Here's the Sitch

...and by sitch I mean:  Situation. I have waaaay more photos from my trip home.  I can't NOT post photos of Hilo.  It just feels sacrilegious.  I also can't just cram them all into one post - I mean, where's the fun in that?!  So gear up for seeing them every now and then!

Day Two in Hilo began with a quick jaunt down to Coconut Island.

Coconut Island is Hilo's picnic GO TO.  In fact, it's such a go to place that on the weekends you may be hard pressed to find a blanket spot!  There is usually an impromptu game of some sort on the large lawn - touch football, volleyball, or maybe even soccer.  There is an old tower that is the perfect place to launch yourself like a canon ball into the water.  It's the perfect place to go fishing with the kids.  There are some pavilions for covered parties as well but, you better book these early - they go fast!  In fact, I had a really fun birthday party there when I was a kid.  All that goodness set aside, the best part of Coconut Island are it's views of Hilo Bay!

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Photo A Day June

I mentioned on Facebook that I'm participating in Photo A Day brought to us by the always wonderful Fat Mum Slim. The prompt for today was DRINK.

You guys know where I'm going with this right?! ORANGE GOODNESS!!! Bow Chicka Bow Bow.

I've been waiting for this one ALL week.

Since Orange Goodness has majorly been done around here I paired it up with my new favorite 'road drink'. Carrot Juice in a Mason Jar. Oh yah.

Nautie Tidbits :: Land Lubbing Maine Style

Maine has been amazingly refreshing. It feels FANTABULOUS to be between my own sheets again! I've been out of touch for awhile so I figured I'd do a few collages to bring y'all back up to speed.....and then I can start digging into the archives to show you some of my Hawaii / West Coast adventures.

Also, disclaimer: I got a new app which allows me to write on photos.....so I may have gone a little overboard.

Here's what's been going on:

-there was a bad squirrel who kept stealing all the bird food. It's strange what growing up in Hawaii does to you.....Mainland plants and animals FASCINATE me......even though I've now been exposed to them for YEARS. I had to keep running out onto the lanai to take photos.

-major projects were accomplished. An old rocker and wicker chair were painted red to spice up the lanai and an old table and chairs were painted purple to spice up the yard. Fun pre-summer projects!!! Yay colors!!!

-the housemates and I made a communal dinner. Kick butt burritos.....and orange flavored cocktails. Awesomeness.

-belated spring cleaning went down BIG TIME. The ladies and I pulled out all our furniture and swept and vacuumed dust bunnies. I got some nice fresh light weight linens for my bed. I opened my window and got a nice dose of lilac infused breeze. So fresh! So clean!

-please note that next to the vacuum in my CLEAN photo there are some canning jars.....tis the season!!!

I hope you're enjoying fabulous weather wherever you are....Maine is amazing today!

Sunny Daze

You have to love a sunny day. Especially in the Pacific NW. Whenever there is a sunny day here I always think, 'I could live here...'. Then I think, 'Bad Megan, No!' and I try to remind myself how I felt two days ago when the rain wouldn't stop and the sky was grey and the air was cold. Anyways, what is the only thing people should do on sunny days? Why, go to the beach of course!

I spent all my summers in B.C. when I was growing up. My grandparents lived on a tiny little island and had a house right on the water. I used to play non stop....looking for shells, digging holes, finding strange creatures, chasing birds.....

Yesterday took me right back! I walked the shoreline getting squirted by clams until I finally gave in and dug one up. I found some live sand dollars. I found a fluorescent green shell. I played with seaweed - talk about natures camouflage. Best of all I watched a dog have fun. Dogs really know how to have a good time.

I hope you are all enjoying sunny days wherever you may be!!!!!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

When guests visit me on the Big Island I always make sure that we visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  I mean really, I live on an island where the potential exists to view molten magma.  How can I not take guests to a National Park where they can learn all about lava and volcanic activity?! The thing is, although I myself have been to the park about ten million kazillion times I still love to show it off!

I never have the same experience twice.  Volcano is tricky.  Sometimes it's gorgeous and sunny.  Sometimes it's misty and sunny.  Sometimes it's freezing cold and sunny.  Sometimes it's freezing cold and misty.

When I visited with my Cousin Rhiannon it was a little chilly, a lot windy and mostly sunny.  Yesterday when I visited with Travel Buddy it was freezing cold, raining with whipping wind.  Still fun!

