Hawaii

Bill and I joined other family members of Bill's brother Dan and his fiancée, Beverly Turner, for the festivities surrounding their wedding on February 19 near their home in Keauhou on the Big Island. Since we were there six days, we had some time to explore new places and visit several that have become traditions on our trips.

This seems to be the season for courtship. Here's to Valentine's Day and Weddings!

This is the very soft, cuddly, playful Lexie Lou. Oh...the blue thing is (or was) a ball.

Bill and I managed to find some places we had not yet visited, even after ten previous trips to the Island. This was one of them, Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, which portrays and celebrates Hawaiian history and culture. The wall is a heiau, a Hawaiian temple. The shallow water is a fish trap, where ancient Hawaiians could capture fish that came in on high tides and stayed when the tide receded.

The Kaloko-Honokohau National Park is home to green sea turtles, Honu. Visitors must stay at least twenty feet from the turtles, so I was glad my camera could zoom.

We have seen many petroglypys like this on the Kohala Coast in the past, so we were on the lookout for them in Kaloko-Honokohau National Park.

 We stayed for three days in the Kona Makai condo complex where Bill's mother lived during the last few winters of her life. I've always liked walking to the lava beach on the property, particularly at sunset.

I took a picture of this orange spotted gecko just outside our front door. Another one was sharing the bedroom for awhile.

We have some rituals when we are in Kona, one of which is eating lunch at Huggo's on the Rocks.

Another lunch tradition is having a frosty Kona brew and a fresh fish sandwich at the Harbor Restaurant and watching the fishing boats come in.

The Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm was another new attraction for us this year. They breed seahorses to live in aquariums in an effort to discourage people from capturing wild seahorses, which are endangered and don't live very long in captivity--a few months maximum. They have seahorses here that are 13 years old. They are sensitized to being around people. We each got to form a "reef" with our fingers and allow a seahorse to curl its tail around them. Those are Bill's hands.

Beverly and Dan on the night before their wedding

I told Hallie which end of the conch shell to blow in and how to hold her lips, and she was able to get a good sound on her very first try.

 Friends Karen and Larry Ostley hosted a party at their home for family and mainland guests the night before the wedding. Here's Nephew Mark recording the event with his camera.

Bill and Allison, who stood up for Dan and Bev

Dan's grandchildren, Hallie and Mitchel Marker, were the flower girl and ring bearer.

Jean and Bill just before the wedding

The wedding party: Allison, Dan, Hallie, Beverly, Mitchel, Bev's son Jon, and Bill

Bill Recognized for Community Service

I got a call in early January from the Ripon Chamber of Commerce requesting that I get Bill to the annual Chamber dinner on January 22 without telling him why. He was given the Community Service Award, which was more than well-deserved. 

 Bill receives his award from Chamber Executive Director Paula Price.

Jack Frank (American Legion-Community Group Service Award), Steve Barg (Friend of the Chamber), Judy and Cal Larson (Larsons Famous Clydesdales-Small Business Award), Kathy Schwandt (M&I Bank-Large Business Award), Bill Woolley (Community Service Award), Jac Gruenwald (Ripon Commonwealth Press-Distinguished Service Award)

Article about the event and awards in the Ripon Commonwealth Press

Aftermath of the Blizzard

Much of the country was treated to a huge blizzard yesterday. Today dug out under beautiful sunny skies.

Ripon, Wisconsin: The drift in our back yard.

Chicago: The street in front of Al and Mindy's house
This is where we park when we leave our car with them before flying out of O'Hare on our trips. Needless to say, we're happy it's in the garage in Ripon now and hope this doesn't happen in a couple of weeks when it will be parked here.

We Actually Like Winter

December and January brought us monster snow piles. The trucks have been hauling a lot of it away from the front of our house to keep the fire hydrant clear. It's pretty out there, provided one can hunker down in a warm house and enjoy the view. February is blowing in tonight as a blizzard, complete with howling wind and frigid temperatures. It's a good time for indoor projects, and we always have plenty of those.

We made a quick January weekend trip to Chicago to see Al, Mindy, and the girls and to see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind featuring our favorite Neofuturist, Rob Neill, who grew up next door. http://www.neofuturists.org/ Rob lives and works in New York, but he's doing guest performances in Chicago and living at Al and Mindy's for a couple of months.

A Ripon newcomer has taken over two of my Historical Society tasks: Webmaster and Keeper of the Online Obituary Database. The phase-down has begun.

