New Home for Luau Series

On a fine (but windy), spring day Maple and I set off to replant all the fine boxes that were donated for the Spring Luau. It took us almost 2 hours, but we went on several side walks looking for the perfect locations. Distance wise it was about a mile and a half, but note that we parked in two different areas while planting. Mileage and time will go up if you are just walking. :)

We started at the parking lot by the boat launch at Kennedy Park. Instead of heading north on the river trail towards Speedy, we headed south to take the loop around the public baseball fields. We found this fine tree with a nearby garbage can. The tree is too close to high tide, but under the can is a fine place to Relax in the Shade.

At the southern most part of the loop, just past the group of trees keeps your eyes out for a fallen log:

In it a Flirty Fish is hiding.

Continuing on the trail beyond Flirty Fish, is this grove of trees:
This is the tree you are looking for:
The looks like an octopus, which is fitting for this box.

When the paved path turns to the left you will see a social trail to your right. Go check it out, you might find some cool rocks like these:

There just might be a Laau li'ili'i uhane behind this lone rock waiting for you.

Finish off the loop and you can head towards to duck pond. At this point we hopped in the car, but you can walk if you wish. We headed past the duck pond towards the college baseball fields and found this grand tree.

Aloha Napa is on the west side of the base in dander.

We parked again by the duck pond- if you wish to keep walking you can, but our finish time doesn't account for that. :)

Heading east from the duck pond and up the hill, you will see this guard rail across the street from you:

Check out the east end and you just might find a Native Nene.

Back on the path you will see soon this building on your right:

On your left is this- is it two trees, or a tree and a bush? Find the center of the smaller tree and you will Hawaii Shaka at 45 degrees SE.

You will find this other large tree just east of the Shaka. On the South side of the tree there are trunks that grow along the ground the Tropical Torch is under dander alongside one of those trunks, next to an upright one. (Sorry I didn't get a picture of an exact location!)

Head to the golf course and find this island. (the island with the sign is behind the photographer)

Aloha Tiki is in the east side of the bush next to the tree.

For something to wear to this Luau you can find the next stamp also in the parking lot for the golf course.

Aloha shirt is in the cluster of rocks, under leaf litter and a smaller rock.

The final box in the series can be found by taking the path east from the golf course parking lot.
Drink up is at the base of the bush on the south east side.

I hope you enjoyed finding all the wonderful boxes that we had at the 2010 Spring Luau!!!
I'd just like to thank all those who donated boxes for the event/ this series.
You made the event what it was, and I thank you!!!

Planting Day!

Maple and I have been talking about doing a Children's book series for months, and we finally picked a day to go planting. The last time we went letterboxing we made a stop and got some more boxes, as well and spray paint. I had been using duct tape, but I thought I'd try out the spray paint as a time saver, and so see it it helped the seal of the boxes.

Of course spray painting boxes take some thinking ahead, so this is what I was up to a few days before we went planting:

What fun this was! So much quicker than tape too!

I had most of my stamps carved, since we had been planning this since the summer but I had to get everything else done...

I tend to spread out..

Of course Maple was all ready to go and I had to finish everything, but we worked together and in no time we were ready to plant! Well sort of...

I had the great idea to go pick up two stamps that at one time or another I heard were missing, or people found it hard to find. So we went hiking in the fog to go check on them/ pick them up. turned out one was missing. well not so much missing as fell to a point in the knot hole we couldn't get to. One day when that tree dies and it decomposing someone is going to get a surprise! The one that we did snag got replanted in an easier area elsewhere in town and got a slightly new name.

We had fun checking out little neighborhood parks we didn't know so well, and spreading our favorite characters around town. Maple had a great idea to plant Pinkalious and her cupcake near a bakery down town. After we planted both stamps, and were at the last park of the day I realized that Corduroy was in a bigger box than I remember putting him in. Oh no! When I put the name of the stamps on the bottom of the boxes I switched them! So now Corduroy is by the cupcake and Pink is in a park. We had a good laugh about that, and I think they will stay that way.

As it always goes with Maple and I we have bigger plans than we can do- so we both still have one stamp already made up and ready to plant and I have the second of a set to carve so I can plant those two. I am amazed at how quickly people have come up to get the new boxes, and I look forward to extending out unofficial series into the quieter areas of American Canyon and possibly further upvalley.

Catch Up/ Wrap Up

Time to come out of hiding, Bella thinks otherwise.

