Leah Lee Vandenbos born to Jerry's daughter, Robin and Dirk on July 22, 2008.

Three big sisters:

Sara, Rachel with Leah, and Becca,

Aug. 8, 2008

Flew from Hawaii back to Florida.

Aug. 8, 2008

Rain falling on parts of Honolulu.

Various clouds created a wonderful sky.

Aug. 2, 2008

We got up at 3:30 am to get to the airport to fly to the Big island of Hawaii. Here is a plane iew of one of Honolulu's piers.

Aug 2. 2008

View of Waikiki beach. Notice the pink Royal Hotel and try to image it as the only hotel on this beach as it once was.

Upon arriving at Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, we drove south and west for 4 hours through this vog (volcanic fog) to reach the Volcanos National Park.

This is the view of one crater that sits outside the viewing window of the inn at the Volcanoes National Park.

There is an old lava tube in Volcano National Park that you can walk through. Here you see Jerry exiting the tube.

This is typical lava flow that is twenty years old. We sat on it to watch the new eruption. After 20 years, you can see plants starting to emerge in the crevices.

This gives you an idea of how far we were away from the lava (about 1/2 mile). We got there early to get front row seats. During the daylight you could watch the steam/sulfuric acid cloud change forms. Because we got there early, it was only a 15 minute walk over the lava field to get back to the car.

We drove back toward Hilo from the Volcano National Park to catch a road that went back to the place the current lava flow met the sea. The lava flow had already formed a tunnel above ground so you could not see it. We were downwind from the gigantic plumes of smoke sent up when the hot lava spewed upwards and down to the sea. The little rocks you see here are probably basketball size boulders.

As it got darker, you were able to see the hundreds of funnel clouds spinning off the site resulting from the turbulence of the twisting lava hitting the water. Notice there are 5 or 6 more between the large waterspout on the left and the steam clouds on the right.

As it got even darker, we began to see the red hot lava erupting and spewing over the edge to the water. Note the waterspout in this photo too.

Once it got really dark, you could really see the fireworks, but unfotunately, our camera would no longer take pictures in focus, so enjoy the spectular color.

We were there for a total of five hours, leaving about 9:30 pm for a 41/2 hour drive back to the motel.

July 31, 2008 Marriot Hotel Waikiki Beach

Sansei restaurant's ahi encrusted panko was our favorite appetiser. If we went for the first seating on sunday or monday, we could eat for half off almost the entire menu.

Their caterpillar roll of smoked eel (anagi) wrapped with rice, avacado slices, and orange roe (cant think of the name), was a new addition to our palette. Cleverly it looks like a caterpillar.

July 31, 2008 Waikiki Beach

July 31, 2008 Waikiki Beach local surfer

July 31, 2008 Waikiki Beach

Another mai tai!

July 31, 2008 Waikiki Beach

This group from Texas, performed for us at the Surfrider Hotel. They were quite entertaining as well as fantastic musicians.

We found many natural growing heliconias along the trail

7-25-08 Maunawili Falls trail

This day we drove over Pali Pass to the other side of the mountain to hike this supposedly easy short trail back to the falls.

Jerry just finished walking over this stream. The path was muddy and very slippery. We didnt want to get wet!

I followed Jerry, trying not to slip and fall to protect my neck. I felt like a 4 legged crab sidling over the rocks.

The trail took us through dense, rooted wet areas winding as well as going up and down over the mountain. At the top, we got some good views of the rest of the range, before we headed back down to the waterfall and pool.

We never did make it to the falls and pool of water because once we got to the last leg of the trail, you had to walk up the stream on the wet rocks and for us not wanting to face possible injury, turned around and headed back. Picture of the falls is complementary.

July 23,2008

Janet walked down to the pier at noon time. Each day many fish come it to eat fish food that is thrown to them from passers-by. The trigger fish remained on the outskirts of this group, and one day a small shark came in looking for lunch too.

July 23, 2008 Dinner Cruise Ala Monana pier

We went on a Star Ship dinner cruise at 5pm. It left from this pier at the Clock Tower Shops. It parks on the right side of this picture. You might be able to see the three white bumpers put out to protect the boat. We lived within a 15 min walk into the area of the tall buildings.

