Off The Beaten Path

That sign is an understatement at the very least. Let's start with the word "road". I am not sure we could call it that. You don't get to see the "real" Hawaii without a 4-wheel drive due mostly to the miles and miles covered with lava flow.

The road is just a hellbanging path over the lava that somehow manages to avoid the craters, lava tubes, and enormous boulders and drop offs. I did this "road" 6 years ago with Zach floating happily in utero. I remember gripping my bulging belly and trying to keep down my breakfast (which was challenging even when sitting still) thinking it was the longest 3 miles ever. But now that we are two rather than one, I see the road with new eyes. It's pure joy for my sweet boy. It meant getting to have a rare stint out of the car seat and up in the "Grandma seatbelt" for a front row view of our harrowing 2 mile an hour, rock and roll lava road ride.

Then a small hike and the pay off. White sand beach, impossible blue waters, and an afternoon to do as one wishes with only a handful of die hard surfers hanging around.

For Zach it meant the search for more adventures of course. He scurried about chasing mongoose and collecting shells and came upon these abandoned buildings.

One could just imagine the scene here... ocean side, a lava field away from civilization, I am sure some good times went down in this place. My boy investigated every corner for relics and treasures.

But in the end it was all about the trees. There are all manner of crazy, twisted, branchy trees around here just begging to be climbed. This is his happy place.

And this is mama's happy place. Coeur de Pirate on the iPod and rare time to finish the latest J. Maarten Troost adventure.

Worth the trip in every way. And the perfect way to mentally prepare for the bumpy trip back.

The Sentence

Gurly Mule, for the crime of opening the mid-pasture gate, running out of said gate, and inciting a riot amongst your pasture mates, you are hereby sentenced to a haltering and gently led ride around the property with one very happy 5 year old upon your back.

Her penance... his pleasure.

Bathing Alfresco

Jail Break

See these three beauties? Pilgrim up front, CJ on the end, and that one in the middle is Gurly. Gurly is a mule and for the record she is a trouble maker. Tipper over of feed buckets, stealer of sheep food, and this afternoon she added a new title to her name... opener of pasture gates.

Yes we had  a full on jail break and stampede in the yard today. The funny thing is the pasture is WAY bigger than the rest of the land, but the mere idea of being on the outside sent these three in a frenzy, with Miss Gurly leading the pack.

Thankfully Zach had the good instincts to scurry on up to the porch to avoid getting trampled. Grandma ran off to the barn in search of sheep food (it's like cookies to these guys), and I ran to get my camera. Yes, I am oh so helpful that way. Then there was Louie, doing what farm dogs LOVE to do, NEED to do.

Louie ran his little paws off trying to herd those rascals back into the pasture. Ok, I actually don't think he was necessarily aiming for the pasture, he was just enjoying the art and sport of real herding (as opposed to just chasing the sheep in circles around the pasture.) And the part that sent us all into hysterics was my dad, chasing after the dog, waving his arms and yelling, trying to get him to stop. Good times. One minute we're planting banana trees and the next it's a full on rodeo show. Never a dull moment here on the farm.

Turtle Tide Pool

It's all about local knowledge. A neighbor homeschooling mom and her daughter around the same age invite us to spend a day "at the beach". Down the mountain, turn off at a random street. Weave through a residential neighborhood, look for the round church. Park on the shoulder and cut through the trees at the dumpster. On the other side, white sand and broken coral beach, big weathered trees to climb, and tide pools as far as the eye can see.

(A Brittle Star. Zach was amazed watching it crawl up his arm like a spider.)

The tide pools offer endless treasures and exploring and lessons and wonder. And our only other company was a lone fisherwoman and a gang of happy sea turtles.
Turtles play in the current...

Kid plays in the current...

Turtle basks on the lava rock...

Kids bask on the lava rock...

And of course some good old fashioned splashing...

I can see why the locals keep places like this on the down low. It's was such an incredibly special spot, shared with new friends, and now etched into our hearts.

(lunch on the lava rocks)

Lay Of The Land (part 1)

Where am I? To be exact we are in Kapa'au, Hawaii which is on the northern tip of The Big Island. About an hour from Kona and 2+ hours from Hilo. My folks have lived here for about 9 years now (has it been that long?) coming here to escape the cold and crowds of the city of Chicago where I grew up.

