Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Police Escort


This very kind policeman, Cannon, was obliging as I was looking for a historic site in the mountains of Western Maryland.
He led me to a very famous place. (I asked him if it was okay to take his picture with me and he jokingly said, "It's okay, I'm retiring soon!")
Follow us.........

Ready for a Bike Ride?


Steve and his wife, Carla, had just finished a downhill bike ride from Frostburg, Maryland, to Cumberland, Maryland. They took the train to Frostburg with their bikes and pedaled back down the mountain to the train station. He's dismantling their bikes and heading out for another biking experience. Now that's what I call adventuresome.

Ready for a Train Ride?


This very old train station is in the Allegheny Mountains of Western Maryland in Cumberland---a thriving town in the late 1800's.
Now, it's pretty much a tourist destination. This is where the C and O Canal ends. Many avid bicylists start the trek to Georgetown, Washington, D.C., from this spot---it's a 185 mile ride.

Hmmmmmmmmm....


Well, at first I was a little befuddled when I saw this sculpture on the backside of the Cumberland Train Station, but then I remembered. This is where the C and O Canal ends and mules were used to pull the rafts/barges/boats on the water. The young boy was barefoot, just like me!! George Washington wanted to build a canal into Ohio, but it was a race with the train and the train won!! The train kept going west and the canal stopped here!!

Wills Creek, Cumberland, Maryland


From the train station I crossed over a small bridge to my destination--a very important historic site for our country.
I spotted a boy fishin' while I was crossing over. He was puzzled when I asked if I could take his picture.

George Washington's Headquarters--Cumberland, MD


Way back in American history, when we still belonged to England, the French were coming into territory that had been claimed by King George II. George Washington had been a surveryor in this part of Western Maryland and Pennsylvania, so he was sent by Lord Fairfax of Virginia to tell the French to scram. Well, the French weren't too happy with the news and their Indian friends joined them in a war against England, thus, the French and Indian War. This little, bitty cabin was where our first president commanded his troops.

A Little Peek Inside 250 Years Ago


What I spotted when I peeped into George Washington's Headquarter's/Cabin was this----a single bed by the fireplace, a desk by the window, a sabre hanging on the wall, and a musket leaning against the bed. The fireplace took up the whole wall.
Stop by Cumberland if you're in the Allegheny Mountains of Western Maryland---there is a lot of history there.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

On the Road Again...And...In the Air Again


Yes, I'm flying out of Honolulu International Airport looking for new adventures.
Heading to the East Coast on American Airlines
I'm a "hot" dog in the Admiral's Club.

Thank You for a Very Smooth Flight


Curtis was my pilot for the journey to L.A. and it was perfect!!
He's a surfer just like me, so he knows how to ride those waves in the sky!

Meet Flat Peter


Now you've heard of Flat Stanley, right, the little paper doll that's sent around the U.S. to have his picture taken in interesting places. Kind of like me? Well, this is Flat Peter, a creation of 2nd grade teacher, Vicki, from St. Louis. That's her dad's face on Flat Stanley mimicking the famous comedian, Jerry Lewis, as he played Schmidlap.
Vicki is going to surprise her dad with a book of photos of the funny-faced puppet visiting Hawaii!!

Staying Healthy so I'm a Good Traveler


Drinking water is the best thing for me when I fly anywhere from Hawaii. It works?? It keeps me from getting "jet lag".
And I eat lots of fruit enroute, too. Here I am at the Admiral's Club again. Thank you, Jamie, my friend!!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Have Fun---Come Down to the Market!


Every Sunday morning I'm at the Haliewa Farmers' Market on Oahu's North Shore. I do a children's art project and have a great time getting to know the local kids as well as the visiting ones. Tourists from all over the world show up to buy homemade products and eat homegrown produce. I love having breakfast and lunch in the community tent listening to live music.
Last Sunday at the Tomato Fest, Safiyyah and I were making animals out of veggies. Isn't her creation toooooo cute. I loved the hair!!

Regulars at the Market


Jen and her daughters, Keira, the younger one, and Leila come almost every weekend to visit and participate in whatever art project I'm doing. They love to get creative!! And didn't their animals turn out great!

Tammy Duckworth Visited Me!


There are lots of traveling celebrities who want fresh, organic, local food so they come to the Haleiwa Farmers' Market and shop and eat. Tammy was born in Hawaii, but lives on the Mainland now. She's an Assistant Secretary at the Veteran Affairs Office in Washington, D.C.

