Heading for Hawaii

I have lots to do in winter and usually enjoy taking the grandkids outside or to the library, quilting, or doing geneology. As all of you midwesterners know, this has been a miserable winter. I spent the first half fighting an endless cough. Now I am just sick of hauling groceries and kids through my mucky garage past my dirty, salty cars. I wish that you could all join us on the warm sand in Hawaii. We are leaving tomorrow.

We are heading to the biggest island in the Hawaiian chain nicknamed the "Big Island," but it's proper name is Hawaii Island. It is so big that it has 11 of the world’s 13 climactic zones—from sandy beaches to snowcapped mountains and includes, Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes in   Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  The volcanoe is so active that the island is mapped into a series of "lava" zones which indicate the amount of danger from the likelihood of lava flow. Both Carter and Kellen are worried about us being near "hot lava."

We will be staying in a low danger zone near the town of Kailua-Kona.  While we are next to the ocean, we are not on the beach, but on a rocky shore.  There are not too many sandy beaches on Hawaii Island becuase it is the newest island in the chain and much of the lava rock has not broken down to become traditional soft beach sand, although there are black sand beaches on the island.  There is a tiny beach nearby, however.

I am so looking forward to smelling flowers and warm earth and that mysterious scent of the ocean.  One more cold day and then we are on our way.  Come on along!