Photography Challenge - Day Eight - Bad Habit

Finally back to posting the day the photo is taken. 

Eating dessert every day, sometimes multiple times a day, is something I'm conscious of.  I tend toward ice cream.  I've recently been craving some cake since seeing one of those cake wars shows on the Food Network.  We don't have baking pans in the condo, so no cake for me, unless I can find a good bakery around here. 

I settle for M&M's Peanut as my go-to candy.  To make this bad habit a bit worse, I LOVE to put a few in the microwave for about 15 seconds.  This procedure leads to a crisp candy coating and a soft, melty chocolate on the inside.  It's almost heaven.  Follow the same protocol for the peanut butter kind.  I also like to zap chocolate chip cookies, ice cream bars, chocolate cake/brownies.  Boy, now that I've put that in writing, it kind of seems weird.  But it's not.  It's awesome and makes my daily treats even better.

In my defense, I have very good portion control.  I have 4 or 5 M&M's and then put the bag away without returning.  I never eat an entire candy bar in one sitting. Two or three Oreos is all I need, sometimes just a small Dove chocolate.  It's taken a lot of practice, along with a very fussy digestive system that really keeps me on lockdown.  But, still, it's not a good habit.

Photography Challenge - Day Seven - Fruit

Besides a bunch of clothes, there were few other items that got packed to make the trip to the middle of the Pacific with us.  I chose to bring a couple of books, our wedding album, favorite pictures, a cheese slicer from Arrington Vineyards, a passed-down ice cream scoop, a couple of my favorite coffee mugs, and Bananagrams.  Some lovely friends in Nashville introduced me to this intense game a couple of years ago.  Bananagrams makes me laugh, and it always takes a lot to peel me away. 

PS.  I just realized I forgot to complete a word!  Argh!

First Experience at the Halau Hula

Finding hula classes is far from an easy task, quite surprising to me.  I was not interested in taking a 30-minute lesson at a hotel in Waikiki.  Learning hula on my list of must-do's for my time in Hawaii, so I wanted to attend a "real" hula class.  I turned to Google, my all-seeing eye, and finally found a few halau hula (hula school) to contact about a beginner class.  Of the three I contacted, only two got back with me.  Of those two, only one was able to welcome me.  Funny enough, the site is names Real Hula.

I was very eager to head out to Kailua to the halau hula, which turned out to be the Kumu's (source of knowledge) home, for my 90-minute class.  Of course it's a large room off of her kitchen that takes you back a few decades in style and not a studio in a strip mall or free standing structure, small sign hand-painted above the door.  Why was I surprised?  It was basically a 12' x 12' living room with a wall devoted to hula artifacts and old pictures, piles of gourds and reeds here and there, 3 floor-to-ceiling ballet mirrors, shelves full of at least 300 CDs, and a pretty new Apple computer. Regardless of first impressions, I'd read enough to know that this lady knew her stuff, and I was thrilled to be there.

After hugs and cheek kisses, a common greeting in Hawaii when a woman is involved, Kumu shared with the five of us students that her two 11-year old granddaughters were visiting.  She had been busy with them for the past week while preparing her halau for upcoming performances this weekend, making instruments, and sewing costumes.  I quickly realized that we would dance and the Kumu would teach and she would also break into story about subjects that had nothing to do with Hawaiian culture. 

While three of us began warming up while Kumu to the beat made by striking the Ipu, another student with a recovering ankle injury was asked to go stir the beef stew on the stove.  I felt that I was visiting a friend's grandmother who decided on the spur of the moment to teach us hula, while regular life continued.  While the injured Keolani (Hawaiian name bestowed upon her by Kumu) was stirring the stew, we continued to practice the basic step, weight transfer, hip pop, etc, which is quite complicated when done correctly.  Kumu abruptly stopped to holler to Keolani that she should go ahead and add some canned tomatoes to the stew while she was in the kitchen. And, oh, turn the burner down as well. 

We practice the Kalakaua, which is a four beat step that angles from right to left.  Kumu stops when Keolani reenters the room with 3 cans of tomato paste.  Kumu said tomatoes, not paste.  Kumu sends Keolani back to the pantry with instructions to locate the can that also contained jalapenos.  Poor Keolani was so accommodating, grabbed her glasses and went back for round two. 

