December 7, 2016 Punchbowl

Again, Andy and I had an early morning.

As we were getting ready to leave, we had the television on and were watching

the ceremony at Pearl Harbor.

The ceremonies were by invitation only.

The survivors were invited, there were all sorts of Service dignitaries

and special guests.

We found out that there were a certain number of tickets for patrons to visit the park that day, and once they were taken, no more were issued.   They could watch the ceremonies on the outer rim. As I said before, parking is at a minimal in that area.

Persons were being shuttled in from various areas.

I believe there are only 5 remaining survivors of the Arizona.  Not all were in attendance. What a beautiful ceremony.

I had figured that we would not have any chances in being able to attend any of the ceremonies at the park. My reason to be there on the 7th was to visit the Punchbowl Crater.  

The Arlington of the Pacific.

Both of my parents are entombed there and I wanted to honor them.

I think I have said before that my Father had served in the Pacific during the war.

I did not know if there would be any ceremony at the cemetery or not.

On our way to the cemetery we passed these trucks.
Because of the warmth in Hawaii they have to keep the trees refrigerated.
As we passed by there was a tent in front with only a couple of trees out on display.
Sure did not look our tree lots back home. Interesting.

As you are heading up to the Punchbowl. this is the view.
That is Diamond Head in the background.

Here we are entering the cemetery.
The flag is always flown at half staff if there are to be any burial ceremonies.
Once all of the ceremonies are done, it will go to full staff.
There was a lot of work being done, grounds being readied.  There were services that day, as there was a tent
at the base of the starts leading up to the monument.
What a view.  Even the work being done on the grounds is done quietly.
There is just a feeling of respect at all times. The tone is hushed.
Every speaks in whispers.

This is the marker for my Dad and Mother.
I had not seen it since it was completed.
There are the two wooden boxes that my Dad had made, that holds their ashes
behind the marble face plate.

We added the Lei in their honor.

As you can see, this is how the ashes are entombed.
They call this the Columbarium.
It is a series of courts on the rim of the crater on the right-hand side
of the entrance to the cemetery.
There is an area in front that you can add the flowers.
The workers will take care of the flowers. They will be removed
once they are not longer fresh and nice.The graves all all looked after.
There are groupings like this on this one side of the cemetery.
Andy and I spent some time here.  I miss them both so much.
So many good memories.

The overlook is beautiful.  This is not far from their grave.

This the Honolulu Memorial.
 In 1955 The American Battle Monument Commission decided to build the memorial on the rim of the crater, overlooking the grave sites.
The female figure is Columbia, standing on the symbolized prow of a ship, holding a laurel branch.
It is said that Columbia is invoked in poetry and art as a symbol of the United States.
Here, she may also stand for the mothers who have lost their children to war.
The laurel symbolizes peace: the ship is said to be the U.S. Navy carrier.
Engraved at the foot of the statue are these words, originally written by
President Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby, a mother whose five sons had died in the Civil War.
" The solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly
a sacrifice up the altar of freedom."

This is looking from the top of the monument out over the cemetery.

Behind the monument is the Galleries  that hold maps depicting battles in the Pacific Theater of
Operation during World War II.

There is also a chapel behind the memorial.

I think this says it all.

I am so glad I could be here on this day.'
December 7, 2016
Thank you for your service.

Mary

December 7, 1941 and 2016

Good Morning

Back in the Spring I was having lunch with my son one day and we were talking about trips and things we wanted to do this year.

I said I would like to be in Honolulu for the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Andy said let's see if I can get hotel rooms.  Right ten and there he was able

to secure a room at the Royal Hawaiian on Ohau, and Maui Westin on Maui.

The adventure began on Sunday, December 4.

This is what our backyard looked like early in the day.

We kept hearing about how much snow was coming. Andy suggested that I drive to work

with him and stay at the hotel where he works for the "just in case" idea that the airport may have issues with the snow early in the morning, and who knows what the roads would be like.

He had secured a room for us.  He never got to use it as the airport had gone down the "dumpers" and he ended up working all night.  He woke me up at 4:30 a.m. to get dressed and go to the airport on the first shuttle available.  I would rather be early that late for a plane!

