One highlight of our trip was our time spent in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. It really blew our minds.
This rainforest path lead to the Thurston Lava Tube, a cave made by lava flow not unlike the Ape Caves we visited in Washington.
Along the park's hiking paths you can see, feel, and smell evidence of the volcano underneath you through the Steam Vents.
The Volcano, called Kauea, erupts at different levels throughout the year. We could only imagine what it's like to see it erupt at full force.
A trip to the observatory at night gave us a better idea.
Another highlight of the park was Chain of Craters Road, a 23 mile drive from the top of the volcano, following the lava flow all the way to the sea. I think we stopped the car every 10 minutes to take in the scale of the changing lava landscape.
Part meringue, part massive drip, I have never walked on or touched anything like it. It was what I imagine the surface of the moon to be like...very prehistoric.
Finally the road bends, and you see the sea.
And on the other side of the car, the lava trail to the sea emblazons the mountain.
You can go no further on Chain of Craters Road when you get to where the lava has crossed it.
They've added a picnic bench to the middle of the road, for the perfect packed lunch experience.
Visiting national parks always makes me somewhat emotional. I love the Rangers and the workers in the Visitor's Center, so eager to help you see the park's amazing sights. I love knowing that we're actually preserving this land, as I see so many strip malls take away so much of it in daily life. I love being flabbergasted at the scale and beauty of the scenery. It actually makes me feel quite patriotic (yes, me!).
The park was incredibly unpopulated, even at the height of Summer. When we told the owner of our Bed and Breakfast, Audrey, how much we loved the Big Island she said, "This island is very special to Hawaiians. I think it's the Volcano". We understood completely.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friends, and please stay cool! Speaking of cool, we saw these wonderful women dance the hula under the bandstand on July 4th in Hilo (click to enlarge).
It was the most inspiring thing I saw in Hawaii. They danced to a woman singing Hawaiian songs in the most divine voice, and a group of men playing ukulele. I think it was one of the best musical experiences I've ever had. I've tried to find out, online, where the group is from (I believe it was a local old folks' home), but I can't find any information. Oh how I wish I lived there, and could join them!
Let's get back to some Oregon knitting, shall we? I sure have. One of things I marveled at, while on vacation, was that I wasn't so interested in crafting! There was just too much to experience. I made this little dress in days since I've been back in Portland (though don't worry, there's much more Hawaii to share).
I fell in love with the pattern. It's called "Sweetie Pie". Is there any cuter pattern photo than this one? As a friend said to me, "This is from a time when children were seen and not heard". So true. It also looks like every photo I've seen of people who grew up in the 50s and 60s in the Middle/North of England.
The pattern book is dated 1943. I picked it up from a local estate sale. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see this garment come to life on my needles. I couldn't stop thinking about all the people who made it previously, so many decades ago.
The back is similar to the front, with three small buttons for closure. I made the dress out of my favorite sock yarn (all the Ravelry details are here).
The dress is going to my friend's daughter, who will be modeling for me in upcoming days, as I write up the pattern for my own creations.
I'm sure she'll look just as cute in this dress as the girl in the pattern photo (how old might she be now?), and hopefully even cuter in my vests!
When we go to Hawaii (and it's twice now, that we've been), I make Mr. Jones go to Luau. I know it's cheezy. I know it has nothing to do with real Polynesian culture, but it fulfills a Brady Bunch in Hawaii need in my heart. It's like a wedding reception in paradise where you know no one, not even the hosts, but there is good dancing:
Previous to the dancing, the Master of Ceremony stands on stage and literally holds up food, on a fork, and tells you what will be in the buffet: "This is Poi. It is made from taro root and is a traditional Hawaiian food. This is Hawaiian Sweet Potato. It is also blue. This is Macaroni Salad. It has nothing to do with Hawaii!". No, it sure doesn't, but doesn't Whitey just love it! We also were offered craft time, where Mr. Jones and I were taught to make fish out of palm leaves.
The other option was to get a "Hawaiian tattoo" (drawn on your upper arm with Sharpie marker). Your choices were a sea turtle, or something of your choice, which also looked like a sea turtle. Or you could learn to hula dance. We chose the crafts, and after a false start in making the darn thing, I was posing around with my leaf fish like you would not believe (ok, of course you would).
My luau dress was homemade, from Simplicity 2178, in a linen/silk from Fabric Depot's outdoor sale. Please zoom into the best shoes in the world, which made a certain maraca sound as I walked, bought at a Portland estate sale for $4. Perfect.
