Hulu, I love you so hard...

I've recently become addicted to Hulu.  Hulu is a website that streams television shows and movies free of charge with minimal commercial interruption.  It's great!  Some of my favorite shows are on Hulu and the content keeps growing!  It's nice to have on in the background while I'm working and a good way to catch up on missed episodes.

Quick Dinner...

I did my spin on breakfast for dinner.  I made hard-boiled eggs, salmon pate, and potato latkes with blackberry jam.  It turned out well.  If I make it again, I'd like to add fresh fennel fronds and green onions as a garnish, substitute smoked salmon for canned salmon, and add a dollop of sour cream lightly sweetened with a pinch of brown sugar.

Sunshine...

Last night I was going through my cupboards searching for a midnight snack.  That's when I came across two things that have followed me around from place to place since I've branched out on my own.  Originally a gift from my mother (I think), these two things have been packed up and unpacked at least half a dozen times.  They've been my constant companions longer than any of my former roommates have.  They stood as silent sentinels, watching over the battles won and lost in the kitchen.  That is... until last night.

Let me first back track a little.  For some reason, I developed a stigma to Jell-o.  Maybe it was too many Jell-o shots in college, a fear that I too would develop a food allergy to artificial food colorings as my sisters, or the memory of a botched romantic experiment – I don't know.  But while I was in Hawaii, I attended a barbeque at Renee and Calvin's house and they had a Jell-o dessert with Mandarin orange slices embedded in it.  At first it didn't register at all.  My stigma was in full swing and did a wonderful job of cloaking it from my sight.  Then I noticed Azalea going back for more.  She must have gone back six times before I decided to try it.  AND I LIKED IT!  I was fully prepared to let some inner dessert snob sensibility take over, politely choke down the portion I dipped for myself out of curiosity, and vow once more never to touch the stuff.  This was not the case.  I really enjoyed the freshness and lightness of the dessert that had just a touch of citric acid pucker.

Seeing the can of Mandarin orange slices and the box of Jell-o in my cupboard last night after the barbeque was like having new eyes!  So, I made the super easy dish and this morning I sat in sunshine and ate some.  It was like I was putting little bits of sunshine in my mouth, a perfect way to celebrate the coming Spring. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

I don't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  I actually don't really leave the apartment either for fear of having someone spew and puke up green beer on my shoes, which has happened in the past.  (I wonder if that's an actual phobia? Maybe, Viridis-matera-vomito-incumbo-pedesphobia?) For those of you who do celebrate, enjoy the photo of Azalea holding a clover taken in Hawaii, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Thicket...

Above:  The Briar Wood (1890) by Sir Edward Burne Jones.

Being gone so long, has definitely had its repercussions.  The weeds have sort of grown up and turned into a seemingly impassible thicket.  I have to remind myself to take things one step at the time to get through everything that has piled up.  

I've just started to tech edit Cynthia's book, Enchanted Adornments.  Did I mention how AWESOME it is?  My goal as the tech editor is to catch anything that might have slipped by my very keen sister, and to support her in whatever capacity that I can and help her make her vision come to fruition as she has imagined it.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried.  I want to do a really excellent job.  With time working against me, it's hard not to stress a bit.  I have to remind myself how devoted I am to the project and how much I want the book to be successful.  When I think of that, it seems to lighten the load a bit.  I am truly excited about the book and can't wait for people to get ahold of it!

I'm also trying to finish up the charms for the Charm Club.  Everyone has been so patient and understanding.  When I think of how awesome everyone has been, I'm encouraged to do my very best!  I've been making some really neat things and I'm looking forward to sharing some of those here in the (hopefully very near) future.

Also, I've just finished up my piece for the Use the Muse Contest that Scarlett Lanson is hosting.  I really like the piece that I've created and put a lot of effort into making it.  When the "Big Reveal" happens, I'll be sure to blog about it and share some of my personal insights and stories that go along with the piece I've made.

Well... enough dawdling.  I've got to get back to work!

Beaded Links...

Art Bead Scene

It's March and the snow is beginning to thaw!  Color comes alive in Red Fish for this month's challenge.

Carmi's Art/Life World

Carmi turns a gift of hand felted beads into some lovely new rings, perfect for spring!

About.com Jewelry Making

The New Lucky Earrings Project is HOT off the jewelry press table.  Here's a new earring project just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

BeadStyle Magazine

Jane talks about her admiration for Brenda Schweder and her work.