So the plan to keep up with letterboxing and writing didn't quite happen, life did. Now for a quick catch up so I can start fresh with the new adventures:
August brought the start of a new school year, new preps and a rush of other work related issues. I also picked the worst possible time to move. Ahh! On the plus side I received my second teaching credential!
September was hard. It started better than it ended. That is all for now.
October I started to get back into the letterboxing groove. I went to my second event and meet some more wonderful boxers. I got NV Pnk Chabls involved in boxing.

November I turned 30 (gasp!). I came home one day from letterboxing and there was a stray cat on my doorstep.Miss Luna (Yes, she only has one eye.)

She was super hungry, so I gave her some food. It took awhile to name her, but Luna seems to fit. She is now fitting right in with the bunnies and I.
I went to the Case of the Missing Holiday, and had a blast dragging NV Pnk Chabls, Maple and Qbert around. They had a blast, even when I got a little intense. :)Team Techo Cowboys

December finally! So far I have been out letterboxing a few times. It helps that I'm on winter break and don't have to worry about grading or doing any other paperwork. I'm almost all unpacked and settled in, so my hope for 2011 is that I can keep updates current.A awesome gift from my Santa Baby!!

Basil plans on working out in 2011 (kinda like a LTC I made...)

On a bird walk

Maple and I went on a walk today at the Bay Trail in American Canyon. The parking lot is on the corner of Wetlands Road and Eucalyptus Drive. It is a nice walk, 1.4 miles out and on a flat path. It was a bit windy, but we hoped that the birds would still be out.

We followed the trail and to out right we saw a water area with a few birds. Maple's attention was drawn to the paved section of the road. "Did you hear that?" She asked me. Of course I didn't hear her, I was busy counting the sections. I got up to nine until I ran into her. "See that pile of rocks between the 3rd and 4th post to the left of the path?" I nodded "I think there is something under there.

We continued on our walk and passed the trail marker that said .8 miles from trail head, .6 to River view. The water was to our left now, and a lovely ditch to our right. "Stilts!" Maple exclaimed. She really likes how they do a thing with their head. Just past the water there was post.I had to stop and fix my shoe, and something caught Maple's eye. "I think it might be a baby stilt!" she whispered. Of course we had to get a closer look, and there was something there!
Continuing on there was a cute jackrabbit on the path leading us to the Dr. Seuss trees.

They had giant prehistoric Aloe plants by them. In the plant right next to the trail we thought we heard some quacking. I checked it out and we found a literate bird! I'm guessing it's literate, it's the only one we found with a book.As we were nearing the glass beach we started talking about the trip that we took earlier in the summer to Alaska. We were lucky to see lots of different birds there that we had never seen before. We had just reached the end of the trail when I heard something. I looked out over this view:I swore I heard something in the clump of rocks pictured. I got closer, and under rocks and a piece of wood we found one of the birds we saw in Alaska! What a long way from home he was!We turned around and headed back to the car. It had been a wonderful bird walk.

Alaska!

I just got back from a wonderful trip! Danielle (Maple) and I went on an Alaskan cruise, and we even attempted to do a little letterboxing.

Well, not here... but I had to add the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. :)

In Juneau we ended up with extra time, so we took a nice little walk to Cope Park to find the one box listed. It ended up missing, but I'm glad we took the walk, we ended up passing the governor's mansion and the park had Gold creek going through it, very cool!
We also visited Hubbard Glacier and Sitka (which was our favorite port). The wildlife was amazing to see: bald eagles, sea otters, puffins, and giant slugs.

In Ketchikan we attempted to letter box again. I was reminded who this is such a cool thing to do, we had no plans other to visit these two boxes and we ended up seeing some interesting places.


This is the old red light district that has been changed into shops. Married Mans Trail is behind us. Hmm, wonder how it got that name...

Both boxes were missing, but once again we got to see parts of the town that we may or may not have gone to otherwise. Overall, it was a wonderful trip. I will have to go back and see the rest of the state at some point.

Back to my second home....

We returned to Seattle, and planned to spend a few days there before the road trip back to California. Luckily I still have friends who live there, (SeattleBoot!) so we visited, and were more successful in the letterbox hunt. SB and I planted one in my favorite park, and visited the old neighborhood. I was super excited to get Fremont Troll, which was less then a block away from my old place. I love going up to Seattle, spending time with my best friend and it was a wonderful start to summer vacation.