Luau was in the garden of a hotel that looked like a space station. We sat at a table with a bunch of characters: two sweet teenage boys on their own in Hawaii while their father attended a convention on astral projection. They were excited to report that Judith Light was also at the convention, and they had met her. Mr. Jones and I noted that when you come away from meeting people saying "nice polite young boys" (as we did), you're getting old (as we are). There was also a middle-aged male gay couple from New Jersey, who told us, while we plated our buffet, "We're Catholic..." (hard road, I thought to myself)...priests." I almost dropped my poi. They went on to tell us who won all the Tony awards this year. Finally, there was a 40-something married couple, the father bragging to me how unconnected to technology he was, the mother trying to convince the teenage boys to go into the military: "My son is a Marine! They broke him DOWN! He had to write a letter to me like he was DEAD. And college will be FREE", and two young Japanese girls who did not speak one word of English, but who wanted photos with all of us at the end of the evening. When one of the priests took their camera to photograph us with them, he screamed "SAYYY SUSHHHI".
Well, what more can you say.
We were then treated to a Polynesian fire show, and went home.
Success.
This is my favorite vintage Hawaiian dress. I bought it one week before my trip at an estate sale for $5. I was so excited about it that my friend Peg suggested I wear it to work, the Friday before we left, in anticipation of the trip. Mr. Jones shut that idea right down (I believe he used the words 'god awful'). It was fine. I knew I'd be wearing my dress in paradise, in a few short days.
So imagine my absolute joy when we checked into our Kona hotel, the second of three places we'd stay on the island, and they were installing new (that's new, folks, not vintage, and by installing I mean they were laying glue and rolling it across the floor) carpet that matched my favorite dress almost exactly.
My eyes widened, my mouth dropped, and my heart leaped from my chest. I could vaguely hear Mr. Jones muttering "Oh my god, Klein. This is it, isn't it. Your dream has come true". He knew he was in for a lot of picture taking in that lobby.
There was the Hawaiian boat to pose with...
...and the paintings. Other hotel guests did double takes, and a Japanese couple tried to tell me, in very broken English, that I matched the carpet. "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know". This went on for some time.
I was still giddy after a dozen photos. Mr. Jones' interest was waning. "Why are we doing this, again?" he asked. "FOR THE GRANDCHILDREN," I snarled.
"Ohhhhkkayyy".
And though the sites we saw and the people we met were the true highlight of the Big Island, it's not often that you match the carpet of your new favorite hotel, in your very favorite holiday outfit.
Or is it?
I have returned to my dark office from the sun, sand, and lava of my trip to the Big Island of Hawaii.
It was the best vacation of my life. I saw magical things every day. I thought I loved Kauai, but I loved this island even more.
I had high expectations (as I always do, for everything), and my trip exceded them every day. I can't wait to share some photos with you. I just feel so, so lucky.
I used the pattern below. I did none of the embellishments (pockets, collar, etc.). I used a linen print from Mill End Store. In the end, even with the busy print, I thought it needed a little something.
So I added a tiny pleat at the top, very much like the detail of the Sorbetto Top.
I enjoyed wearing it, and I think I'll be wearing it layered with a cardigan and tights through a few seasons. Still, wouldn't you rather be there?
This rainforest path lead to the Thurston Lava Tube, a cave made by lava flow not unlike the Ape Caves we visited in Washington.
Along the park's hiking paths you can see, feel, and smell evidence of the volcano underneath you through the Steam Vents.
The Volcano, called Kauea, erupts at different levels throughout the year. We could only imagine what it's like to see it erupt at full force.
A trip to the observatory at night gave us a better idea.
Another highlight of the park was Chain of Craters Road, a 23 mile drive from the top of the volcano, following the lava flow all the way to the sea. I think we stopped the car every 10 minutes to take in the scale of the changing lava landscape.
Part meringue, part massive drip, I have never walked on or touched anything like it. It was what I imagine the surface of the moon to be like...very prehistoric.
Finally the road bends, and you see the sea.
And on the other side of the car, the lava trail to the sea emblazons the mountain.
You can go no further on Chain of Craters Road when you get to where the lava has crossed it.
They've added a picnic bench to the middle of the road, for the perfect packed lunch experience.
Visiting national parks always makes me somewhat emotional. I love the Rangers and the workers in the Visitor's Center, so eager to help you see the park's amazing sights. I love knowing that we're actually preserving this land, as I see so many strip malls take away so much of it in daily life. I love being flabbergasted at the scale and beauty of the scenery. It actually makes me feel quite patriotic (yes, me!).
