Before and after the tropical storm on the Big Island

It was a  tough decision, do we head out from Denver into the teeth of an impending storm or stay home... you guessed it!  We got in just under the wire and the tempest turned into a heavy downpour with some wind.  Aside from rain for a couple of days, we had few side effects from the storm (very lucky) and are now discovering the beauty of the Big Island!  The brilliant colors over the golf course at Mauna Lani and the somber blues and greens of the late afternoon overcast sky show the effects of the storms that passed by Hawaii recently.  

A few moments inside the USS Arizona Memorial

Being a kid born in the mid-50's, the bombing of Pearl Harbor was part of my parents lives but it didn't weigh on me except as some nebulous catalyst that brought the US into WWII. Going to Pearl Harbor and hearing the story, seeing the film, walking into the memorial, all hit home in a way that I never would have suspected. It is a beautiful memorial with a thoughtful and contemplative design. If you are ever in Honolulu you might take a short time to see this monument and to pay your respects. By the way, the USS Bowfin submarine is waaaay cool!

Gallery Visit: Heidi Martin Kuster at Ground Floor Gallery

Gallery Visit: Heidi Martin Kuster at Ground Floor Gallery. I wish I could be in Nashville to see this exhibit! Heidi is super creative and always has an evocative point of view expressed through her art. I miss her thoughtfulness in my life!

Cross Country Road Trip

Another road trip? I wondered if I had gone crazy! This will be the 14th trip between Colorado and the East Coast I have made within 8 years! This time it is with my husband Sid and we will pass by the Kentucky Bourbon Trail enroute. Too bad we won't have time to stop and sample!We did find ourselves in Columbia, MO at supper time last night and checked out the "best burger and billiards" at Booches. After finding a place in student parking to leave the rig and trailer, we walked the few blocks to Boochers. The reviews were right, super authentic place and delicious burgers! Well worth the challenge of finding parking. Adding to the fun was the sight of the cook flipping burgers right in the front window and an old Budweiser light, with the horses circling around over the heads of the diners, in the other window. Classic!

Last Light in the Canyons, Moab, Canyonlands sunset

The setting sun reflecting off the canyon wall into this pool of water caught my eye as we hiked down from the upper canyon. I laughed at the green blobs of algae floating as if they were clouds in the sky over the rim.