.

We both ordered waffle with exotic fruit for breakfast.

Then we took a very short detour to have breakfast at Café des Amis.

One of the many one-lane bridges on the Hana Highway.

Then we hit the road.  We bypassed stopping at the Twin Falls because it looked really crowded.  We planned to stop on the return trip but decided we had had enough driving and hiking for one day.

The painted eucalyptus tree grows very straight and tall.

Close up the bark is very individual.

Instead we saw a stopped tour van early in our trip and pulled over to see what they were looking at. It seems they were very interested in a close-up of the painted eucalyptus tree.  It almost looks unreal.

Signs along the way help novices know where to stop.

Our next stop was the Waikomoi Nature Trail where we were soaked from a quick rainstorm.

View from the head of the trail.

I enjoyed the view before we got on the trail but not the trail itself.

Keanae Peninsula viewed from Kaumahina Wayside Park

Our next stop was the restroom mentioned on the Waikomoi Nature Trail sign. This area is Kaumahina Wayside Park which had a nice parking lot and a beautiful view of the  Keanae Peninsula.

The arboretum was a good place to learn about the things we were seeing.

A beautiful grove of rainbow (painted) eucalyptus.

Charlie is standing near the torch ginger to give a sense of scale to both the height of the plant and the size of its blossom.

The next easy pull-off from the highway is Keanae Arboretum, home to strange tropical trees from both sides of the equator, including painted bark eucalyptus from the Philippines and African sausage trees. Admission is free.

We took a side trip to the Ke’anae peninsula.

Charlie is dwarfed by the lava formations.

We took a short detour to explore the Ke‘anae Peninsula which is among the last of the islands’ traditional Hawaiian villages. We stopped to admire the patchwork of taro fields, all farmed by hand. Mostly we climbed on the craggy lava that formed a divider between ocean and land.

Lava rock church on the Ke’anae Peninsula.

The town’s other notable attraction is the coral-and-lava-rock church built in 1860.

The cost was $20 but we never got to use this Hawaii state park pass. (Note the pass is only for a 2.5 hour window.)

Just beyond mile marker 32 lies Wai’anapanapa State Park.  I had attained a pass from the very limited amount available before we went to Hawaii. However, we never made it to the Park or to Hana for that matter; we had had enough tricky driving and knew we’d need to follow the same route back.

Uncle Harry’s is a great stopping place if you haven’t packed a picnic.

Instead we decided to turn around at Uncle Harry’s food stand.  I, of course, got the Kalua pig tacos.  Yummy.

I was very happy to be back at our condo.

The Hana Highway excursion was not my favorite.  As we talked to people along the route they told us we had seen the best of it.  I hate to have given up but hours and hours in the car does not beat time on the beach for me.

Aloha

Jo

Hawaii: Jumping Flea

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Since Charlie and I are both musicians one of my goals for our trip to Maui was to learn about the music .

Our secondhand ukes.

At home I bought 2 used ukuleles and attended free classes and jam sessions at our local libraries.  Charlie attended with me on one occasion.  Our introduction to the instrument left us eager to try something more.

Charlie payed close attention to the teacher then did his own thing.

Although we did not take our own instruments on vacation with us we had the opportunity to take a free group lesson with ukuleles supplied by a local music shop.  The lesson took place at Cannery Mall in Lahaina on Maui.

I took a private lesson on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Then I took a great leap of faith and signed myself up for a private lesson with Wayne  who also provided me with an instrument.

Wayne showed me proper left hand technique as well as demonstrated strumming styles.

Charlie and I met Wayne at a Waipuilani Park in Kihei where we sat on the grass and played.  At this point I knew about 8 or 10 chords so most of the lesson was dedicated to comfort with the instrument and style of play.

We sang and played together.

We finished the lesson with  a rendition of “Aloha ‘Oe” by Queen Lili’uokalani.

By the way, ukulele means jumping flea in Hawaiian.

Aloha

Jo

Hawaii: On Horseback Again

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Charlie and I have made a practice of riding on horseback (or muleback) when we travel. (Grand Canyon, Cuba, Iceland)

Our sturdy Icelandic horses.

The places accessible by horse and the people we wouldn’t otherwise get to meet are a real bonus.

We raced from our condo in Kihei to meet the ATV/horseback riding group.

Our trip to Hawaii would be no exception.  I booked a morning horseback ride with Maui Mountain Adventures.  For some reason Charlie and I almost missed it because we started out an hour later than expected even though we got up earlier than usual. Our adrenaline was flowing!

We met the group then caravanned to the actual entrance. We thought we were there when we spotted Mendes Ranch but we were mistaken.

Our ride was to start in the West Maui Mountains at an elevation of approximately 2500 ft. Much of this altitude was covered by car.  Then we took a really rutted and rocky road to the corral.

ATV riders were required to wear helmets provided by the vendor.

The first group dispatched were the ATV riders.  Those of us wanting to ride horse had to weigh in as there is a strict limit of 230 pounds per rider. Charlie and I both passed with no problem even holding our saddlebags as we were weighed.

Charlie mounting his white steed.

Our horses were assigned according to our size (weight) and experience.  Then under the direction of our 3 wranglers (paniolos in Hawaiian) we were mounted and ready to ride.

The views from beginning to end were gorgeous.

Our guides took photos of us while we posed.

After about an hour into our 2.5 hour ride we stopped for a photo op with a stunning mountain backdrop.

I followed Charlie all the way down to sea level.

Then we rode down to the coastline to ride alongside the Pacific Ocean.

The last leg of our trip would take us from sea level back up the mountain to the stables.