BoBo Keeps Me Company


This is my doggy neighbor at the Haleiwa Farmers' Market! BoBo's owner, Jeff, has the Bouncy House so the kids can jump to their heart's content!! We all have have a good time socializing and promoting local farmers and artists.
Please come and visit me every Sunday morning, that is, provided I'm not gallivanting around the world in search of adventure! (But just know----I'll always come back home!) See more about the market at: haleiwafarmersmarket.com

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Full of Goodwill--Grinnin' from Ear to Ear


Donna (holding me) and Kimberly were all smiles as they welcomed me to the 19th Annual Benefit Breakfast for the North Shore Canoe Club held at Haleiwa Joe's!!
The eggs benedict were superb!! And the auction was extensive with lots and lots of local art, surf wear, sports equipment and so much more.....
I could go on and on. Watch for it next year in late May.

Catch a Wave----Ride Your Canoe


This is the new t-shirt design for the the North Shore Canoe Club. I loved it!!
So what do you think of my hat? A tad big?

My Doctor, Dr. Mary


Mary is my best friend and she's also my animal doctor, otherwise, called a veterinarian. I go to her with all my problems and she helps me solve them!! I love her!! She's so supportive!
Do you see Skill in the background? He was the auctioneer at the North Shore Canoe Club Benefit Breakfast!

The Faithful Auctioneer


Skill Johnson is a North Shore icon. Hailing from Ocean City, Maryland, "Skilly" has been volunteering at events for many, many years. Thanks to him, so many surf contests, auctions, and benefits are much more exciting and full of laughter. (He's always cracking jokes!)

Boooooo............Out of the Canoe


See that crutch leaning against the wall? Colleen, a member of the North Shore Canoe Club, has been out with a knee injury for awhile. For the benefit, she collected money for the auction items and sold t-shirts and tickets for breakfast. Colleen is a teacher and will be chaperoning students on a "People-to-People" field trip to France, Italy, and Greece this summer. I hope she's going to take me too!!

Supporting the Club


Skip is married to an avid paddler, Kimberly. He's always positive and ready to smile. One of the reasons he might be smiling is because he's retired, too. Skip was a captain for Matson, a shipping company that moves goods back and forth across the Pacific Ocean to and from my little island of Oahu. Isn't the mosaic behind him beautiful! That's one of the art pieces which decorates the walls of Haleiwa Joe's. Make sure you come here for a meal or two when visiting the North Shore. It's where the locals eat!

Everyone Came---Everyone in the Know, That Is


Jade and her mom, Liz, were at the North Shore Canoe Club Benefit as were so many other residents of the neighborhood---for $10 you got a dynamite eggs benefit breakfast with fresh pineapple, a chance to socialize with all your friends, and an opportunity to bid on nearly 200 great auction items. Check out the Club and other photos of the morning at www.northshorecanoeclub.com.

.........While Back in the Kitchen


Mark is the head chef at Haleiwa Joe's and has been for a very long time. He's always happy and ready to support the community and making breakfast for several hundred is right up his alley. Do you see the plates behind him on the counter? He's prepping for lunch-----sashimi with shredded cabbage and sliced cucumbers---a delicacy in Hawaii!! Mark's one of our favorites!

The Force Behind it All


Donna is the founder and president of the North Shore Canoe Club. She started the Club and breakfast auction 19 years ago. Now that's comittment! Donna's a fierce paddler, too. She's also the a designer and seamstress and stitches up my puppies. See Donna's creations at the website: Etsy and go to: backintimeinHawaii. I'm proud to be one of Donna's friends!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Gidget Comes to Hawaii


Yes, the real "Gidget" is in Hawaii. Kathy Kohner was the original GIRL surfer! Her dad was a screenwriter in Hollywood and published a "fictional" story about a teenager who caught waves in Malibu, California, in the late 50's. Gidget was here because she just reissued her dad's publicaton and is traveling the world telling her story and selling her book. I loved being there when she enthusiastically retold her story of learning to ride a board in an all boy surfing world.
Gidget has a great sense of humor and made me laugh a lot.
Read her book---find it on Amazon.com

Gidget Gets Famous


Gidget/Kathy was named "Gidget" because the surfers combined the words "girl" and "midget". They teased her a lot as she came to the beach at Malibu all the time and was determined to learn to ride the waves!!
This photo was taken as Sandra Dee portrayed her in the movie "Gidget" which was the catalyst that made the sport of surfing world famous.

Quite the Determined Young Woman


Gidget rode a long board, they were all long boards in those days, and it weighed 22 pounds. She loved to surf the waves at Malibu and became famous doing so. She'll be surfing in Waikiki while she's here in Hawaii.
Bravo, Gidget, for inspiring so many young women to take up the sport!!