It was the most inspiring thing I saw in Hawaii. They danced to a woman singing Hawaiian songs in the most divine voice, and a group of men playing ukulele. I think it was one of the best musical experiences I've ever had. I've tried to find out, online, where the group is from (I believe it was a local old folks' home), but I can't find any information. Oh how I wish I lived there, and could join them!
I fell in love with the pattern. It's called "Sweetie Pie". Is there any cuter pattern photo than this one? As a friend said to me, "This is from a time when children were seen and not heard". So true. It also looks like every photo I've seen of people who grew up in the 50s and 60s in the Middle/North of England.
The pattern book is dated 1943. I picked it up from a local estate sale. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see this garment come to life on my needles. I couldn't stop thinking about all the people who made it previously, so many decades ago.
The back is similar to the front, with three small buttons for closure. I made the dress out of my favorite sock yarn (all the Ravelry details are here).
The dress is going to my friend's daughter, who will be modeling for me in upcoming days, as I write up the pattern for my own creations.
I'm sure she'll look just as cute in this dress as the girl in the pattern photo (how old might she be now?), and hopefully even cuter in my vests!
Previous to the dancing, the Master of Ceremony stands on stage and literally holds up food, on a fork, and tells you what will be in the buffet: "This is Poi. It is made from taro root and is a traditional Hawaiian food. This is Hawaiian Sweet Potato. It is also blue. This is Macaroni Salad. It has nothing to do with Hawaii!". No, it sure doesn't, but doesn't Whitey just love it! We also were offered craft time, where Mr. Jones and I were taught to make fish out of palm leaves.
The other option was to get a "Hawaiian tattoo" (drawn on your upper arm with Sharpie marker). Your choices were a sea turtle, or something of your choice, which also looked like a sea turtle. Or you could learn to hula dance. We chose the crafts, and after a false start in making the darn thing, I was posing around with my leaf fish like you would not believe (ok, of course you would).
My luau dress was homemade, from Simplicity 2178, in a linen/silk from Fabric Depot's outdoor sale. Please zoom into the best shoes in the world, which made a certain maraca sound as I walked, bought at a Portland estate sale for $4. Perfect.
Luau was in the garden of a hotel that looked like a space station. We sat at a table with a bunch of characters: two sweet teenage boys on their own in Hawaii while their father attended a convention on astral projection. They were excited to report that Judith Light was also at the convention, and they had met her. Mr. Jones and I noted that when you come away from meeting people saying "nice polite young boys" (as we did), you're getting old (as we are). There was also a middle-aged male gay couple from New Jersey, who told us, while we plated our buffet, "We're Catholic..." (hard road, I thought to myself)...priests." I almost dropped my poi. They went on to tell us who won all the Tony awards this year. Finally, there was a 40-something married couple, the father bragging to me how unconnected to technology he was, the mother trying to convince the teenage boys to go into the military: "My son is a Marine! They broke him DOWN! He had to write a letter to me like he was DEAD. And college will be FREE", and two young Japanese girls who did not speak one word of English, but who wanted photos with all of us at the end of the evening. When one of the priests took their camera to photograph us with them, he screamed "SAYYY SUSHHHI".
We were then treated to a Polynesian fire show, and went home.
So imagine my absolute joy when we checked into our Kona hotel, the second of three places we'd stay on the island, and they were installing new (that's new, folks, not vintage, and by installing I mean they were laying glue and rolling it across the floor) carpet that matched my favorite dress almost exactly.
My eyes widened, my mouth dropped, and my heart leaped from my chest. I could vaguely hear Mr. Jones muttering "Oh my god, Klein. This is it, isn't it. Your dream has come true". He knew he was in for a lot of picture taking in that lobby.
There was the Hawaiian boat to pose with...
...and the paintings. Other hotel guests did double takes, and a Japanese couple tried to tell me, in very broken English, that I matched the carpet. "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know". This went on for some time.
I was still giddy after a dozen photos. Mr. Jones' interest was waning. "Why are we doing this, again?" he asked. "FOR THE GRANDCHILDREN," I snarled.
And though the sites we saw and the people we met were the true highlight of the Big Island, it's not often that you match the carpet of your new favorite hotel, in your very favorite holiday outfit.
Or is it?
It was the best vacation of my life. I saw magical things every day. I thought I loved Kauai, but I loved this island even more.
I had high expectations (as I always do, for everything), and my trip exceded them every day. I can't wait to share some photos with you. I just feel so, so lucky.
As I make my own memories and have my own adventures this week in Hawaii, please enjoy these images of someone's 1960s Polynesian vacation. I found their album at the thrift store, and was transported 50 years back, when Hawaii really was the Hawaii of my imagination. I love the captions they've written in non-permanent marker!
I'll be back soon with my own photos to share!