The other thing is that the climate changes dramatically.  Yesterday, the viewing area around Halemaumau was miserable but as I descended the Chain of Craters Road the sun came out and the temperature increased by about 20 degrees.

My favorite things to do at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:

Thurston Lava Tube, The Sulphur Banks, The Steam Vents, Chain of Craters Road (specifically viewing the sea arch and watching for sea birds living on the cliffs), Kilauea Iki, Jagger Museum and the Halemaumau lookout (which is currently featuring a glowing lava lake), and a pit stop at the Volcano Art Gallery (of course).

See more!!

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Nautie Tidbits :: Quinoa and Boats

I'd love to say I'm sorry for the lack of posts....but.... I've just been having too much fun!

Since I've been 'away' for awhile I figured the best way to get caught up would be to share some photos from my phone....because honestly my iPhone has been my go to girl lately - Big Bertha has been spending too much time at home.

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1.  I spent a day on the couch (what?  I'm on vacation!) and I decided that I'd go to my neighborhood variety store for a pizza (now you're jealous).  As I was getting out of the car there was a little girl parking this sweet ride right in front of the shop.  I was instantly jealous and decided that I had to take a picture.

2.  Sampling my homemade toothpaste.  I was thinking of saving this tidbit for a post of its own but alas, time is getting away from me.  Let me just say - it was better than I thought it would be!

3.  Boat shoe wearing in March?  Yes, please!  When I stepped off the plane in Maine (that rhymed....and made be giggle because even in my head as I was typing I was saying, 'the rain in spain'....heehee) it was over 70 degrees out!  I was wearing shorts and slippers!  Sadly, it was incredibly short lived.  I did however; get to ride on a boat in my sassy little Sperry Topsiders with friends who are also sassy Sperry wearers.

4.  Aforementioned boat.  Don't be jealous.

5.  I got my hair cut and colored.  I sat down and said, 'you can do anything you want as long as it all goes up in a pony tail'.  (Anyone who has tried to secure an anchor in the middle of the night with hair that is just slightly too short for a pony knows that they will never, ever have hair too short for a pony again!)  The sylist says, 'I think we need to give you a more mature length'.  To which I responded, 'You mean, you don't think I should have hair that makes me look like a sixth grader who loves horses?'.......and then she cut off six inches.  (I'm still deciding if this should count as my 'something sassy' on my 30x30 list (#8).  I decided I'd wait till I'm home in Hilo to run it past my Mom first.)

6.  I made a Quinoa salad.  With beets, oranges, almond slices and mint topped with honey goat cheese.  I personally thought it was quite yummy.  Please note that next to the dish of quinoa is an orange goodness.  Hells yah.  Funny story about the Quinoa (welll...I guess I'll let you be the judge on the funny factor).  I was having trouble with the ratio of Quinoa to water - I was following the instructions of a recipe that I had found online but was modifying.  My housemate walked in and I decided to ask her opinion.  She was all - just do the same thing you do when you're cooking rice....and then I was all - who the hell knows how to cook rice in a pot?!  Don't you have a rice cooker?!  Seriously folks.  Who doesn't own a rice cooker?!  My Mom doesn't because she thinks cooking in aluminum is terrible.....valid enough reason.  I however; bought trader joes rice in little bags that I can microwave because the thought of cooking rice in a pot makes me cringe.  If you've never used a rice cooker I seriously recommend it.  (I was going to write a whole post about this...aren't you glad I didn't?!)

7.  The yummiest breakfast burrito ever.  I thought it was so yummy that I actually emailed a photo of it to TravelBuddy.

8.  This is my friends dog named Diego.  As far as dogs go I like this one a lot.  This is his little toy named Elmer.  My friend will say, 'Diego, go get Elmer!'.  I can't tell you how funny I thought this was.

9.  Confession:  I'm addicted to Gossip Girl.  I know, right?!  What's wrong with me?!  This show is completely bizarre.  Realizing young women around the world are watching this is frightening.  The thought that some of these young women are too young to discern the show is complete fiction and grossly unrealistic is even more frightening.  That being said, it's Netflix crack - don't ever, ever watch even one episode.

*I realize that this Nautie Tidbit post might be a little long but, dang! it feels great to be sorta caught up!

Sidenote:  Thanks to all of you who 'liked' me on Facebook!  I'm still figuring out how to more fully integrate it with my blog but, in the meantime check in every now and then for random Tidbits!