Those are Bill's wood piles and my snowshoe tracks in the woods behind our house.

The Yankee Tipper, with its metal cap, long slippery tube, and spring-loaded base, is the best squirrel-proof feeder we've ever found. The lesson to be learned from squirrels: Never Give Up! This one got tipped off over and over this morning before experiencing the sweet taste of success.

2008.07 Ireland: Bill and Jean Woolley and Bill, Judy, and Rob Neill

Bill worked for months planning an itinerary and making lodging arrangements for a week-long trip to Ireland with our neighbors, Bill and Judy Neill and their son Rob, who grew up with our kids and now lives in New York. We flew to Dublin, spent a couple of days there, and then went to Brussels for a week with Pamela and Henry. We met the Neills on Saturday, July 19, and took off for the countryside on Sunday. We rented a car at the Dublin airport. Bill Woolley did the navigating and Bill Neill drove, and both did brilliantly despite some of the “interesting” roads and signage. Our stops included Dublin and Wicklow (Bill and Jean only), Letterkenny, Grianan Ailligh fortress (homeland of the ancient O’Neills), Derry (well-preserved wall), Ardara (weaving demonstration and purchase of wool garments), Glencolumbkille (historic folk village), Slieve League (high cliffs and a great hike), Killybegs (seaside town), Donegal (great B&B and shopping), Beleek (pottery), Lough Derg (prilgrimage site linked to St. Patrick), Carrow Keel (prehistoric passage tombs), Tulsk (active archeological dig), Kinvara (fishing village—delicious fresh oysters), Kilmachdaugh (ruins of monastic community), the Burren (portal tomb, rock formations, and wild flowers), the Cliffs of Moher (spectacular views), Caggaunowen (castle and Iron Age educational center with artifacts and model village), Limmerick (museum), Cashel (castle—Rock of Cashel and bar where the first Guinness was served), and Kilkenny (fantastic reconstructed castle; homeland of the Butlers—Jean’s grandfather’s family name).

Bill Woolley climbing round tower of St. Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny

Rob, Bill, and Bill...well qualified after this trip

The Burren

Portal Tomb on the Burren

We saw many sacks of cut peat on the bogs and often saw it being burned.

Rob hiked in Glencolumbkille while the rest of us went to the historic folk village. He had the beach and trails to himself.

After we saw MichaelMolloy hand weaving wool cloth, Judy and I bought jackets made from the cloth by a tailor who works with Triona Designs, Molloys' shop.

Father and Son: Sean, 13, was the 2006 Irish fiddle champion. He is also an accomplished penny whistle player.

Prehistoric passage tombs dot the hillsides overlooking Lough Arrow. The drive up the narrow, steep dirt road to get to the trail head parking lot took a great deal of courage. The Bills were undaunted, and when we reached our destination the beauty and tranquility of the place was awesome.

Dooey Cottage (1700 AD) at the An Clachan FolkVillage at Glencolumbkille

MagazineGate, Guildhall, and TowerMuseum in Derry Wall

Cliffs of Moher

St. John the Baptist Church, Cathedral, and Round Tower at Kilmacduagh monastic community

Kilkenny Castle

Christ Church, Dublin
Lake Tae, Wicklow

Slieve League

Trinity College, Dublin

2008.07 Brussels

We spent a week with Pamela and Henry from 12 to 19 July 2008, combining the visit with a trip to Ireland with our neighbors Bill and Judy Neill and their son Rob, who grew up with our kids and now lives in New York. While in Brussels we spent some time in museums we hadn’t previously visited, did some city walking, worked in the garden, and walked to and from Henry’s “stage” with him. A stage is like a day camp and there are all kinds of them operating in Brussels during school holidays. Henry’s done stages on everything from Don Quixote to sports to music. The week we were there he was doing China. We also enjoyed some late night visits with Pamela, who worked during the day but always found time for us in the evenings. We had a lovely Sunday afternoon picnic with good friends of Pamela’s and a little friend of Henry’s at the Solvay Chateau in La Hulpe where bronze statues by Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon are placed along walks throughout the grounds. Henry had visited the park on a school field trip in June, so he enjoyed the return visit with his friend Nicolas.

Many of the Jean-Michel Folon sculptures at the Solvay Chateau feature the man with the hat. The second picture is a clay version Henry made from memory after his school field trip.

Parc du Cinquantenaire, which houses several museums

A building in the EU area, with a banner welcoming Slovakia to the Euro

Grandson Henry as the dragon in the play put on by his China stage