I should mention that Keolani and another lady were given Hawaiian names by Kumu.  I remember that the other lady, who is "an old Southern Belle" had a name that began with L and meant warm greeting or something.  I can't remember the name, though.  These two ladies were at or near retirement age.  Two other hula students were quite a bit younger, one preparing to head off to college in a couple of weeks, the other the best dancer in the group, Yuri.  Apparently the college student was in a crash course to hula, since it's kind of expected that people from Hawaii learn hula before attending college.  The dance we focused on today was somehow related to this young lady; I know this because she apologized at the end of class for being the source of the difficult dance.  I didn't know any better.

Back to the Kalakaua movement and Keolani searching for canned tomatoes with jalapenos...

After 5 more minutes or so of practicing the Kalakaua and adding a double, Kumu stopped striking the Ipu and headed toward the kitchen.  She returned a minute or two later, saying that there was no such can, she'd made a mistake, and Keolani was a big help.  She then asked Keolani to call for the two granddaughters because she'd forgotten.


Two blonde girls bounce into the room with tie-on skirts.  All the students are wearing proper skirts except me.  I found out that the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet is the place to go to get one, so it's on the list for the weekend.  I had worn a skirt, just in case, but it's not proper.  We find out that the girls will be performing in the Keiki (kid) show this weekend, so they stay and warm up with us.  Proud grandma comes out and is followed by strict Kumu.

Kumu gets up a few times to demonstrate proper foot placement and calls out instruction, kind words, and reminders the whole time.  She is particular, which I love.  Finally, after we are all glowing from sweat, she choose the song on her iTunes account, KaNohona Pili Kai, by Keali'i Riechel and everyone does a run-thru.  I kind of stumble and watch, trying to avoid getting in the way.  The class learned 3 verses of the song last week, but not everyone remembered well, so there's some lecturing about practicing at home, ya da, ya da.

I continue to follow along as best I can and am a relatively quick learner, but still just mimic what I can.  One of the ladies tells me it took her 6 months just to get the two basic steps right, and I'm already a novice.  Phew.

There are a few more instances where Kumu stops to tell a story about a kitten rescued the weekend before but for the most part, she explains the song, the story of the words, and the movements that express them.  By the end of class, my ankles are actually tired (kind of a weird feeling), hips and thighs are fatigued, and I'm hungry after smelling the wonderful stew for so long.  It was just fabulous.

I will definitely practice with the sheets she provided and have already downloaded the song from iTunes.  Looking forward to next week's class already, along with skirt shopping this weekend.

Photography Challenge - Day Six - From a Low Angle

After a busy Tuesday morning at the zoo and a couple-mile walk home, I was pretty tired, even after a shower.  Heavy clouds that sat on the hills all morning finally made their way down to the coast and began emptying.  A thick gray sky was set for the remainder of the wet day, leaving me with little to work with.  Plumeria have such a lovely fragrance.  The blossoms are scattered on trees in our courtyard, so I went for a short visit between rain showers.

Photography Challenge - Day Five - From a High Angle

Jeff and I love going for walks, especially where there are interesting things to look at, like a harbor.  We took an evening stroll near the Hilton Hawaiian Village and were treated to pink-rimmed clouds, a cool breeze, amazing boats, and faraway sounds of the Hilton's luau.

Photography Challenge - Day Four - Something Green

Cocktails win out over wine on the beach, especially since I just can't find a love, or like, for white wine, and beer disagrees with my digestive system.  I have thoroughly enjoyed tasting and ranking the Mai Tai's along Waikiki Beach, placing The Royal Hawaiian's and House Without a Key on the top of the podium, thus far.  I haven't had one at The Tropics yet, which may be very good.  On the topic of drinks, I had "the best" margarita at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and was completely unimpressed.  It wasn't good at all, was small, and very overpriced, but I digress.

Wine has accompanied many meals at various restaurants around Honolulu.  We've been treated to a fair number of nice bottles of wine by a man that Jeff works with.  This gentleman happens to have studies wine and owns a vineyard, and therefore, has much more of a nose for wine than me.

