LOST on location

 
I’ll log in about “Lost”.  It was very interesting for us to see this week as last week, Thursday, we went on a tour of a private ranch, Kualoa Ranch, where several portions of “Lost” have been filmed in the Ka’a'awa Valley, also called Kualoa Valley. (See Lost sign in lower right photo.) It’s on the windward (east) side of O’ahu and other films, such as Pearl Harbor, Windtalkers, Godzilla and more, have been filmed as well. This distinctive mountain range and skyline with green grassy flow in the foreground is the setting for filming the current  Radio Hill portion and from before: Hurley’s golf course and Volkswagon van zooming down the hill. It was a bright day and kind of hard having to take photos into the sun. There is quite a web site about Lost filming locations. One could spend a whole vacation just looking at these locations. It’s fun now looking at this site to see other Lost locations (without realizing) we saw in our own explorations of the island. They were only able to capture 8 episodes of the intended 16 before the writer’s strike.

We appreciate all the tips fellow blogger, SherylShearer, gave us regarding our trip to Hawai’i. We benefited greatly from all her “Oahu advice” as well as tips on the Big Island. It was neat to take in places/restaurants she and her family enjoyed. Stay tuned for “Teddy’s Bigger Burgers” and “Top of Waikiki”. Thanks so much, Sheryl! I just noticed her blog and saw they have had snow where they live now – in Chicago.  As we have been back in Portland we have awakened to snow 3 of the last 7 days. Unusal for here!

 
We spent the last 3 days plus on Oahu.The first afternoon we stopped by the Dole Plantation.Took a ride on the Pineapple Express and found this ‘fun’ as we got off the train. After lunch we toured the gardens. I was in Hibiscus Heaven as well as seeing other beautiful flowers/plants.Will post those later. If you ever go to the Dole Plantation you must have their pineapple ice cream/smoothie called “DoleWhip”. It is awesome!

We got in to Portland shortly after midnight Sunday morning. My friend, Debbie, is incredible! Can you believe a friend who is willing to come out all hours?? There was forecast for snow but it held off until Monday. That was good so we could sleep some and get to church in the morning… though Glen realized we wouldn’t be up for him going early for choir. Monday and Tuesday we have had snow, ice, rain with schools closed or delayed. They are cautious as people don’t have the equipment/ability to drive safely here it seems. Last week a bus ended up in the ditch backward. I’m sure that causes even greater caution. For people used to snow this is hard to comprehend. But the ice underneath is to be reckoned with. On the way to work Glen put his 4 wheel drive on going up a hill so he wouldn’t slow down others.

I have come down with either bronchitis or cold/flu. I am drinking lots of fluids, boiling water to humidify the house and for me to inhale, take Vit C, etc. I am glad I wasn’t planning anything these days anyway. Time to do laundry and finally take down the Christmas tree. In packing and prepping the house so it wouldn’t be crummy coming back, I decided the Christmas tree could be last on the agenda. No time, it could wait. Guess it better be down before February. (toomanyhats, someone is slower than you.) Glen has a red, swollen area on his back. We think it is probably from an insect bite so doing what the Kaiser care book says. Scrape it in case a stinger is there. Ice and take Benadryl. It improved yesterday and hope it has moreso today. He is at work yet (7:30 p.m.), so I’ll find out fairly soon. Ah, the pricetag of Paradise…..

    
Friday we drove to the Parker Ranch near Waimea/Kamuela. We viewed the museum after a Hawaiian grown lunch. The fish taco I had was wonderful! This historic home was the home of Richard Smart, the last Parker heir. (He had his assets put into a trust at his death and it benefits 4 entities in the town, one being a state of the art hospital.) We toured this home and the ancestral home as well. Very interesting. Outside there are gardens and this view is down by its pond. I love the rolling hills of the area. Before leaving the area we had purchased both beef jerky and steak to grill that was from the Parker Ranch. We learned it is available at Safeway and Kroeger stores under the Angus Pride brand and another name I can’t remember. We grilled it tonite. It was so delicious and almost “melt in your mouth” if meat can ever be that way. 

    

             

 Time in Hawaii
   We’re here to celebrate our 35th anniversary which was in November. 
   It’s extremely beautiful and so relaxing.
 
   Pololu Valley Lookout - north shore of Big Island
     
   Red Hibsicus                                        Hapuna Beach
                                 
                                             Sunset in Kailua-Kona

Multnomah Falls and Lodge at Christmas time. Glen and Andy went for a drive on Sunday afternoon since Andy had not been on the Columbia Scenic Highway. They didn’t go all the way to the Falls on that highway as the roads started getting slippery. I never get over all the beauty in Oregon.

