I realized I had a bunch of photos piling up so I’m going to include them all together.

First up we have some photos from a couple weeks ago when we received a Christmas box of goodies from John, Julia and the kids. We were excited to watch her annual DVD of home movies from the past year and it really made us home sick… BUT we loved it (and the awesome towels). We had been putting off some gardening we wanted to do for a month or so and decided the weather was just right to dig in. We re-potted a few plants and planted some cucumbers, peppers and cilantro, all of which are now just starting to grow. We grew some cherry tomatoes a while back but as soon as they turn ripe and red it’s a race against the birds to see who eats them first.

Then we have some test photos from my new underwater camera. Not a great day to do the testing though, it was during the big swells from the north and the water was murky. I was really just trying to get used to the controls underwater.

Last up are some photos from a quick trip to the Iao Valley with Cheya and Ashley on Cheya’s birthday. I’ll do a more elaborate post about Iao when Darlene and I go and do some more exploring. The Valley is beautiful and prehistoric looking. If a dinosaur was to come rumbling through the thick vegetation it wouldn’t look all that shocking. It was pouring rain most of the hike which was actually very pleasant and felt right for a place this lush. Cheya convinced me to take a dip in the frigid waters streaming through the valley and I’m glad I did. It was COLD but it felt so good to be in such crisp and pure water. We also did a traditional prayer offering which consists of wrapping a rock in a tea leaf and placing it on a larger rock while giving thanks or making a small prayer. It was a really nice afternoon but I wish Darlene could have joined us. Oh, I should also mention the day started at Cheya’s dad’s (Mark, our awesome landlord from our first month) house for a nice brunch and a little jam session over the pool. What, you don’t have a living room built over your indoor pool?