Jennifer Jangles Blog

Jennifer has just announced the official rules of the Creative Celebration.  Check it out!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

Melanie ponders her passion for porcelain, inspired by a brass embraced pendant she created.

Jewelry & Beading

Seed bead artist, Beverly Ash Gilbert, shares her amazing creations.

Snap out of it, Jean!  There's beading to be done!

Jean is delighted to receive a surprise from Lisa Kan... what could it be?

Katie's Beading Blog

Bead and Button will be here before we know it!  Be sure to sign-up today!

Strands of Beads

Melissa shows off her stash – a selection of beautiful clasps from Green Girl Studios.

Meet Alethia...

One of the pluses of visiting Hawaii is the opportunity to catch up with friends that I rarely get to see, like Candice Wakumoto and Alethia Donathan.  You might recognize Alethia's name from the stellar reputation she's built up over the years as a lampwork glass bead artist or as one of the owners of DACS Beads.  She has recently started up a blog.  CLICK HERE to visit it and to say, "Hello!" or "Aloha!"

Jet-Lag...

The flight back was incredibly long.  It was totally worth it, but my internal clock is all kinds of whack.  We had problems with our WiFi in Hawaii, so I've also been trying to back-fill the posts that were missing while I was in proverbial radio silence.  It seems like I've been in a bit of a time-warp.  Feels like an episode of Doctor Who.

The Magic Hour...

We went for dinner in Haleiwa after our trip to Waimea Falls Park.  The lady at the gift shop in Waimea Falls suggested we go to a place called Cholos Homestyle Mexican Restaurant.  (Well, at first she suggested that we go to a squid luau, but said that there weren't any parties for us to crash that she knew of.)  Dinner was excellent and a great suggestion.

After dinner, we stopped along the beach to watch the sunset.  I think it dawned on all of us that tonight is our last night in Hawaii.  Tomorrow afternoon I leave to go back to New York and the rest of my family head back to the misty mountains of Asheville.  Knowing this seemed to make the sunset all the more powerful.

Above is a close-up of the sunset.  If you look closely, you can see the wind on the water.

Here's a snapshot of Azalea posing like a statue in front of the sunset.  


It's funny, but when I look at this picture, I'm reminded of the cover of Island of the Blue Dolphins.  

Above is a picture of Cynthia and Greg.  This is right before Cynthia and I saw a strange shape moving out near a rock in the water.  It was clearly not anchored and looked to be moving.  From the rounded shape, we guessed it was a seat turtle.  Both of us got SO excited!  We both started shouting, "Honu!  Honu! Honu!"  ("Honu" means sea turtle in Hawaiian.)

I tried to get a better look for Azalea on a place that wasn't so rocky and potentially dangerous.  As we stepped onto the sandy portion of the beach, I noticed further down the beach a rock that seemed oddly smooth.  In comparison to the other jagged lava rocks, it seemed to stick out.  That's when I realized that it was a turtle!  The beach had five sea turtles ashore, all in deep sleeps.

Above is a picture of me with the "baby" turtle in the background.  I say, "baby," because it was the smallest of all of the turtles slumbering, but this baby was still pretty big and was probably a hundred or so years old.

Here's a closer shot of the sleeping turtle.  I didn't want to touch it and wake it up.  Azalea was a little scared of them, because a little boy playing on the beach told her that if they woke up the turtles would bite her toes off.  I didn't know how true this was, but didn't want to upset Azalea (nor possibly lose any digits).

Of all the ways to end our last day in Hawaii, I could not think of a more magical hour.

Waimea Falls Park...

The last time we visited Waimea Falls Park, they were in the midst of a drought.  At least all the rain of the past few days has paid off in transforming this place once again into a lush and verdant paradise, filled with tropical birds and exotic plants.

To the left is a photo of Azalea posing in front of a replica of a native shelter that would have been in place when the last inhabitants were occupying this valley. Unfortunately for them, drought struck and drove them out.  (I've seen first-hand how the valley looks in times drought and it's not good!)

Above is a photo of an ancestor shrine.  Offerings of leis have been recently made.  According to the placard, the shrine played an integral part to daily living, as it was the place where the indigenous people would go to pray and ask for advice.

Here is a picture of Cynthia and Azalea walking along one of the trails.  This is the main trail that leads to the waterfall.  

Above are just a sampling of the flora that can be found at the Waimea Falls Park.  They have everything from the Tree of Sadness with its perfume-blossoms,  to sturdy cannonball trees laden with an arsenal of deadly-looking fruit and frilly hibiscus flowers.  Some of the things I have never seen the likes of before.