Now you are probably wondering where Ron was.
As the trip was drawing closer, his left hip was bothering him a lot.  He felt that the walking and long plane ride would not be a lot of fun for him.  He had checked about when surgery could be scheduled.  If he had a cortizone shot just before we left, he would not be able to have the surgery  until well into January 2017.  He had taken out insurance just in case.
Needless to say the hip got worse, and he had surgery the beginning of November for the replacement.  We knew ahead of time he would not be going, just Andy and myself.  He was okay with that.  What we didn't count on was the infection that showed up two weeks after the surgery.
After a second surgery and another stay in the hospital, he was cleared to go home.
He has to infuse an antibiotic daily, which takes about an hour and a half.
After much deliberation, he wanted us to go on the trip.
When Ron booked the air ride, it was too late to get a nonstop from Chicago.
We had a two hour layover in Denver.
When we got to our gate this sign was on the wall, and there was  red, white, and blue, balloons in bunches by the entry to the gate.  What we found out, was there would be a group of World War II veterans, friends, and family that the Florida State Elks had sponsored. 

Anyone could sign this message to the veterans

This is Art Gruber, who was a survivor of  USS Tennessee.
There was another surviror, Ruth Heckinger, who was a combat nurse and was with the Flying Tigers. Everyone in the gate area gave then a round of applause.  Once we all got on the plane, another announcement was made and again they all receive a round of applause.  They were
scattered through out the plane, so we got to talk to them and thank them for their service.
You could just feel the gratefulness and proud feelings we all had.
When we arrived in Honolulu, there were other groups of survivors that had arrived and were in the baggage area.  You could not help grinning and feeling proud to be an American.

We got our car and headed for dinner.  I had talked Andy into a restaurant called "Uncles" on one of the piers on our way to the hotel. I had eaten there before, and knew Andy would like it as well.
Then on our way to the Royal Hawaiian.
Let me tell you, "Pink" is the one word to describe it!  Everything is pink. It is a beautiful use of pink. What an elegant use of it.  The Christmas decorations are all pink as well.  To say I felt like a
"country mouse" is an understatement.  Andy and I met up with a friend of his that evening at the Mai Tai bar.  She had been able to acquire tickets for us to go on a special tour of the battleship USS Missouri.  Not long after that the long day caught up to us and off to bed.
We were going to have an early morning.

We were up and out by 7:30 AM.  We had to check in at the Pearl Harbor historical site, and be in line to catch a bus to Ford Island were the Missouri moored.  We had to be ready for our tour at 9:45.  Parking is minimal, and walking is long.
Once we reached the island, we passed the memorial for the USS Oklahoma.

From the forward deck of the Missouri, we were able to get a different view of the Pearl Harbor Memorial which is over the USS Arizona. What a view.

Andrew.
See those guns?  Well let me tell you, we got to go into the turret, and see how the ammunition was packed and loaded into them.  I can tell you first hand, there is not a lot of space in there for moving around.  Each person is assigned a job and the precision they have to load and lock would have been very exacting. 

There were 6 of us on this tour. Dom the lady in the blue shirt, was our tour guide.
She knew her stuff.  We are in the "hallway" that they call "broadway". This has doors that can be closed and locked from each other.  Impressive.  Our tour lasted about 2 hours and gives you a new appreciation of what and how the bowels of the ships work.  

This is the portion of the forward deck where the "Document of Surrender" was signed.
There are viewing cases that show the document, pictures of who signed and other memorabilia regarding this historic moment in time. 

As we got on the bus to leave Ford Island, we had one more stop at the "Pacific Air Museum".
This air tower is the same one you see in documentaries about WWII.  Ron and I have since watched several, and you can spot the tower.  It also is in th"Tora, Tora, Tora."
Once we arrived back to the Pearl Harbor grounds, we got to go out to the Arizona.

It is so beautiful, and impressive.

This is the picture of how and where the memorial was positioned.
Were you aware that Elvis Presley had a hand in getting this memorial completed?

This is the shrine where the names of the Arizona crewmen who died are inscribed on a marble wall. Notice the two areas in front of the wall.  The one on the left has names of the survivors that have since passed away.  The one on the right is shrouded in black.  It was reveled until after a ceremony on December 7.  Two additional servicemen that had served on the Arizona were entombed on her deck.  One was a gentlemen that is now with his brother.  They were serving together that fateful day.  One died and one survived.  They are now once again serving together.

What an impressed and sacred place.  It cannot help but  bring tears, to realize what all of these servicemen
did and sacrificed for our freedoms.
Even as I write this I can't help but tear up.