Many moons ago, I came out here for a shoot when I was working for HGTV before Zach was born, and I loved it! I encouraged my dad to come out since he had recently retired and we had an old family friend here he could crash with. He hemmed and hawed, wondering what point there was traveling out to Hawaii. My parents are the sort who consider a camping safari to be a real vacation, so Hawaii seemed a little "soft". But he came out and fell in love too. So much so that he never came back home. He phoned my step-mom Lynda and said, "Put the house on the market and start packing, I bought some land." He slept in the back of an old truck and built this place from scratch.

It's ten acres of former cattle land. We're at 700 feet elevation snuggled in no particular town, but between the funky little hamlets of Hawi & Kapa'au (think Cicely, Alaska in the tropics). This is not the Hawaii of coconut bras and grass skirts and drinks with little umbrellas. This is farm country, local folk, old school, dare I say "real" Hawaii. We can see Maui across a small patch of ocean from the front porch and the hills of North Kohala behind us  (along with the neighbor's cows).

This week we've been doing absolutely nothing at all. Just letting Zach and the grandparents he so rarely gets to see enjoy each other. He's been helping Granny care for the animals, feeding the horses

& St. Croix sheep

 & Muscovy ducks (who have the yummiest eggs).

And spoiling the dog (Louie) and the cat (Popoki) rotten. He's also been Grandpa's little shadow, following along with every farm chore from replanting a sick banana tree to fixing the wind generator.

I managed to pack just about everything we own except my camera battery charger, so some of the above photos are from our last trip. I am expecting the charger in the mail tomorrow (I hope) so I will start fresh with some new photos and such in a day or two.

In the mean time we're off to whale watch, rainbow chase, and frolic with a small Waldorf homeschool co-op on an organic farm. Life is good.

Aloha

Adjusting To Paradise

5-thousand miles and 22 hours later we arrived. Over tired, over packed, and over joyed to be here. Zach and I are spending some time on the Big Island of Hawaii with my dad and step-mom on their farm. It's an escape from cold, it's a chance to unwind, and more than anything it's all about Zach getting some rare, raw, uninterrupted grandparent time.

I plan to post as regularly as off the grid, farm life will allow. So I may be here at odd times. But this place is so very special, I can't wait to share our adventures here. In the meantime, we are still battling jet lag. Zach and I are struggling to sort out night...

(we sleep in the "shed". basically the barn where dad keeps his tools and tractor. after creature close encounters of visits past, we requested a net for our bed this time since it will be a long visit and gecko eggs hatching in my hair and spiders on my toes are not high on my list of things to do)

from day...

(papaya picked this morning by Zach with bread made by grandma smeared with liliquoi butter (passion fruit) picked from their farm and made by grandma. oh and don't forget the Kona coffee)

... and we hope our bodies catch up to Aloha time soon.

The Winner Is...

I jotted down all of your names on scraps of paper (twice for those who posted the link) and had Zach draw a name out of a bowl (we're very high tech here).

And the winner is...

Please contact me (email should show up in my profile) with your mailing address and direct email and I will connect you with the good folks at Satch & Sol.

Don't forget you can still use the discount code boat15 until January 24 at Satch & Sol to get 15% anything you purchase from their online boutique. Thank you to all of you for stopping by, don't be a stranger! It's been so fun clicking on your blogs and finding new places to read. Please feel free to chime in more often here, I'd love to hear from you. 

And a HUGE warm thank you to Susan at Satch & Sol for her generous giveaway and for her dedication and hard work in bringing this beautiful craftsmanship from Mongolia to our happy feet!

I am slowly recovering from our long journey and I'll be back later to share our adventures...

...in the mean time... use that extra few dollars you're saving from the discounted slippers and consider giving what you can to help in Haiti by donating to Doctors Without Borders or the International Red Cross. Every little bit makes a difference.

A journey...

...in the words sung by Harry Nilsson:

I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Thru' the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes

Don't forget to leave a comment HERE  through Thursday night EST for the Satch & Sol giveaway or use the discount code listed in yesterday's post. 

The Happy Feet Giveaway - Satch & Sol

The only reason I pitter-patter around the boat happily this winter is because of the good folks at Satch & Sol. After 12 winters living aboard a sailboat, I have tried every means of keeping my tootsies warm, and nothing seemed to do the trick. But ever since getting slippers from Satch & Sol back in November I have had happy feet. Even on the most frigid mornings, when the floors of the boat are like ice, these little beauties keep me toasty and warm.