Above is a photo of Greg, Cynthia, and Azalea posing on the bridge.  If you look closely, you can see the waterfall in the background off in the distance.

Here's another shot of the waterfall and its stream.  Walking along the path was so relaxing and felt as though I had entered the garden of earthly delights or some such thing.  I was amazed by all of many different species of flower and plant.

Diamond Head Crater...

One of the great things about Hawaii is that it offers many opportunities to go hiking.  I personally love to go on long walks and explore new terrain.  Early this morning we set out to go to Diamond Head Crater.  At first, walking up from the basin of the crater was pretty easy with lots of interesting birds and spiky flora.  But it progressively became trickier and the walk steeper, including spiral staircases, slippery rocks, and dark tunnels.  Azalea managed to walk up all the way to the top by herself and even got a certificate to prove it.  Everyone passing kept saying, "WOW!  She made it up this far by herself?  She must be a future athlete!"  In the words of my recently departed grandma when she first met Azalea, "It's small, but it's stout!"

Here's a picture of Cynthia with an iron grip on the railing with a skeptical look on her face.  Part way up, after hiking for an hour, she decided that she didn't need to see the very top.  

To left is a cute little picture of Azalea at the observation deck at the top of the crater.  The observation decks that scatter the rim of the crater used to house canons for military defense of the island.  In the picture, she looks wore out.  I don't blame her.  It was a pretty far walk for us adults and her legs are half the size, but I think she had fun on what some of the locals refer to as the "Hawaiian Stair-Master."

Above is a view from the top of the crater.  It doesn't really do it justice.  The picture is a sliver of a slice from a vast panorama that's really breathtaking.

Fun in the Sun...

Each of us went to bed with a hope in our heart that the weather would be sunnier.  To our relieved surprise, the sun was out and shining brightly!  We got ready and headed out to Ala Moana Beach for a little fun in the sun.  Azalea was playing in the sand and the surf and I was wire-wrapping and working on some jewelry for our neighbor, Kim of JuJu Beadz.  

Cynthia probably got a little too much sun and wasn't feeling so hot, but nothing would stop us from heading over to a barbeque hosted by our bead show neighbors, Calvin Orr and Renee.  The food was delicious!  The company most excellent!  We hung out with Kim of JuJu Beadz, Jamie (Renee's daughter and co-owner of The Bead Gallery), Jamie's husband and business partner, Jason, and a smattering of other bead-makers and family friends.  One of the highlights of the barbeque (besides the food) was walking around their garden.  They really maximized every inch and created a tropical oasis, brimming with inspiration and beautiful flowers.

After the barbeque, Azalea and I went pool hopping around The Hilton Hawaiian Village where we are staying.  She liked the hot tub the best.  Oddly enough we ran into Jim and LeFey of Beads and Rocks at the hot tub.  

We met up with Cathy Collison of Glass Garden Beads and spent the rest of the evening exploring Waikiki Beach and all the little shops that line the main drag, including the International Market Place.  Highlights of our walk around included trying out different coffee purveyors and sharing a MASSIVE mango shaved ice decked with freshly cut mangoes.

It was a good day.

The Drive Around...

One of the things that we always do as a family when we are in Hawaii is a drive around the island.  This time, our friend Cathy Collison of Glass Garden Beads joined us for the ride.  

Our first stop heading out of the Waikiki beach area was at Jack's Restaurant.  It's an  amazing breakfast place frequented by many locals.  One of my favorite things on the menu is their "special biscuits" served with honey butter and of course spam! 

When we're driving around the island, we like to have the windows down.  Unfortunately this doesn't always mesh well with all of the passengers, like little Miss Azalea.  She kept complaining that her hair was blowing in her face and her eyes were drying out.  So Cynthia improvised this head-wrap and sunglasses  combination to keep that sassy baby comfortable and in style.

While we were at our secret tide-pool location, the weather took a turn for the worse.  The winds started picking up and we watched the storm creep over the mountains and down the valley.  Heavy raindrops started falling and we took shelter in our luxury ride - a big, black Ford Expedition.

After the tide-pools, we made our way through a drive thru botanical garden.  We saw a few mongoose darting through the rain-slicked grasses and marveled at the many different kinds of flora.  The weather was still pretty nasty, so we stayed safely and dryly tucked in our SUV.

Even though it was raining, we braved the weather to explore the Byodo-In Temple in the Valley of the Temples.  The mist was so heavy and thick behind the temple that the mountains, jutting up right behind it were completely obscured in a blanket of whiteness.  Somehow it added to the quality that the temple was floating through some sort of spirit world, neither in this world or the next.