The oil from the Arizona still seeps to the surface.

The Battleship USS Missouri

What an amazing monument.

One last look as we return to land

There were memorial wreaths staged to be taken to the memorial on December 7.
They were from around the world.

The submarine Bowfin with the bridge to Ford Island in the background.

We had a long and great day visiting Pearl Harbor.   We had timed our visit to be on the 6th, because I knew we would not have been able to be there on the 7th.
We had only one real problem that day.  No food!  We had thought we would pickup breakfast on our way.  Got hung up in traffic, and we were on a time table. There were only snacks at Pearl Harbor.  Should have eaten after the Missour tour,  there was food, but again we were on a time table. We left the sites as the end of the day. So father then try to find a place in the traffic on the way back to the hotel, there was a restaurant by where we had parked. So we started a new trend. Happy Hour! They had a special on appetizers and drinks.  There was enough of a variety that we could order several appetizers and hit all the food groups.  So we sat and watched the harbor and drank and ate until some of the traffic would have subsided  going back to Honolulu.

Then back to the Royal Hawaiian.
See this entry?  Well it was used in a recent episode of Hawaii 5-0.
Got to talk to a lady who works  the the valet desk.  She was working the day the scene was shot, and
had to duck behind the desk.  I know my sites in Hawaii!

For the actual December 7, I will tell why I had to be in Hawaii.

Aloha

Mary

Inverness, Scotland and Hungarian fabric

Another edition of my trip this August.
I have been using my blog as my online journal.
I was going to use this as an exploring on my own day.

We actually dock in Invergordon. This port is know for two things.  One, oil rigs are brought
here for refurbishing and repair.  It was interesting to see rigs in all sizes and stages of repair.
The other is lot of the buildings have beautiful murals painted on the,
telling about the history of the town.

I had signed up to take a bus trip into Inverness.  It gave us a 45 minute trip
to the town. The countryside was very interesting.

Cows and sheep grazed along the way.
When I was planning this trip I remembered that I had seen the reference to
Inverness in regard to Hungarian Blue fabric.
Did my research and found what I was looking for.
Gilly Thomson, of Kekfesto Cotton did in fact sell Hungarian fabric.
I contacted her and we agreed that I could walk to her house quite easily, from
where the bus would drop us off.

I did not need any more incentive to do just that.

She show me a couple of the quilts she had made using this beautiful fabric.
I had asked how she came about selling this from Scotland.
One of her sons had spent a year in Budapest in 2002 for fencing training.
Gilly and her husband went to visit their son.  While there she was introduced to
the Hungarian Patchwork Guild Exhibition.  She was then persuaded to take part in an
International Exhibit in May of 2003 using the Kekfesto blue and white fabric.
She made a beautiful "Nordic Star" quilt that she shows on the link, I have provided.

Well, let me tell you I had a hard time deciding which pieces to purchase.
I ended up buying, fat quarters, lengths, and even a charm pack.  It was so hard to not purchase
one of everything.  I knew I had some at home from when I visited Hungary in 2008.
Surprisingly, I did not duplicate anything.
What a wonderful selection she has.  Now I know where I can find more when I need it.
Update:  I had started a quilt after my trip in 2008, but had not put it all together.
Well, recently I got it out and put the blocks I had made together, and now working on the borders.
It will soon be ready for quilting.

Here is a picture of the Inverness Castle.  (Picture out of order, as I was using two different
cameras, and when you load then blogger will put them in their order, not mine.)

Here I am with Gilly.  We are staring in from of her quilt studio in their back yard.
She, just like a lot of us, would not let me take a peek, as she said it is a mess!
Sounds like a lot of quilters I know.
I enjoyed our visiting so much.

I still had time to do a bit of exploring after I left Gilly's house.
There was a neat shop next to this pub.
Don't you love the saying?

It is interesting to see men in kilts.  It would seem odd for us to see it
at home, but was right in line here.
I guess it is not any more odd then seeing people here still wearing
their pajamas when they are out shopping here at home.

I also visited a church on my way back to the bus.
How about this quilt pattern on the floor of the entry way.
You never know where you will find wonderful quilt patterns.
Maybe this is the way Bonnie Hunter gathers hers.

When we got back to Invergordon, we were met by these school age students,
ready to serenade us.  It was awesome.
Their precision was wonderful.