One of the first items Jeff and I stopped to peruse at the grocery store was the wine. Yes; wine is sold at grocery stores here!!  Hallelujah!  I also grabbed some cheese, honey, and crackers to round out the evening.  I could hear the wine opener calling my name even before we put all the food away.

While Jeff fought with the external speakers to the TV, I spun my wine glass, reminded myself how I love cheese, and sighed as the sun set on the Pacific.

Photography Challenge - Day Three - Clouds

Day 3 of the photography challenge was Saturday, several days ago now.  It was also moving day and paddle boarding safari day. 

Many of my days on the island have moved too slowly for my liking, usually fullest at the bookends of the day.  However, there have been several that end up being overwhelming, which is actually comforting to a person who thrives on having too much to do.  The past four days have ended up on the overwhelming list due to paperwork, packing, moving, unpacking, grocery shopping, swapping rental cars, laundry, zoo volunteering, and other odds and ends.  Though I've kept up with shooting for the photography challenge each day (because I said I would), lack of Internet along with more-than-normal things to accomplish, my computer time has suffered dramatically. 

Day 3's photo was quickly taken from the lanai we have enjoyed 5 meals on already.  We were dashing out to venture to the grocery store (ahem, we went to three).  Even though I dislike the amount of traffic and siren noises that are carried up to the windows, the sky, the breeze, the ocean, the valley, the sailboats, the harbor, the clouds...all make up for it.

Photography Challenge - Day Two - What I Wore Today

The story will come soon, but I am a stickler for rules, so I'm posting the picture now to ensure it's up on Day Two.  I was (oddly) rushed today and can't say this was a well thought out shoot.  So I'm posting a couple.  You get can decide for yourself which is the official Day Two photo.

Option 1:

Option 2:

More to come...

Photography Challenge - Day One - Self Portrait

I had intended to practice for a few days prior to actually beginning the 30 Day Photography Challenge, something I recently came across on another blog.  I tossed that idea out the window after my 20-minute, hectic, and messy attempt at working with a soft-serve ice cream cone on a hot day at the zoo.  There was too much involved in this trial to skip using one of the products.  With that being said, Day One is complete.

30 Day Photography Challenge?

I'm tapping into my creative side.  Part of it is sticky.

I recently came across a 30 Day Photography Challenge with a specified list of what to shoot each day.  Being that I have a pretty good amount of free time, a DSLR, an interest in taking pictures, and a need for purpose, I decided to accept the challenge.  I'm planning to keep track of each day here and will begin Day One as it's own post.  I'll put the short story with the picture.  Here's the long story of Day One:

Self portrait is Day One's task, so I spent some time reading about tips for taking such a photo.  Of course, I was looking for inspiration and ideas.  I'm barely an amateur, so I needed to figure out what other people have done to get my creative ball rolling.

In order for the photo to be personalized, I came up with interests and spaces nearby me that may be applicable.  I concluded that ice cream would make the perfect partner.  However, ice cream doesn't have a long shelf life, and as I previously stated, I'm far from an expert as taking photos and without a tripod. 

Instead of making a big deal out of this project, resulting in putting it off and having nothing to do with my day, I decided to get out of the hotel to make the most of the hot afternoon.  Foreshadowing here, in case you missed it.

A perk of being a zoo volunteer is free admission, so I slung my camera bag and purse over my shoulder and journeyed down the street to visit the park under a cloudy sky.  The real reason for the trip was to practice taking general pictures and then start the photography challenge tomorrow or possibly Monday.  OK, the "real" real reason was to have some purpose and a plan. Either way, I was at the zoo, sweating and thankful for the short periods of misty rain.

After taking some fun pictures of the gibbons and lemurs, I kept thinking that a twist ice cream cone from the concession stand would be a great prop for my self portrait.  I had already had a cookie at lunch and actually didn't want any ice cream, extremely unusual for me.  Still, I walked around near the snack bar for a while trying to find a good place to take a self portrait at, since there are groups of people and kids in every corner.  Taking a self portrait looks pretty weird, and I was trying to find a secluded spot somewhat near the snack bar.