Dinner cruise

July 18, 2008

Tripler Medical Center

Jerry took a long walk away from the medical center where he worked for three months to snap this picture. It was originally painted a pinkish color to match the soil of the mountain behind it, which you cannot see because there is a rain cloud blocking your view.

July 12, 2008

after the hike and before dinner in ala moana shopping center at a japanese steakhouse, we were enjoying a mai tai when this fly/bee landed in jerry's drink. he promptly removed the fly with a pair of chopsticks. we thought he had drowned but he staggered around the left over calamari plate and hopefully flew off when we left.

Kristin is in the same archway 2003

July 12, 2008

we hiked up to Manoa Falls through a tropical forest. you can see jerry through the archway of the trees.

Kristin at manoa falls 2003

July 12, 2008

jerry at manoa falls 2008. Oahu has been in a draught. there is only a trickle of water going over the falls presently.

July 3, 2008

we walked a half mile to the aloha tower center to see the 14 minute fireworks display. they were spectacular. glad we were able to walk instead of driving a car.

July 3, 2008

after the zoo, we stayed on thewaikiki beach awhile to watch the surfers.

july 3, 2008

dont know if you can enlarge this to read or not. its the info at the base of the star's bronze figure.

July 3, 2008

a bronze statue on waikiki beach honoring the The famous olympic/surfing/actor Duke star, paoa kahanamoku. try pronouncing that one!

July 3, 2008

looking northwest from waikiki beach.

July 3, 2008

We visited the Honolulu Zoo today where we were most impressed with the hippos and the rhinocerous.

June 29, 2008

after our mai tai on the waikiki beach we found a korean bbq at the waikiki resort hotel that allowed you to cook your own food at the table. we had sirloin and brisket. we plan to go back again.

June 29,2008

Here is a top view of the mai tai we were served at the surfrider beach bar hotel. our favorite place with the best mai tais is the pink royal caribbean hotel, but it is under restoration and will not reopen until dec of this year.

June 15, 2008

evening brought another wonderful sunset.

June 15, 2008

after spending the morning eating brunch of dim sum in china town, and sitting on the beach of waikiki, we ate at a japanese bbq where we cooked our own food.

June 15, 2008

Can you believe we ate lunch here at a bus food mobile downtown waikiki? still really pricey even if on paper plates.

June 7, 2008

here i am on the north shore. it is calm enough to snorkel and swim in the summer but during the winter swells, it is the world tourist capital surfing

area. bring your field glasses, cause the surfers are a long ways out in the water.

June 7. 2008

after the parade, jerry and i went to waimea nature center. here we were photographed in front of the falls. luckily it had rained heavily in the mountains the evening before, because the falls did not begin flowing until 11 am that day. normally people can swim in the pool, but not today.

June 7 2008

images of the king kameamea parade that marched from honolulu to waikiki.

images of parade

cars in the parade celebrating king kameamea's birthday were decorated with fantastic tropical floral displays.

a statue of king kameamea has been covered with leis tocelebrate his birthday on government grounds. here a native is seen in prayer.

June, 2008

i often take my 2 mile daily walks through china town. the market is always interesting. today the butcher had squid on his meat hooks.

June, 2008

Looking through our condo windows to the eastern mountains, about 4 pm rainbows often appear. doubles are plentiful, triples are rarer.

june, 2008

here is a single rainbow. they are very frequent even when honolulu gets none of the rain. you can walk outside in the sunshine, and have to take off your glasses because they are getting too wet, and arrive home dry. no humidity, mid 80's . weve never been anywhere with better weather than in hawaii.

June, 2008

From a zoomed in image on our room on the 38th floor, you can see tripler medical center on the top right. it was painted pink to match the local soil in the mountains that you just quite cant see from this angle. what should only take 15 minutes to get to or from work, sometimes takes an hour. honolulu was rated the worst for traffic driving in the u.s.

June, 2008

jerry is standing on hotel street, honolulu (china town). we are returning from our daily sunday dim sum brunch to our hotel pictured as the high rise in the background.

June, 2008

we were on the 39th floor for one week and had a glorious view of the harbor. they moved us to the 38th floor, facing the northern mountain range over which the west sun sets. here you can see china town and tall buildings of honolulu. my painting area is up and productive,

This is our view from the 38th floor of the executive suites downtown honolulu. Jerry is working at Tripler Medical Center, and i am painting. The surgery in feb. has set me back, so i am struggling through my dark period.