After Jan and I got back on the ship, I was up on the lido deck when I
heard the pipes and checked it out.
The students were marching their way out to the ship.

What a treat it was to listen and watch these amazing kids.
Nothing like being piped as we are leaving dock.

What another wonderful day.  We got to see more beautiful countryside, I was able to
purchase Hungarian fabric, meet a lovely lady, hear bagpipes and drums, and have another
wonderful weather day.
Loving this trip.
Mary

Another fun quilt retreat in Racine, Wisconsin

There was another fun quilt retreat at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin..
This time we got to spend a whole week.
Some of the ladies are intent on getting lots of things done.
Actually, my trunk was full.  I figured if I got bored of one project, I had several other things to fall back on.
Kathy had just gotten this Cubs quilt for her grandson, back from the quilter, and it is ready for binding.
She does such a great job.

Jan put this pillow kit together. All it needs now is stitching.
She said this one had been aging for about a year, and it was time to work on.

We always seem to have all sorts of weather while we are there.
This day produced a beautiful rainbow.

Every day is so different, you never know what the wave action will be.
I love to go down to Lake Michigan every day to see what it is like,  and to just
watch the waves. Even when they are churning, and several feet high, it
somehow brings a coming effect for me.

One of the nuns brought this set of antique star blocks to share.
A friend of hers had given them to her, but the friend is now in memory care.
She did not know what to do with them.
I stepped up and said I would take care of them.
I decided I would applique them on to fabric, have it quilted, and give it back to her.
They were from a friend.  If she wants to donate the quilt or keep it, it will be up to her.
Update:  I found antique muslin at a quilt show recently, and it is enough to use
for the applique.  Actually, I have two of the stars appliqued down.
Whoever sewed them, handstitched each one.  They are flat, so it makes it easy
to work on.

Another of the nuns shared the quilt she has been working on.
She hand stitched it and is now hand quilting it, a little at a time.
What a beautiful piece of work.

Another day of watching waves and walking on the beach.

Lynn finished up this mini quilt.
She loves to work on mini's.  It is always good to have handwork.
She said she stitched it on a car trip to Florida.

Marcia is working a a wonderful embroidered and colored quilt.
Her stitching is gorgeous.

Judy finished up this fun quilt. As she was putting on the last part,
found she was missing one block. Love the scrappiness.

Love the movement in this gray modern quilt.

There was still wild asters blooming in the woods.

Kathy finished up this sweet top.

I had started this pattern, "Garlic Knot".  One of Bonnie Hunter's patterns
from Quiltmaker magazine several years ago.  There had been a lot of
chatter on Bonnie's facebook sights about quilters working on it.
Mine is all scrappy, and from my box of 2 in squares.
In Bonnie's patter there are squares and two rectangles.  I had squares cut,
so used all squares in the making of my blocks.
Just need to make a back, and off to be quilted.

Kathy worked on another quilt.  All the Disney Princesses.
This time for her granddaughter. She has a great way of  measuring and piecing
them together.  What a collection of princess fabric she has.

Even the bugs were out giving us a show.

Lynn made the blocks and pieced the top in two days.
Love the movement in this one too.

Will I got a good start on my Spiderweb quilt, using salvages.
This one has been on my bucket list for a long time.
It has been started twice.  Was going to make the blocks using this dark blue fabric
as the centers.  Then on a quilt cruise I had to start it again, this time with the light background.
I forgot to take background fabric, so at our first stop I had to buy a substitute.
Well I have worked it out. using both fabrics to complete the quilt.

Update:  I have the center, and first round of beige done, and working on the blue round.
Sucks when you find you don't have enough blue for the whole quilt.
I have sketched it out using the two colors for the quilt top.
I have a huge bag of salvages to use.  There will be a lot of color in this quilt. 

Christine was working on several Pam Buda patterns, all small quilts.
They are so pretty.

Another beach view.  Everyday it changes.
As you can tell, I don't spend all day sewing.
I love to walk along the beach.  Good exercise.  I like to look for "Sea Glass"
so I get a lot of bending in tool.  Great ways to counter the food we eat while we are there.
There are the regular means, and plenty of snacks.
I did do some bird watching too, but no great pictures this time.
I love the getting away to be able to just quilt. I don't have the distractions
I would have at home.
Mary