Azalea got soaking wet!  But she didn't seem to mind too much.  In fact, she was hamming it up for the camera extra.

When we finished looking around the sodden temple grounds, we stopped in the Coral Kingdom for a quick bite to eat.  All of the ladies working there, dressed in pink moo-moos with puffy sleeves, kept praising Azalea for her cuteness and tried to pinch her cheeks.

After our lunch, we stopped at the Tropical Farms Hawaii - The Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet to pick up some treats.  We love the free Kona coffee samples, vanilla sodas, and of course the macadamia nuts.  They come in a wide variety of flavors from sweet caramel, butter, and kona coffee, to savory garlic and onion.  The rain  finally stopped, but it was still misty and slightly chilly.  At least the rain had ceased.

As we continued our journey around Oahu, we made a quick stop at the old Sugar Mill Ruins.  The story behind it and its closing is actually pretty sad.  If you like, you can read more about it by CLICKING HERE.

Our next stop around the island was Kahana Bay.  Cynthia and I had read on a website that it was a beach comber's dream come true.  Yes, there was much flotsam and jetsam to pick through, but much of it consisted of various seeds, leaves, small bits of driftwood, and plastic.  Hidden in the beach debris were a few lucky sea beans and the most vibrant purple little shells.

Also hidden in the tumble of rotting fruit and leaves washed ashore were dangerous Portuguese man o' wars.  Beautiful and etherial with their electric blue trailing tendrils, they pack quite a stinging punch!  Luckily none of us stumbled upon them.

Although we didn't find any spectacular beach glass or big seashells, we did find a rope swing.  HA!  It was a particular challenge (and quite a funny sight) to try and mount the swing, but was a lot of fun once you were swinging through the air.  Above is a short video clip of Cynthia swinging on it.  You can hear Azalea in the background screaming at her mama to remember to cross her legs.

Another treat we enjoy is fresh coconut milk.  They hack off the top with a machete and insert a straw.  To the left is Cathy in front of a roadside fruit stand, picking out an assortment of finger bananas, papayas, pineapples, and of course the coconuts.

The waves on the North Shore are INTENSE!  Some of them are easily 20 to 30 feet high.  Perhaps it's a surfer's paradise, but I can hardly swim and look at the giant waves with a mixture of awe and fear.

For the sunset, we stopped at Sunset Beach.  Unfortunately, it was still pretty misty out  and not much of a sunset could be seen.  Above is a video of the surf and rough waters.  (I wouldn't necessarily suggest this beach as it's kind of sketchy.  They might do well to rename it, Bottle Cap Beach.  The homeless there drink a lot out of brown paper bags, and from the evidence left behind are... quite randy.)

It was getting dark by the time we got to Haleiwa.  It's a cute little town, with lots of surfers, boutiques and restaurants.  We stopped in at a Thai food restaurant called, Haleiwa Eats.  The food was pretty good – a little salty, but still very tasty.  Azalea was having fun playing with the fan that Cathy Collison got for her at the Temple earlier in the day.

We snaked our way through the dark night, heading back to our hotels.  It was a great day for keeping up traditions and continuing to explore new places.  We were happy to share the day with Cathy and to do the drive around.

Fleeting Moments...

Today was the last day of the show.  It was busy and bustling and I got to see a lot of my favorite customers that I met this past September.  (Hey Donna!  Hey Susan!)  I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little sad that the show is over.  The great thing about bead shows is that they are not only a place to find beads, but a meeting place of creative minds.  I love the fact that people from all different levels, walks of life, and a variety of approaches can meet, talk, design, and most importantly... laugh together.  How apt that the show should be on Oahu!  Oahu means in Hawaiian, "The Gathering Place."  

It's hard to really capture the energy that goes into a really good show.  It's kind of like trying to capture a sunset.  No matter how good the photo, it never really captures everything.  It doesn't capture how your heart races, the smell of the sea in the air, or how you're swept up in what feels like a miracle.  The above picture was taken after the show closed up, as we walked along the beach behind our hotel.  It felt like sort of an "Aloha!" to our friends at the show, goodbye, hello, and I love you!

Luckily we were able to have dinner and make plans for our remaining days here in Hawaii with our friend, Cathy Collison of Glass Garden Beads.  She's got an amazing line of bottle cap beads that are domed out and soldered together.  To the left is a picture of her posing with the GIANT pitcher of Kirin beer that they brought to the table at the Japanese restaurant.