June 1, 2008

Legends has about 5 or 6 carts. this one contains large items such as bbq ribs and small items as desserts. it also carries taro shrimp and springrolls. other carts carry steamed food in bamboo baskets, pan fried food, boiled and prepared at your table items.

June 1, 2008

We barely got moved into our condo and then sprinted quickly to our favorite dim sum restaurant, legends, in china town. here you see jerry finishing up our gormet pupu's.

May 31, 2008

a view from of the s. eastern coast of oahu from a kodak picture viewing area. we are just north of Makapu'u pt. and lighthouse.

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May 31, 2008

from honolulu, we drove through the pali pass stopping to take some pictures there, and on to kailua on the SE coast. here many people rent kayaks and paddle them out to small islands nearby.

May, 31, 2008

vista view at the pali pass looking north east to Kailua.

May 31, 2008

Jerry at the trailhead to pali pass on oahu. it is 9 miles to the falls, so we didnt hike it this day. we are still on jet lag time 6 hours earlier than EDT

April, 2008

This is a group of friends we have been family to since moving to cape coral, fl in 2000. we all get together at least twice a month depending who is in town and whether or not it is girls, boys, or couples day out. Must have been our yearly family photograph.

April 2008

Toni (a fellow teacher in michigan) and Mike spent a day with us on the boat near pine island.

April, 2008

our great canadian friends, catherine and colin alias sailorgirl and the pirate, arrived mid april on their 27' c and c headed to the bahamas. we took a walk at the ecological cove on the calhoosahatchee river

april, 2008

nominees for angels of the art by the alliance included myself, gail jones as teacher of the year, clare candelori as new artist of the year, and dena shepherd as artist volunteer of the year. none of us won the award, but we were all thrilled to be nominated!!!

March, 2008

A great friend of my daughter kristin, is mandy with her third child, anna. they came to visit their parents and we got to spend the day with them.

March, 2008

Harborside, downtown ft. myers hosted the SWCouncil art exhibition. Among the artists at the reception were, dena shepherd, and dannica walker with her husband, pete. These 2 ladies are among my best friends and competitors!

March, 2008

Jerry' brother, Richard, and his wife, Karen, sweated all day over this grill in north ft. myers, preparing us a gormet meal at their rv. site.

march 2008,

carolyn and mike from college were with us for 3 days. musta been feeling really bad at the time, because now, i dont have any pictures of any of our outings.

february , 2008

libby, the mom who adopted me in hs. went with me to a naples beach and a nice luncheon at the end of the month, about 3 weeks after my surgery.

february 4 , 2008

Dr. Fuchs from ft. myers, replaced 3 discs and fused 4 cervical vertebrae together with a titanium and some huge screws. this particular xray of my neck was taken in june, just before we left for hawaii.

february 2+ 3, 2008

I decided to postpone my cervical disc surgery until we had completed the ft. myers, fla. ARTFEST exhibition. here jerry and i are in my tent display.

January, 2008 from Michigan

Heres my brother, David with QT.

Jan. 2008

My sister-in-law, Becky, married to David has a new westie puppy, QT.

Dec. 2007

Newest "Santa"! My grandson, Brandon at 5.5 months. Scott and Jalayne the proud parents.

Dec. 2007

Frost was definately in the area during our stay in Germany. We wished there would have been more sunshine. But there was a sprinkling of snow for Christmas!

Dec. 2007

Becca, Sabrina, Great Uncle Richard, Sarah, Rachael and Robin in the back of the BMW we rented for the week.

Great Uncle Richard and Sarah

Dirk, Sarah, Rachael, Marina +Brett.

Sabrina sat at the opposite end of the table listening to the adults around her.

Brett at a dinner get together, Boxer Day, in Fraankenthal.

Streets of Bobenheim-Roxheim headed for a real German home cooked meal by Marianna + Klaus.

Rhine River. Notice the castle in the sky. Unfortunely most of them were closed for the winter.

Jerry in a Greek restaurant in Erlitz.

Janet in much pain eating sushi as we took a drive up the Rhine River.

Dec. 2007

Romanesque Church in Worms.