After 15 minutes or so, I decided to go ahead and at least get the ice cream cone for practice.  It was going to cost a whopping $3.50 (I get a 20 % discount), and keep me occupied for a while longer (something Jeff is a major supporter of).  I got the vanilla and chocolate cone and was excited that it came with a red and white stripped wrapper, adding some flair.  I purchased the cone and frantically tried to get to a place where I could be somewhat alone but my first couple of choice locations were teeming with kids.  Drip.

With my ice cream cone melting fiercely, I started to lick it while trying to maintain it's swirly pattern.  An empty bench was spotted just as a large drip fell from the cone and landed on my thigh.  The ice cream was beginning to pool in the waffle cone.  Time was running out.  Drip, drip, damn heat.  I sat on the bench, took of the purse, camera, camera bag, and my sunglasses.  I realized that I had the wrong lens on the camera at this point and almost gave up, as another big drip fell on and down the front of my tank top.  Argh!

One-handedly, I managed to get napkins out of the front pocket of my purse and clean up the spilled goodness.  Many licks later and some amazing juggling, I had the lens switched.  Of course, this is when several small groups of visitors are in my general vicinity. Can't they tell that I'm in an ice cream photo shoot crisis? Driiiiippppp.

Finally, I manage a few clicks of the camera before the thing is melting all over the place.  It not only dripped on my hand and arm but also on the camera strap.  Lovely.  The waffle cone is all soggy.  Sad!  I am ready to part ways with it this icky mess but no trash can is in view.  I loaded up and worked my way nonchalantly past kids and teens, which was difficult to do as a lone visitor with a very melty ice cream cone, dripping on my left foot and shoe.  At least four year-olds have an excuse or a mother nearby with Wet Ones. 

The trash can got a sweet treat, as I dashed by, headed for the restroom to clean up.  I had to walk nearly halfway around the park and was sticky the entire time.  I absolutely HATE to be sticky.  I can handle wet, muddy, dusty, sweaty.  I can't stand to be sticky.

I cleaned up in the bathroom as best I could and made my way out of the zoo.  What a circus.

I checked through the pictures on my computer and felt that there were a couple of useable shots. After the fiasco of taking them, I'm even more inclined to make use.  So, I've decided that there's no reason to wait to begin the challenge.  Today is officially, Day One of the 30 Day Photography Challenge.

Hiking - Makapu'u Coast Trail

When you ask a local where to go hiking (or glorified walking, in some cases), most will recommend a trip to the Makapu'u Lighthouse where a paved trail ascends the mountain, facing the sea.  Another trail meanders close to the shore and is much less maintained and traveled.  Jeff and I have taken both trails, being blown away by the different highlights along each path.

We recently took the coast trail on a very hot but breezy day.  Most of the path was cut through tall grasses, cactus plants, and was barely visible at times.  The breeze evaded us for long stretches of time, spurring me to suggest that we turn around and take the lighthouse trail instead.  Jeff pushed us on toward the coast with continued comments that we'd be there "just around the next bend."  Uh, huh.  Sure.  Finally, after the fourth "next bend" the coast and the crashing waves greeted us with a loud roar.  I can't even begin to describe how blue the water is or how amazingly contrasting the white wash is, especially on a rough day.  Breathtaking.

I bounced around from rock to boulder, continually exclaiming about the little scurrying crabs, tadpoles, striped fish.  Jeff gazed into the ocean, found some neat urchins, and dealt with my excitement like a trooper.  The highlight came when we were heading back over a rock bridge to get back to the main land.  Jeff almost stepped on a dead puffer fish.  It was as big as a football!  I ran back to check it out, shouting, "Whooooaaaaa!  Gross!  Whooooaaaa!  So cool!  Whoooa! Neat!"  Not my most articulate.  Wish I'd had a camera!  Jeff is so good at finding neat things for me to go on about.  It always makes my day.  By the way, we've seen restaurants string lights inside the puffer fish as ornaments.  It's kind of gross but still pretty neat. Actually, mostly gross.