And for Zach, not only do they protect his feet from the cold boat floors, they are the first slippers he actually LOVES to wear!

So it's a natural that the first ever give away here on Zach Aboard comes from Satch & Sol.
Here's the scoop: (from the Satch & Sol web site)
"For the love of family and earth, Satch & Sol partners with fair trade artisan cooperatives worldwide and strives to be eco-friendly through product selection and business practices.

We celebrate the artist for the unique quality each brings to the collection. The Artists of Mongolia apply traditional felting and knitting skills to create beauty and quality for the Satch & Sol collection. We are expanding by adding collections from around the world where artistic beauty abounds. Handmade processes ensure that no two items are ever exactly alike. "

It's awesome to spread the love about a company you know first hand and truly like.

So I was thrilled when Susan at Satch & Sol offered to give away one pair of children's slippers from their online boutique to a Zach Aboard reader (no dad, you can't enter).  Just leave a comment here between now and Thursday telling me your favorite item from their shop, or heck tell me anything :) For an additional entry, post a link to this giveaway on your blog and tell me about it here.

And that's not all! If you shop at Satch & Sol's online boutique and enter the word boat15 at checkout you will get 15% off your purchase from now until January 24, 2010. 

I'm off in the meantime, on a bit of a journey, but I'll be back on Thursday night Jan 14, at which time I'll post the winner! Thank you Susan! And good luck!

comments closed... check in late tonight or tomorrow morning for the winner! thanks!

January Loving

~using the season as his pallet~

~our new tomato red settee cushions (5 inch foam and ultrasuede for you boat geeks)~

~indoor games of catch in our wee space~

~family drawing nights by candlelight on these dark days~

~watching the Bowline and Mookie get to know each other~

~seeing the last remnants of Christmas around our dock~

~my new appendage~

*** Be sure to stop in after the weekend for the first ever GIVEAWAY here at Zach Aboard. It's a good one too!***

The Big Questions

Quietly he works on it. Tying and tucking and balancing and getting it just so. Then he moves on to nesting. Blankets and boxes and random bit of jewelry, certain stuffed animals, and the plastic top to a box as a writing desk. Finally he extends the invitation. "Come in mama. Come in to my fort, I made room for both of us."

I peer down wondering how to squeeze my adult proportions into his wee world. Carefully, so as not to literally bring down the house with my bum, I shimmy in. He proudly shows me everything and then asks to lie down. We lay on the floor staring up at blankets and playsilks draped here and there. He lays his head on my chest and starts to talk. And not just a chat about rocket ships and germs and ghosts. He lays into me with the big stuff.

"Mommy, does it hurt when you die?"
"How do you know when you will die?"
"What's on the other side of the universe?"
"Why do people start wars?"
"What's a weapon of mass destruction?" (damn you NPR! Sometimes I don't change the dial fast enough.)
"Why are people bombing and killing in Afganerstam?" (his pronunciation)
"How do you win a war?"
"I wish I was like air so I could live forever and go anywhere I wanted."

*Sigh* He's only 5 and a half. I am not ready for this chat. I try to listen more than talk. I try to say the right thing, but not say too much of anything. I try to hold him and hug peace right into his body. But I know that these things are out there. And I know I can't shelter forever. And I know it's healthy to work through these things, and ask questions, and seek answers, and just ponder the imponderables. We all do it our whole lives. But children are the ones brave and honest enough to say it out loud. And I let him know that mommy doesn't have all of the answers. But more than anything, I am so privileged and so grateful that he trusts me with the questions.

One Small Change

Hip Mountain Mama set forth a very worthy challenge for the New Year - taking steps from now until Earth Day (and beyond) to live a greener life. Document it. Do it. Make a difference. We can ALL live a little greener no matter how green we color ourselves. So I thought I would start by figuring out what our family does do right to seek out what we can do better.

- RECYCLING (check - although my sweet husband isn't great about getting it to the drop site on time - oops is it Friday already? We have about a 2 block walk from our boat to the nearest curb where it gets picked up. So the recycling tends to pile up and over in the winter and sometimes overflows back into the trash pile. Naughty. Could do better. Need to plan on finding a way to get to the curb on time each week.)

- CLOTH (check - we use cloth napkins and rags and cloth/ glass/ reusable snack containers throughout the boat. It was a change we made a year or two ago and I am so happy about the lack of paper napkins & plastic bags and very few paper towels used around here. Usually we reserve disposable paper for the really gross boat goo.)

