Day 1 continued

After visiting Pearl Harbor we went to the by shuttle to the Aviation Museum that is not far away and located on a military base. We were told not to take pictures on our way into the museum and for some reason I guess we just got so busy reading the history and looking at the displays that we forgot to take pictures inside.

Then we drove our rental car up to the Nuuanu Pali look out - it is north of Honolulu and higer up in the mountains. This picture of the plaque was taken by Jim on the day that they were there after we came home. The afternoon when we visited the place the wind was blowing in a gale - I feared my skirt might not stay in its proper position so I just had to grab it and hold it down. It was also much cooler up there and I wished for a sweatshirt that I didn't have with me. ( Learned right then that one should always go prepared with a sweatshirt.)

On Nov. 18, 2009 we arrived in HI in the afternoon. Jim & Myrna met us at the airport, guided us to the shuttle that would take us to the car rental place and then guided us to our hotel in Waikiki.

The next day Helmut and I struck out on our own to visit the most important historical spot in HI - PEARL HARBOR. With the map and the good road signs we were able to find it without trouble.

The Common Myna bird is very frequently seen all around the place.

















The park area of Pearl Harbor has many items used during the II WW on display. So we used our waiting time before viewing the Arizona Memorial to inspect all of the out door displays.

Before being taken to the Arizona memorial by a cruise boat we were able to view a video and hear some one tell a little of the history of the attack.

It is time for a new post - I see the last one is really old. The picture uploader doesn't seem to want to function so I may not get any thing to post.

We had a very enjoyable trip to HI and if or when this thingy will work I'll post some details of our travels along with the pictures.

Trip to Lac Lu Continued

When the family finally arrived at the cabin we enjoyed a lovely visit with them. It was really nice getting acquainted with the great nephew for the first time. Uncle Helmut did a little swimming ( he is part polar bear ) but it was a little too chilly for any of the rest of us to desire to take a dip.

Most of the time was spent visiting. Hanna and Jean had a little wallk around the property and U. Helmut did a few walks and looked for wild life to "shoot" with the camera. He "shot" one squirrel.

Hanna and Chris prepared us a very nice supper and we dined inside because it was getting dark and too cool to enjoy the deck.

Our plan had been to canoe back to the mainland before dark but that didn't work out. Hanna and Chris took us back in the motor boat and Helmut held the canoe by a rope and it floated back behind the motor boat. At the dock Helmut took the canoe to a beach area to beach it because it was closer to where he could bring the car to. It was totally dark by this time. We unloaded all the stuff on to the floating dock and then it was my turn to disembark. This is always a major feat in the very best situation. Well, because it was dark and the dock was rocking back and forth or up and down or perhaps both I missed my footing with the right leg and scrapped the front of my chin big time. I've spared you by not showing the picture of how it looked. We got packed up and on the road as quickly as possible and at the first gas station picked up a bag of ice for me to use to retard the swelling.

Nearly three weeks later it is fairly well healed.

Day Outing to Lac Lu

On Sept. 26. 2009 Hanna invited us to come to the cabin for a visit with Chris, Cortney and Caleb. We drove out in the morning and met them at the Pineridge restaurant on the highway where we had some lunch. Then on to Bennet's marina where Hanna keeps her boat and we could park.

We had brought our canoe so decided to canoe across to the cabin. It took us about half an hour to make the crossing - it was a little windier than expected but we made it safely. See our canoe tied up at the dock.

We waited, anticipating the arrival of Hanna, Chris, Cortney & Caleb; then we waited some more and longer yet. Finally Helmut spotted them coming with the motor boat.

At last they arrived - just a few hold ups back at Bennet's. No problems in the crossing.

The Beauties of God's Creation

Yesterday morning Helmut went for his usual run fairly early. when he passed the local lake he saw several pairs of Canada geese with gosslings. Later in the morning he went back with the camera to take their pictures but they had wondered further away onto private property where he couldn't get close enough to take their pictures. However, he saw this muskrat near the water and this female Redwing Black bird so got some good shots (with the camera) of them. Then he saw the Mallard ducks and the Pelicans on the lake.


There was a flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting in our apple trees all day so here are some shots of them.

Time for a change of post. This is a lily from my garden of last summer. They are hardly out of the ground yet this spring. I was looking for a peaceful picture to go with this post and this is what I came up with.

This has been a week of a major crisis in the family and those who know us best have heard about it.

Here are some of the thoughts that the Lord gave me during the initial shock and since then as comfort and encouragement.

Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
With a meditation WORTHY DEVOTIONS from Dec. 19, 2008 called GO DOWN. ( It happened to be posted on a daily bulletin of a Christian school on Mon. May 25). It was about the captain of a submarine who was unaware of the storm on the surface of the ocean because in the deep water it was calm.

"..He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul..." Psalm 23:2 & 3.

"Peace be still" Mark 4:39

"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding...." Proverbs 3:5

Excursion to Narcisse Snake Dens

The largest natural garter snake dens in the world are located in Manitoba. Believe it or not we the Zimmermanns had never taken the time to go visit them before this week.

Due to some folks having hang-ups about snakes we kept our excursion as a mystery from our guests until we arrived there. T. went along on this outing as well as John, Ruth, Hannah & Joanna.

It was a pleasant warm sunny day so the wild life was active. The best time to view them is in May when they first leave the dens or in Sept./Oct. when they return.

T.'s first contact with a snake was while he was riding Opa's shoulders. After the first touch there was nothing frightening about them for T. Opa and T. went "fishing" down the side of the walkway to get a snake to hold.

Cousin Joanna was brave enough to hold a snake.

There are four principal den areas but we visited only three different ones then went back to the parking area where there were picnic tables and we had our lunch there.

A 4th. Birthday - part 1

Read this post first and then the one underneath.

On Mar. 13 - T. turned 4 years old so he had a special day with Opa and Oma.

Opa went to pick him up at his house before his Mama left for work - he was still sleeping so Opa had to wait for him to get up. Oma was at home making breakfast and wondering why the two guys weren't showing up to eat it. We had pancakes because that is one of T.'s favorites.

After breakfast Oma went grocery shopping while Opa and T. stayed at home and did some interesting things like bathing Abby, cracking walnuts and picking out the good parts to eat. Then they played with Lego for a while and finally with the construction straws. You can see the nice tower that they built.

There was also some time for playing Jenga. They got lots of blocks out of the tower before it collapsed.

Oma made some chocolate cup cakes and T. licked the batter off the beaters - he got a little beard from the batter so Opa made himself a beard to match.

A 4th. Birthday - Part 2

In the afternoon we took T. to the park to do some tobogganing. As you can see we basically had two slides to ourselves most of the time. It was a beautiful day just cold enough for good ice and warm enough that you could stand around and not get cold. ( very important for Oma) Those sliders that were running back and forth all the time didn't have time to get cold, in fact Opa got too warm.

1. - Two guys climbing up to the top of the slide.
2.- All set to go.
3.- On the way down.
4.- T. at the end of the run. His little toboggan slides real well.
5.- Opa has to use his hand to help get to the end of the run.

After about an hour and a half T. was tired and wanted to go back home. Oh, by the way Oma slid down with Opa twice but getting up from the toboggan at the end of the run was super difficult.

6.-Time for a icicle treat after we got back home. Opa is getting one from the front of the house. These are "natural Popsicles" made from melted dripping roof snow.
7.- T. is eyeing up his treasure.
8.- Trying out the icicle for flavor. Sorry about the double take.
9.- After supper of mac and cheese we had chocolate cup cakes. T. helped Oma decorate them .