The last time we were in this area, we took the point trail, to get a bird's eye view of the Pacific.  I believe it was April, the end of whale season.  About halfway up, a large group of people were staring out into the ocean.  I overheard some college girls talking about the whale's spout.  One of the girls pointed it out for me, so Jeff and I were able to see the whales.  The shooting water was relatively easy to pick out, once you we what to look for.  While sitting on some rocks for ten minutes, we saw a whale turn on it's side and flap its fin on the water.  I was amazed by how clearly we could see the whale's body from so far away, reminding me of how large these animals really are.  No snapshots of whales on this trip, sicne we didn't have the right lens with us.  We did get some decent shots on Kauai another time.

The views from the top were stunning.  A very strong and constant wind kept us from feeling the heat.  This is one of the great things about Hawaii, the trade winds.

Zoo Volunteer - Keiki Coloring Contest

Before I began my shift in the zoo working with the animals, I was appointed to the volunteer team of the Wildest Show Concert Series that takes place every Wednesday evening throughout the summer, hugely popular in the area.  The zoo officially closes at 4:30 only to reopen at 4:35 for an extremely discounted ticket price of $3 that makes the huge lawn available for picnics and music.  People are also able to take a mini tour to one section of the zoo to check in on a featured critter.  Simultaneously, a coloring contest is underway until 5:30 so that winners in each of three categories can be chosen for announcement at 5:55.  There is also a drawing for an adult and a child ukulele, which is a big deal.  The times I listed are known by staff and volunteers, but "Hawaii Time" is very true and observed each week.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Ukulele tent (where to enter the drawing) at 4:10 (give or take 15 minutes, actually it's just give, since no one shows up early). Thankfully, the volunteer coordinator is on her game, looks somewhat frazzled on the outside, but she has a sense of humor that maintains throughout the craziness.  She directs staff and volunteers, putting out fires in every direction, whether it's another hole in the stage floor (2' x 18" piece of plywood did the trick), missing tables and chairs 3 minutes to gate opening, no coloring sheets or utensils for the contest after hoards of kids stampede the tent.  The cast of characters that help out at the Wildest Show are seasoned, some of them being part of the action for more than a decade, so no one gets their panties in a twist over any of these issues.

Near 5 o'clock, we usually have at least 20 keiki (kids) that have already begun coloring the picture of the week's featured critter, last week being Rusty the Orangutan.  The lawn begins to fill up with blankets, short lawn chairs, and lots of ohana, some that have been coming for years and years.  By the time the local acts take the stage at 6, the grassy expanse is full of around a thousand people.  The announcer, Roy, knows many by name and face, perusing the crowd before proclaiming the winners of the Keiki Coloring Contest.

Back to the coloring, my territory for the event.  I work with a lady who grew up on the island, has been a very active part of the zoo and concert series for a very long time, and also has a daughter who volunteers.  She is pretty outspoken white lady with a big heart, especially for the two year-olds that enter the contest.  She has a system for how the are is set up, how we pick winners, and how to manage the quirky and particular emcee, Roy.  I follow her lead, since I'm new and a haole. 

 

By 5:30, we collect all the papers and rush out of the coloring area taking refuge near one of the bird sections (there are loads) to go through the stack of 100+ pieces of art to narrow down and choose winners.  The categories are Wildest (mostly the younger keiki), Most Creative, and Neatest.  She and I work to sort, narrow, and finally rank three winners in each category.  Her soft spot for the 2-3 year-olds always comes out. 

We have to be stage side by 5:50 or else Roy gets in a tizzy.  He announces the winners who come meet me beside the stage to redeem their prizes.  The second and third prizes vary, since Kathy gets them from the dollar section.  However, the grand prize winners get a year membership to the zoo!  That's really amazing, except when the kids run up to me excited about the prize and then I hand them an envelope.  I think they are happier about the high fives and hugs than the envelope, since many can't grasp what it means.  Plus, they just witnessed other kids running off with fuzzy pens or puzzles.  It reminds me of skating competitions where little kids are sometimes more interested in the little ribbon the 8th place competitors get and don't want the medal earned for a top three finish.  There have definitely been tears shed over having to stand on the podium with a heavy piece of medal hung around the neck in lieu of a shiny yellow ribbon.