The Penguins...

The photo depicts perhaps part of the inspiration behind Azalea's penguin dance.  Although they are cute, feeding time at 6 AM with much squawking and wheezy shrieks (that sound a lot like several loud asthmatic attacks) can be a bit much!

Super Cute...

One of our friendly neighbors at the show named Terra, who works at DACS beads, brought along her daughter, Cris-Lynn.  Her and Azalea instantly clicked and became fast friends.  Azalea started calling her, "Little Sister."  Here's a little video clip of them behind our booth at the show doing the "Penguin Dance".  THEY WERE SO CUTE!  (If you're trying to decipher what Cris-Lynn is talking about, she was pointing out that there were two cameras going at once.  Cynthia was also taking her own video of the Penguin Dance.)

Small Things...

Hawaii is a very magical place.  When I say, "magical" I don't mean it in the Harry Potter sort of way, but in a sense that there is a deep connection with the primal forces of nature and seemingly has a living mythology playing out in a rich abundance of folklore and old wives' tales.

But Hawaii is also home to small pleasures that I adore.  For instance, the McDonald's on the island have fried banana pies that are absolutely delicious and their ice coffee is a Kona coffee blend, which creates an even smoother and richer caffeine fix.

The other thing that endears me to this beautiful paradise are the people.  I've not met a single islander who wasn't kind or generous.  Everyone I've met so far has been so friendly and very nice.  I guess this overwhelming hospitality is striking to me since I'm used to City dwelling and friendly glances from strangers are hard to come by.

Afternoon in Hawaii...

After we set up the show, we decided to make a trip out to the Dole Plantation.  It's a really touristy spot, but a definite stop for fresh pineapple ice cream and what is touted as one of the world's largest mazes.

Above is a picture of the front of the main house to the plantation that also hosts a train ride called, "The Pineapple Express."

Here's a picture of the Cynthia, Azalea, and Greg (along with others) feeding the koi fish in the gardens.  

As one fellow tourist pointed out to his toddler son, "These fish don't like to share."  Above is a short video clip that demonstrates just how greedy these little koi fish are!

When we finished up our look around the Dole Plantation, we headed over to Kukaniloko (a.k.a. the Royal Birthing Stones).  This wasn't as easy of a task as it sounds.  For such a sacred place, there's no road markers or clear indications where it's at.  I had to call in some assistance from New York to find the spot!

Imagine walking along a brick-red dirt path.  On either side the vegetation has grown up high and dense, forcing you to either go forward or go back.  All of a sudden, the vista opens up wide.  The sky above is a dark cobalt blue, the mountains in the distances an iron grey.  A mist is moving down through the mountains, adding to the dream-like quality.  To your left there is a mound of small volcanic rocks, piled with noni fruit and coconuts with strangled weeds and grasses trying to occupy the in-between crevices.  In front are two boulders that act almost as sentry guards and a small rock altar in front.  Behind them are two rows of rocks, flaking a path leading through the clearing towards a grove of trees.  At the base of the trees are dozens of volcanic rocks with natural basins formed and worn down.  Some are arranged in what must have once been patterns, but now lay scattered without obvious placement or reason.  Maybe to mark the stars or the cardinal directions?  Offerings have been left on these rocks – bright plumeria and shell leis and twisted figures made out of woven coconut fronds.  

This place, off the beat trail, has a power to it.  You can feel it in the rocks and the stones.  It's almost as though you're standing in the very center of the island, the core of some strange energy that runs deep and primal.

Above is a photo of Azalea posing in between the two sentry rocks.  You can see her little blue streak in her hair.  She called it her "mermaid hair."

Here's a photo of Cynthia and Azalea sitting on one of the Royal Birthing Stones.  It seems like a timeless image.  Disregard their modern dress and this scene of mother and child could have originated 800 years ago or more.

Hawaii Morning...

Our morning began bright and early to the beautiful view of the "Super Pool" outside our balcony.  It also began to the squawking of penguins.  Who knew there were penguins in Hawaii?

One of our first stops around the island was at our favorite tide-pools to hunt for beach glass.  It was much windier than it was in the fall, but we found a few good pieces.

The tide-pools are a magical place, an in-between place where many different creatures can be found.  Amidst the tumbled stones and saltwater craters, Cynthia found a sea urchin.

After we finished up at the beach, we headed over to the show to set up.  Above is a bunch of pictures that I pieced together that depict the view from one of the windows at the show.  Isn't it amazing?