MISS LILLY HAMMING IT UP WITH ABUELOS

 The highlight of our Thanksgiving celebration

VISITING THE RAMIREZ OREGON TRIBE

TAIL END OF SUMMER

It's been a fruitful Summer. Bountiful harvests of tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, and various herbs, which are all still going strong. Our flower bushes have also gifted us with beauty and color. Some of these roses have been flowering for 14 years. Now, with our new frog Buddha overseeing the garden, who knows what next year is going to bring. JIR  

BLUE MOON BIRTHDAY HIKE

 How lucky we are to have Nature so close to us, to be able to immerse ourselves in it so easily. No better way to wrap up a 64th birthday celebration than to go for a leisurely 3.5 mile evening hike culminating in awesome views of the Blue Moon

 At 6,400 feet elevation, McDonald Pass provides us with majestic views

 The sun sets in the west as we finish our hike

 Here it comes, peeking over the eastern mountainous horizon

 No explanation necessary, just scroll all the way down. JIR

REFLECTIONS ON MY BIRTHDAY

REFLECTIONS ON MY BIRTHDAY:
I am very fortunate to have had the life I've lived for 64 years.
As a physician, I have had the privilege to witness pain and suffering in my fellow human beings, and in many cases, I have been able to heal and restore health and well-being.
I have been able to travel and marvel at the richness of other cultures, as well as the goodness at the core of other peoples, who are very happy and content with none of the material possessions we have.
I am thankful my life experiences have been many, most of them positive and rewarding. The risks I've taken have paid off many fold for me and my family.
I am overjoyed and emotionally fulfilled by the many friends and family members who have communicated with me today to wish me a good day. I treasure you.
My birthday celebration would not be complete without reflecting on the words of my favorite poem:

Muere Lentamente Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda

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MISS LILLY, 9 MONTHS OLD AND GETTING CUTER BY THE DAY

 She liked our grownup food, pasta with goat cheese, better than the baby food

Bath time is always fun.

ABUELOS VISIT THE NIETOS IN OREGON

After abuela spent 2 weeks caring for Xavier and Ethan, abuelo flew to Oregon to meet up with abuela, visit the family, and drive back home. Oh yes, we also got to visit with Danny and Lindsay.JIR  

MEETING ETHAN

We just returned from a wonderful visit with the Oregon clan of the Ramirez/Lipetzky tribe. Ethan Gabriel Ramirez is now a month old, thriving and gaining weight. 

The frontal bald spot must be genetically linked. We found exactly the same hairline pattern in one of Danny's photos when he was around this age.

Of course, we enjoyed visiting, playing and horsing around with Xavier. At two and a half, he is a joy to interact with.

 Abuela shot a selfie of her and Xavi using the tripod

Xavi's priceless smile at the playground

 Abuela took advantage of our visit to the Zoo to put Ethan to sleep and hold him a bit more. JIR

RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS, ISLAND PART 2

Not our photo, but a good aerial view of the eastern half of the island taken from the south

Touring the Highland Paradise Cultural Center prior to the dinner show depicting Cook Island dance, history and culture.

We adventured into  the "Cross-Island Walk", which is more like a strenuous steep hike through thick foliage.

The Needle at 1,355 feet above sea level, not very high by Montana standards, but hiking to it felt like it was much higher

Local watering hole at one end of the Cross-Island Walk

This being their low season (summer), we were fortunate to get upgraded to a Beach Villa for 3 nights, and this huge Executive Villa for 2 nights

Emerging coconut industry at a local home. Coconut meat is partially dried slowly by a fire fueled by the husks of the coconuts. The product is then pressed to make coconut oils, plain and flavored, for cooking. Other products include coconut skin and hair care products. All of the coconut is utilized and none is wasted. Shells and husks are also used for mulch, and the meat after being pressed is fed to the pigs and chickens.

Not much of a vanilla industry compared to French Polynesia, but it is still in its infancy

Road crew

Matutu Brewing Company, the one and only local craft brewery.

Missionaries came to the Cooks beginning in 1823, Christianizing the entire population. The tribal wars and cannibalism ended as many churches were built during the years to follow.

Public bus service is reasonably reliable and mostly on schedule. One bus goes clockwise, and the other anti-clockwise (counterclockwise) around the almost perfect 20 mile circumference of the island.

Everyone, locals and tourists alike, come out for the Saturday morning market. Local produce, fish, flowers, crafts, and black pearls are some of the most well represented vendors. The Cooks only bring in about 120,000 tourists a year, mostly from New Zealand and Australia, which is minuscule compared to several million tourists visiting the Hawaiian Islands

I close the Cook Island blog series with another photo of my island girl. We hope to return to this island paradise next year, and perhaps also visit New Zealand during our journey back to the South Pacific. JIR