Back to the zoo...besides having to wear pounds of bug spray to fend off mosquitoes, the three hour commitment has been very pleasant.  The music is usually very good (Manoa DNA has been my favorite so far), the sun sets behind the trees by 5, and I get to see lots and lots of smiles.  I was particular excited one evening when I got called "aunty" by a lady and her son.  It made me feel local.   

Mini Vacation to Maui - Haleakal Crater at Sunrise

Before moving to Hawaii, my DVR held 12 episodes of "Sunrise Earth" that I watched or simply put on for background (Haleakala was actually featured!).  I love mornings and sunrises, easily getting up to tackle the day.  Jeff is not so much a morning person, more specifically, not a "wake-up" person.  Regardless of time of day or night, the man struggles and fights to gain consciousness.  He also has a knack for falling asleep within seconds of trying to nod off; I call it his superpower.  All of this is relevant information and helps paint the picture of how thrilled Jeff was to hear that visiting Haleakala at sunrise is one of THE things to do on Maui.  He was less excited when I explained that in order to get to the top of Haleakala prior to sunrise, we would have to pull out of our hotel by 2 am.  Since my birthday was the week before, he caved.


To add a tiny bit of insult to a little bit of injury, we decided that the first night of our mini vacation would be the best one to shorten for our adventure.  That's right: start vacation on a tropical island at 1:25 am after a whopping 3 hours of sleep.  Aloha!

I jumped out of bed when the alarm went off at 1:25 to start the process of packing up our things and waking Jeff up, which always takes 7 or 8 tries.  With both of us finally up, we'd packed several bags that included hats, scarves, a down vest, sweaters, and jackets.  At more than 10,000 ft, the temperatures are usually in the low 30s with a strong wind around 15-20 mph.  Anyone who knows me, understands why I had packed my Under Armour long-sleeved shirt and a puffy vest.

After a two hour drive with few other cars on the road, we'd made it near the entrance of Haleakala National Park and noticed a coffee truck in the parking lot of the Kula Lodge.  Jeff was shouting praises and pulled off.  The coffee truck guy exclaimed that we were early and the first ones up the mountain by 30 minutes or so!  I was thrilled!!  Jeff was not, since it was only 3:00 am and sunrise wasn't until 5:45 am or so.  We still had another 40 minutes to the top, and I was desperate to see hoards of stars.  The "early" start allowed us time to chat with the ctg, Mike, getting tips of where to go on the island, plus he was funny.  We grabbed two hot, tasty cups of Kona and a toasted everything bagel while 4 or 5 cars passed by.  I was getting a little nervous that we were missing out (on what?) and hurried us along.  Both Jeff and I took a few minutes to start layering up, since the temperature had dropped to 51 degrees. 

Around 4 am, we pulled into the park.  The wind was howling and chilly.  Thankfully, there were still parking spots in the highest lot (it may have been a quarter of the way filled...maybe).  Layering as much as we possibly could, we made our way to the top where a lookout enclosure stood.  Wow, was the wind whipping and super cold!  I had on 4 or 5 layers on my top half, hat, scarf, socks, shoes, but I was still very cold.  Other people stepped out of their vehicles in shorts, slippers (flip flops), and maybe a towel or extra t-shirt.  I cringed over and over for these poor souls who, apparently, don't research like I do.

The stars were absolutely incredible!!  I saw several regular shooting stars and one humongous one that had a long tail.  Jeff was so sweet and tagged along every I wanted to go outside and just look up.  We couldn't stay out as long as I would have wanted because it was ridiculously cold and too many people had flashlights, ruining the blackness of the night.  If we'd gotten there first, we wouldn't have had that issue.  Within the next 30 minutes, the place really filled up.  We brought our "good camera" along, our DSLR and played with settings, busying ourselves as first light began to break over the sea of clouds.

Slowly, slowly, the earth turned to greet the sun.  Simply breathtaking!  The colors were rich and constantly changing.  I stood outside until my hands were absolutely screaming then took solace in the glass enclosure. By 6:15, most spectators had begun the decent down from the summit, and we weren't far behind. 