Dec. 2007

Speyers Christmas fest with the Romanesque church in the background. I lost my hat to the wind in front of the church. Trying to keep it on my head, i ruptured 3 cervical discs. Kept me in alot of pain those 2 weeks in Germany.

Dec. 2007

The girls created this Christmas room waiting for Santa to arrive. Late that night they placed milk and cookies for Santa too.

Dec. 2007

Dirk helping Sarah, Rachel, and Becca put together a gingerbread house.

Dec. 2007

All Sarah wanted for Christmas was her two front teeth and all her belongings from the States that had not yet arrived.

Dec. 2007

Dirk, Sarah, Becca, Rachel, Great Uncle Richard, Great Aunt Karen, Robin, Great Uncle Jerry are all seated in a German restaurant in Heidleburg.

November 11, 2007

I drove up to Orlando to see my daughter, Kristin and her friend, Sandy, compete in a 10K marathon through Celebration. Because they pace their run/walk. I happened to catch them about halfway through their race. They are preparing to run their first full marathon in disney in January.

Oct. 30,2007

happy birthday Janet, from Iguana Mia's

We love to eat, especially when you get your birthday meal free!

Oct. 14, 2007

happy birthday Jerry, from Iguana Mia's.

we got back to cape coral in time to collect our free birthday meals.

Oct 1, 2007

This is me, Janet, and Annie from Daniel Smith at the Florida Watercolor Conventionin Daytona Beach, Florida.

I demoed daniel smith quinacridone watercolor paints at the Florida Watercolor annual exhbition in sept. with their rep, Annie, from Seattle.

We all had a good time, and i was awarded my FWS signature membership! Hooray! My solo show at the cape coral arts studio was wonderful. I just won a first place at the visual arts center in punta gorda, fl. and all is well! photos to come.

September 16, 2007

the weather was overcast. crater lake was not as blue as it was the first time we visited it because the sky was not blue. this was the first time we were able to drive around the entire crater rim. the last time we were here, snow had not yet been removed.

September 16, 2007

Hi.....this is me at one of the waterfall hiking stops on the way up to and surrounding crater lake where all the waterfalls are visible. in the spring, the waterfalls are phenomenal, overflowing with the melting snow from the mountains. in september they are only a trickle fed by springs in oregon. it is cold here now. the nights have been in the 40's. day temps in the high 60's. all of this area is in the umqua river valley.

September 16, 2007

this is at another waterfall area on our way up to crater lake. notice the small redwood tree stump to the left of jerry. many of them were felled.

September 8, 2007

On our way back to Roseburg, Ore. from the pacific coast, we stopped at a botanical garden. not quite what we expected to see but instead found a natural area in the forest where a boardwalk to the swampy area led us to view these insect eating plants that were quite numerous. they are darlingtonia californica.

September 8, 2007

During our weekend trip to the coast, we ate good chowder, visited the oregon coast aquarium in newport, stopped to see this historical bridge, near the Heceta head lighthouse (just n of florence), a glass blowing studio near newport, and the botanical gardens, all before buying fresh fish in reedsport and returning to roseburg.

September 2, 2007

Pictured are Dawn, myself(janet), and Monique. They are former students, friends, and now worldly contemporaries who graciously gave us a welcoming basket of washington goodies and treated us to dinner on the river front in tacoma.

Monique relocated to tacoma recently and although she is really enjoying her new adventure, misses being away from her michigan family. HI MOM (Claudia) from all of us.

September 2, 2007

We walked over the chihully bridge. one part of it had a ceiling of about 30 panels holding thousands of glass sculptures.

September 2, 2007

another part of the bridge had a wall of individual boxes each housing a sculpture sush as the one above.

September 2, 2007

In the house of glass in tacoma, washington, we watched visiting artists blow, paddle, form and create art works out of glass.

September 1, 2007

Magnificent sunset from the back of the whale watching boat. the water was 48 degrees, and it was cold outdoors!

September 1, 2007

Here is a picture of a mother orca from J pod that we photographed just south of victoria island, Washington. the adult whales are about 30 foot in length, making this baby to be about 6 foot and newly born. the mother pushed it to the surface often to breathe. here it looks like the baby may even be riding on mom's back.

September 1, 2007

At the Boeing assembly plant in Washington, two of their dream lifters were parked outdoors. they are used to bring in all the plane parts that will be assembled there.