Columbia Gorge in the winter time

 A few Christmases ago….

1978   Our first Christmas all four of us

 
1981   Andy & Peter

 Happy New Year ~ 2008

Our ‘kids’ have been with us. Each year we like to go to the German restaurant,The Rheinlander, in NE Portland. It is a tradition for us in celebrating our German heritage. The food is delicious, the music good/fun and the decor is great! This was also a belated celebration of our 35th anniversary. Our waitress sang to us with an accordion accompanist. That was very good since she is a voice performance student in college. She and four of her siblings were working that nite.  Four of them sang together – barbershop style with 2 guys and 2 gals. She also brought us a complimentary apple streusel that we all enjoyed together.

Jann and Glen
35 years celebration

Andy displaying his rootbeer mug.

Rachel and Peter cozy for my photo shoot.

See my photo blog album for more photos.

  
Merry Christmas 2007

Amazing!  It just started snowing … in Portland … on Christmas Day!!  Big, fluffy flakes.  Wonder what the odds of that are. It usually snows about 2-3 times a winter so this is a pleasant surprise on Christmas Day morning. Our son, Andy, flew in on Sunday nite. Peter and Rachel are flying in Thursday nite as they are with Rachel’s mom for Christmas first. We’ll have our ‘Christmas’ on Friday. We’ll be together until after the new year. Great!
                               

I am reposting part of my Mother’s Day blog.  At that time I dedicated it to my sister-in-law, Merilyn.  Today I rededicate it to her as she begins treatments again. Please join me in praying for her and her family. Last night she and I talked over the phone and I learned ”Through It All” is a favorite song of hers.  

Yesterday afternoon I sat down to listen to the Gaither CD, “Give It Away”, with the Gaither Vocal Band.  When I first saw the DVD on TV I was very drawn into the message of the song, “Through”, with Guy Penrod as the soloist and Gaither Vocal Band backup.  I’ve been up early and had that on repeat.  I realize my relationship with the Lord and ‘making it’ in my life has been because of this core knowledge that God loves me, He is there for me, and He’ll see me THROUGH every difficult situation as well as joyous times.  His grace is sufficient.  He knows every hair on my head.  He knit me together in my mother’s womb, and kept me knit in when I could easily have been miscarried considering my mother’s health.  There have been various songs through the decades that have conveyed that message to me.

My THROUGH song for the decade of 2000 is

Through
by Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither, and Michael Sykes

When I saw what lay before me
“Lord,” I cried, “What will you do?”
I thought He would just remove it
But He gently led me through
Without fire, there’s no refining
Without pain, no relief
Without flood, there’s no rescue
Without testing, no belief
Through the fire, through the flood
Through the water, through the blood
Through the dry and barren places
Through life’s dense and maddening mazes
Through the pain and through the glory
Through will always tell the story
Abba God who’s power and mercy
Will not fail to take us through

During the mid 90s amidst a lot of fibromyalgia pain I found the song Through Every Storm (sung by Janet Paschal) to be such a comfort and lifting of my arms in the battle.  In 1996 when Glen and I produced “Songs of Grace – music to sustain”, a CD and tape project, we included that song.  If you click the title it goes to a web site where you’ll hear Janet singing that song.

In the 70s and 80s my standard song on the theme Through was Andrea Crouch’s song “Through it All”.  Here are the words to that old song.  Yes, trust in God and dependence on His word are so essential.

Through It All
by Andrea Crouch

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t know right from wrong:
But in every situation God gave blessed consolation
That my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I’ve been to lots of places,
And I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt so all alone;
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms
He brought me through;
For if I’d never had a problem
I wouldn’t know that He could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.

Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

May this THROUGH message be a strong message to you, mother, today!

**Today I dedicate this blog to my sister-in-law, Merilyn, who has been going THROUGH health issues this spring.  He has given her incredible peace through her surgery and strength needed for the treatments since then.  I am believing He will keep giving her, and her family, the daily strength and peace that is needed.

Winds on the Oregon coast 120+ overnite

It’s been windy and raining in Oregon.  The coast has really been hammered.  They are without power today … Astoria to Tillamook and Lincoln City with roads on/to the coast closed due to fallen/falling trees.  Portland’s wind did not get much over 35-50 mph during the nite.   Rain is our issue.  Standing water on roads, and time will tell about flooding.  We had 2.27″ the past 48 hours  (according to meterologist Rhonda Shelby on KATU) and rain continues today.  This is actually storm #2 with the first one Sunday.  Whew!