Father’s Day 2011 was a big one for Renaissance Man and I, the first ever where we had no children on island to share it with. As of this month, both kids are independent and launched, and we are facing this:
Post-kid open road
A wide open road.
Which neither of us are necessarily happy about. We miss the kids. We miss our rich, fun, busy family life. We needed an adventure to take our minds off it.
Bittersweet Father's Day call. Wish they were close enough to hug.
I packed a picnic, we sniffled through the tearjerker Father’s Day service at church and got on the road toward Hana—the back way—for a photography field trip.
I love a good (safe) adventure!
I had my new iPhone and Renaissance Man’s point-n-shoot, and he had his twin Canon 7-Ds.
I really don't mind this view, even after all these (25) years. Hee hee!
We didn’t bring enough water, sunscreen or good shoes, but that’s typical for a Neal adventure. We did have good sandwiches, made by the hardworking folks at Foodland.
I couldn't believe I found this bird nest in a noni tree!
I took a my first iPhone video, of me walking down a black sand dune. I fall in love with iPhone officially. Sorry, world, another convert has been made!
Took a lot of shots of rocks. I really love rocks. All kinds of rocks.
I could take pictures of rocks all day.
They're all beautiful.
I realize I like photography, always have, and the blog gives me a reason to take pictures. I have a little epiphany that writing stories to go with the pictures makes all the difference in my motivation.
I take a picture of Mike on the dunes
We took these pictures within seconds of each other, without realizing it.
and he takes one of me!
Also wind on the grass. I have a thing for wind on the grass.
Wind on the grass
We went down a mysterious unmarked 4 wheel drive road
The gate to a road less traveled, put it in 4 wheel and went to see what was there.
and found an amazing hidden reservoir teeming with native bird wildlife.
Hawaiian stilts pose for Mike.
Hawaiian coot on a nest with baby chick!
On the drive home the Mike found this Ohia tree, with it’s delicate Lehua flowers. Wow. Look at this hardy native, blooming in the lava and 40 mph wind. Great metaphor!
Amazing native Ohia tree blooms in harsh conditions
and here's how it looked to me:
The day was done when my overworked rubber slippers finally broke. In Hawaii, that’s when you “stay pau.”
Wen da slippahs stay broke, you stay pau.
As we drove home, rendered silent and sunburnt from all the beauty we’d seen, heard, known, and felt, I felt a glimmer of something—a glimmer of the people we were before kids. We loved each other fiercely back then, and were happiest adventuring together in nature.
I think that could be who we are again. The road ahead might just be beautiful.
The road ahead might just be beautiful.
Sweet! Very touching and a pictures is worth a million words. Loved it.
Thanks so much for commenting, Sonia! God bless.
Those were my @#!! Slippahs!
LOL I loaned them to you and then took them back. and, they’re DEAD now. Alas!
Just to keep you busy: I’ve tagged you on my blog 😉
Gorgeous photos, Toby and Renaissance Man! 🙂
Thanks KC, always giving me a nudge to get out there more, I appreciate it!
As usual, your post was touching and inspiring. I hope I’m this well-adjusted when my kids get that age. 🙂
Also, how you feel about rocks, I feel about trees. So much character. Though if I had rocks like that around me, I’d probably take pics of rocks all day, too.
Uh. Well adjusted? LOL
And damn those rocks are gorgeous. I may just have to do a blog on rocks.
Fantastic bird shots. Sounds as though your picnic was a bit of therapy for the therapist. It looked lovely and I want you to ask yourself:
“Have your choices in photos settings changed since the kids left?
How does your answer make you feel?
Very good, now go take a nap.
LOL! Good one, you may have the knack!
You are not only surviving the empty nest, but out there seeking the next adventure(s). Love the pic of the white eye nest. Great pics, great day.
Oh good, we wondered what kind of nest it was, so perfect and tiny!
Hey, I checked out those slippers to make sure they weren’t mine. Park your slippers outside the Neal home at your own risk! I did love the photo journal of your first empty Nest Father’s Day , and finding a real empty nest, priceless…. Maybe that could be an annual event in your new life.
OMG Slippergate, I’ll never live it down!