Another photo session was possible while the horses took a breather before heading back to the stables.

I’m not much of a hiker but I do love a good ride.

Charlie was excited to run his horse — a lifetime first for him.  My ankle (that I broke a few years ago) was giving me trouble so I decided to take it easy.  Unfortunately I landed hard on it on my dismount.  I limped for a few days and it’s still tender a couple of weeks later.

I’m still selfie challenged but getting better with practice.

We both highly recommend this riding opportunity — it’s one of the best we’ve ever done.

Aloha

Jo

Hawaii: Maui Sunrise

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Even though we had only arrived on Maui in the late afternoon on Tuesday, we were awake at 2:30 a.m. for our planned trip to see sunrise at Haleakala.

The hairpin turns at the end of the trip (in the dark) are terrifying.

Our goal was to drive from our condo in Kihei to the summit of Haleakala, a massive shield volcano that forms about 75% of the island of Maui.

Haleakala Sunrise – Summit Vehicle Fee 1 x $0.00
Reservation Fee 1 x $1.00
Subtotal $1.00
Total $1.00

I had prearranged for an entry ticket into the National Park months in advance on the recreation.gov website.  The tickets are only $1 but very limited for each day. Since we arrived to the ranger booth in the dark I had printed out the reservation to make it easier. Also there is a park entry fee of $30 per vehicle which was covered by my National Park Senior Pass. With that in mind don’t forget these items:

  •   Full tank of gas
  •   Photo ID
  •    Park registration and National Park Pass
  •    Cash
  •    Camera
  •    Hat and gloves
  •    Towel and blanket

It was a clear night for stars.

We arrived at the summit in the dark with over 100 other cars.

Our parking lot above the clouds.

Happily we were early enough to score a parking place at the very highest lot.

I kept my COVID mask on to keep my nose warm.

It was cold — about 40 degrees — but Charlie and I had anticipated the cold.  We wore extra clothing, hoodies, (I brought wool gloves) and wrapped ourselves in beach towels.

The very first glow of sunrise.

Everyone faced east when just a hint of a glow rose above the horizon which in this case was a layer of clouds.

There is a windowed shelter to protect from the chilling winds.

We were above the clouds at 10,023 feet.  I didn’t notice the thin air until I realized I felt a little queasy.  Apparently I was suffering from acute mountain sickness (AKA altitude sickness) which calmed down  if I sat down.

We were not the only people watching the sunrise.

With Charlie’s support we both stayed for the full sunrise to occur.

The sunrise is reflected on the Haleakala Observatory.

The more the sun rose the more beautiful were the structures on the west side of the ridge reflecting the morning light.

We drove down the mountain and were still above the clouds for miles and miles.

On the way down the mountain we stopped at the parking lot just below where there were restrooms and lots of tour vans that didn’t make it the last half mile to the very top.

Our Haleakala adventure.

Naturally by this time we were hungry. We stopped at Grandma’s Coffee House to have waffles and coffee.  Sorry, no photos, we were hungry!

I was very happy to be back at sea level!

We returned to our condo in Kihei to chill for a few hours.

Aloha

Jo

Hawaii: Pearl Harbor Excursion

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Partway through our visit to Hawaii Charlie and I moved from the Big Island to Maui.

We boarded our plane at Kona Airport for a short flight to Honolulu.

We could have taken a direct flight but decided instead to detour through Oahu so we could visit Pearl Harbor. After saying good-bye to our AirBnB hosts, we stopped for coffee, dropped off our rental car, and waited at the gate for our flight to Oahu.

Oahu from the air.

After about 25 minutes in the air we could see Oahu below the clouds.  I had arranged for a car service, Honolulu Airport Transfer, to pick us up at Honolulu Airport, drive us to Pearl Harbor, then return us to the airport for a flight to Maui, our ultimate destination.

Baggage storage is to the right of the main entrance.

The car service was very punctual and texted me as our plane landed.  After picking up our checked luggage we met our driver who took us to Pearl Harbor National Memorial about 7 minutes away. When we arrived we headed straight for the luggage storage kiosk as no bags or even purses are allowed into the memorial. Ten dollars for large bags and $6 for smaller ones plus tax.

A display of the island and information regarding the attacks in 1941.

Charlie was especially eager to see the plaques and displays at the monument which has changed a bit since I was last there about 30 years ago. We had timed tickets for a 1 p.m. cruise out to the memorial above the sunken USS Arizona for which we queued up about half an hour in advance.

The offshore monument is visible from the park.

After congregating together in an auditorium we were led to our transport. (The movie that was previously shown before the cruise has been moved to another area where it runs on a continuous loop since the COVID epidemic.)

The US Navy runs the transports and the US Park Service runs the monument.

We boarded a Navy ferry where we were given instructions by the crew then took a 15 minute ride to the USS Arizona.

Our boat came alongside the dock where we disembarked.

We unloaded from the ferry before it filled up again with visitors from the prior run.

A monument to “a day that will live in infamy”.

Charlie was clearly moved by this very reverent monument to the men who were killed and still buried here.  The Park Rangers did a great job answering questions and telling interesting facts about what has happened during and since World War II.

A final look at Honolulu and Diamondhead from the runway.

After about half an hour we lined up to catch the ferry back to land.  We toured through the gift shop and claimed our luggage from the storage building.  I notified our car service that we were ready to be picked up and returned to Honolulu Airport where we checked our luggage and flew to Maui.

The USS Arizona Memorial (in the center of the photo) is almost invisible from land.

Although the detour to Oahu was logistically tricky and added about $175 to our overall trip, both Charlie and I were happy to have had the experience together.

Aloha

Jo