- CLEANING (well... we could do better here. I buy cleaning goods from Trader Joes, and while not toxic, it certainly isn't as good as making my own. I need to start being a mad scientist more and making more cleaning products for around the boat. I also need to convince my better half to try the same on the outside of the boat. Especially since I wrote about it for a sailing magazine!)

- POWER! - (check! double check! We run everything except our air conditioning and heating on solar power. And we try to only use those when we're in the thick of one season or another, relying heavily on natural solar gain in the fall and our 22 opening hatches in the summer to do the trick. Using minimal electricity is not just a goal for boaters, it's a MUST. You use too much, you run out. Period. That is until the sun recharges our batteries and we're good to go. It's a system we had on our old boat and we made a priority to set up on this one when we got it just before Zach was born. I love that it's second nature to him to check our power draw - knowing to turn off the heater before using the toaster.)

(2 of our 4 solar panels. Catamarans have lots of space for solar power. And look in the background to the right and you'll see a wind generator on a neighbor's boat. Almost all cruising/ liveaboard boats have either solar or wind or both.)

- LIGHTS (check again. Nearly all of our lights are LED or fairly low draw boat lights. Now if I can just get my husband to turn them off when he walks out of the room... :)

- WATER - (another big check. We only have 100 gallons of fresh water in our tanks. Outside of the murky waters of the marina, we use salt water (we have a tap for that) to wash and fresh to rinse. Salt water is also used in flushing our heads (toilets, not our brains!)  We are SOsoSO careful about fresh water use. Especially in the winter when the marina turns off our access to water and refilling the tanks becomes an arctic adventure. We literally don't waste a drop. If a glass of water isn't finished, it's given to the guinea pig, or set aside for tea or cooking or dishes. Even pasta water gets re-used. There is a constant shuffle of unused bits of fresh water from container to container until every drop is used. Never, EVER poured down the drain. Even the frost that collects in the back of the fridge, I melt down for the guinea pig.)

- STUFF (check. When you live ina few hundred square feet, every inch counts. That means we choose what shares our precious space very carefully. We feel like we have a lot, but our worldly goods could probably fit in a typical suburban home's dining room.)

(this is the cubby below our dining table and pretty much the sum total of Zach's toys except for a few items we keep out and in reach.Kids just DON'T need a lot of stuff.)

- SELF SUFFICIENCY (could do better with food stuffs... would love to grow some food, but our attempts at dockside gardening have failed miserably. I need to learn to sew, which means we could make a handful of the things we now buy.)

- TRANSPORT (check mostly. My husband drives a VW Jetta TDI diesel with insanely fabulous mileage. I have a little Honda Civic. Then the house runs on wind power - gotta love the breeze it's free!)

 So it looks like my biggie is cleaning products. And learning to sew so we can be a little more self sufficient. If anyone else is doing this challenge, chime in with your goals and blog links so I can browse around and get some inspiration. And thanks again to Hip Mountain Mama for lighting everyone's fire!

2010

A last minute invite to welcome 2010 with Miss T and her family at their beach house. What a sweet way to celebrate endings and beginnings, with friends who are like family.

(Zach plays horsie to Little T while his best friend Miss T and he devour a new book together by the fire)

We all parked ourselves in front of a roaring fire (what a treat for us boat dwellers!) and spent the evenings reading, eating way too much, and generally being silly. We never quite made it to midnight. At 10:30pm the mamas made an executive decision to manipulate the children's lack of clock reading skills and declare it midnight, complete with count down and balloon popping. And then it was off to sleep, bidding good night and Happy New Year to the full moon  over the frigid Atlantic Ocean.

(liquid moonshine over the ocean is pure magic)

The days were biting and gray, but that can't stop the will of children drawn to the sea. With his new treasure bag in hand (made by our fabulous neighbor Super Jen and inspired by Soulemama's book) it was shell hunting time. The wild winter waves and winds tossed a bounty of shells on to the beach which the kids plucked up with frozen little fingers.

And then it was back to the fireplace. Oh how we loved on that fireplace! It was a perfect get away to ring in the New Year.

(Zach and daddy hypnotized by the flame. Fireplaces are the only thing my husband claims to miss about land life.)

This is going to be a busy week for our family... so although I will try to drop in each day, I may play hookie here and there. Big plans on the horizon...
In the mean time, check out Hip Mountain Mama's One Small Change challenge. More on that tomorrow...