Jeff nodded off, almost magically, as I carefully dodged bikers down the mountain.  I was so glad to miss most of the traffic since we took our time leaving the summit area.

Close to an hour later, we made it to a small, local place called Grandma's Coffee for breakfast.  What a treat!  Jeff was feeling much more chipper than I was, since his nap, so he calmed me down when I found out there were no crepes to be had.  We came for the crepes!  After a review of the menu we ended up with a feast, the best mocha I've ever had, and very full bellies before we made our return trip to our hotel for some more zzzz's.

Zoo Voluneer - Pleased to meet you?

First official shift at the Keiki Zoo was today.  I was up early, had my clothes and name tag ready to go last night, and had a dream that included a mongoose, though I don't remember why. 

At precisely 7:58, two minutes before showtime, I made my way into the volunteer center to sign in.  I came upon a lady I had seen walking down the street in front of my hotel earlier.  Us volunteers are everywhere.  Lena was volunteering in the Keiki Zoo also but she's done it for a while now.  We wait for the zookeepers to finish the morning meeting and then get started.

I meet the two zookeepers and find that Lena is going to show me the ropes.  I find right away that Lena is good-natured, from France, and that she's technically incarcerated.  I put in the technically because she shared the info with me using air quotes.  No joke.

So, we proceed to clean and rake and get very sweaty because there is a whole lotta sun and almost no shade or breeze today.  Lovely. 

The head zookeeper interrupted us in the first couple of minutes of Lena explaining how we scoop and rake poop to ask us to use leaf blowers to clean the walkways first.  I haven't gotten to use a leaf blower before and was actually a bit excited.  I was able to start mine right away and felt that proved that I wasn't as weak as I may look.  Lena and I spent about 20 minutes battling the flowers and leaves all over the walkways which continue to collect every minute from the enormous tree in the center of the Keiki Zoo.  Thought it looked a little better than before we started, it was impossible to keep them clear.

Next, Lena and I began raking poop in the llama and sheep romp.  I tried very hard to show no fear to Lorenzo, preventing a spitting session.  There was a moment when Lena was talking to Lorenzo when his ears went down, lips began grinning.  Thankfully, the moment passed without incident. 

By now I have found out that Lena has spent 3 years in prison out of the max sentence of 10.  Mind you, there is no one else around and the zookeepers are out of sight.  No big deal.  Lena stops raking and asks if I want to see something "trippy."  Of course, I do.  We find that a dead frog, about 2 inches long, is upside down and being spun around by ants!  Trippy it was!  The ants moved the frog by a couple of inches in no time. 

After the llama and sheep romp, we scooped horse poop, goat pellets, and washed windows.  While taking a water break, Lena shared with me that the reason she was in jail was because of selling a tiny bit of ice to an undercover cop.  She was out on furlough trying to get a job and spent a 4-hour shift volunteering at the zoo.  TMI, probably.  However, her honesty was refreshing and not too over the top.

After the water break, a zookeeper asked us to clean out the guinea pig romp, apparently Lena's least favorite thing to do.  I can see why.  It was messy, to say the least, and low to the ground, so we crouched a lot.  We did get to use a huge vacuum cleaner and talk tot he 4 guinea pigs, so it wasn't all bad.

with about 45 minutes left of our shift, Lena found some shade and sat to observe the crowd, making sure no one ate or drank or any other obvious unsafe behavior.  She shared some more of her difficult life story before leaving to get a drink of water.  Let's leave it at that for now.

I asked a zookeeper if I could help with anything, so he instructed me how to "show" an animal.  First day in the Keiki Zoo, and I got to show a guinea pig.  Whoa, I couldn't believe it either.  You might think that there is some specialized training involved in such a responsibility, but no.  I just picked up the pig, sat down, and the kids swarmed.  The zookeeper gave me a few pieces of info so I could answer common questions.  After 10 minutes and a lot of little fingers, big smiles, and a few shrieks, my first shift in the Keiki Zoo was complete.

Maybe next week I'll get to show a chicken.