The Volcano

Zach pondering Kilauea Iki Crater at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. From up here at the overlook you can see the active, steaming ash plume of Halemaumau crater in the distance.

The trail drops 400 feet in about 1.4 miles through a rainforest switchback. We were doubtful about Zach's ability to make the trail down and up, but he INSISTED on giving it a try.







The trail descends quickly into lush rainforest. It was beautiful and shady and luckily fairly dry and temperate that day.





Then at the bottom you are literally in a different climate zone just a mile and a half from where you started. Harsh, barren desert where only the most tenacious plants manage to break through the lava rock and give sparse life to this moon like landscape.



Zach was VERY proud of himself for making it to the bottom of the Kilauea Iki crater. We let him know that getting up is a whole different story. But he skipped his way up happily, never asking once to be carried. Doug and I did however ask him to carry us.



Eating some victory ice cream while watching the steam billow rapidly from the crater... there are signs everywhere warning that if the wind changes directions, get ready to run.

Hawaii - From The Land

The ducks are very sly about where they hide their eggs. But Granny knows all of the tricks!



















































































BREAKFAST IS SERVED!






















Pomegranates





After picking and eating a sweet mini pineapple from the garden, Zach helped Grandpa put it in the "nursery" along side the baby cocoa (chocolate) plants. Zach was obsessed with the idea that grandpa had chocolate trees!








By far Zach's favorite thing to do was collect coconuts. It was an activity he pursued with youthful enthusiasm and primal persistence.











After Zach collected several brown coconuts only to find they no longer had juice, we scored with this bunch.

Actually I had to shimmy part way under a rusty wire fence to reach them as they did not fall on my dad's property. The things we'll do for our kids!?

























Watching daddy use a machete was a sobering yet thrilling sight.







And of course getting to drink fresh coconut water was a true treat!

Hawaii - Free Range Kid

Zach loved waking up in the morning, collecting duck eggs and fruit from around the farm, eating the food HE harvested for breakfast, and then running free until the next food fuel-up was required. His grandpa showed him how to make and use a blowgun just like his chuncho ancestors. Thanks for that by the way Grandpa.

So he ran around like a little Lord of the Flies savage boy, blowgun in hand, 10 acres at his disposal, carefree, filthy, barely dressed... just the way little boys were meant to be.


































My dad's place is run completely off the grid. Zach loved that his grandpa's farm is solar powered just like our boat. Grandpa also has a wind generator to take advantage of the nearly always present trades that whip through. He collects rainwater for the garden and animals. And they keep everything simple, low draw, and take advantage of the natural breezes and shade as much as possible. The solar array sits south facing just outside the "guest shed".






I don't think Zach had one indoor bath the entire time we were there. Who can blame him?







Every evening Zach helped Granny feed the ducks, sheep, and horses and of course Gurly the mule. He loved giving the ducks a run and cuddling with the babies.






Free range boy explored parts of Grandpa's land I don't think even Granny or Grandpa had checked out. He was beyond excited to find "REAL FOSSILS!". A huge cow skull, a big cow pelvis (I think), and a perfect muskrat skull that we (sigh) ended up taking home to display on the boat.

Hawaii - Beach Moments

Walk In The Woods

Summer Nature Box

Summer is such a bounty of treasures for Zach's nature box. He gets so excited whenever he finds something new and totes it back to the boat with such care to place in his beloved box. The only downfall is when he finds something HUGE (like the cow skulls in Hawaii) and I have to gently request that said item stay in nature.