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| View from shore. |
Years ago, Tom and I held parties on New Year’s Eve at our home with lots of fanfare. We always had a great turnout with dozens of friends enjoying the labor of love we put into the party planning, the food preparations, and on some years, costumes.
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| Cloudy morning today. |
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| View of the house next door which we’ll move back to on January 3rd. |
The last New Year’s Eve party we’d planned was for the rollover from 1999 to 2000. We had a costume theme of the much-anticipated issues that were expected to result when the clocked chimed 12:00 am on January 1, 2000.
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| Neighborhood shoreline view. |
Tom and I wore custom-made bug costumes to represent the expected “computer bugs” (so they called them) and decorated our house accordingly. Much to our shock, only six guests appeared for the party, the others staying behind, fearful of the long drive on what was a scary night.
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| Red Road shoreline view. |
From that point on, we no longer planned New Year’s Eve parties, preferring to acquire the typical older adult’s attitude that the occasion was for youngsters, not the mature types such as us.
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| Shoreline view on a drive in the area. |
Now, we give New Year’s Eve little thought. Instead, it reminds me that taxes have to be done and other painstaking year-end related “paperwork” must be accomplished sometime soon.
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| Numerous beaches line the shores of the Big Island attracting sunbathers and picnickers. |
For Tom, he never gave New Year’s Eve a good thought. His grandfather on his mother’s side was killed in a wagon accident on New Year’s Eve day, hauling a load of wood, falling beneath to his death. His mother was only three months old at the time. Her mother was left a widow with three children, never to remarry. This tragic loss remained in the hearts and minds of the family tarnishing the prospect of New Year’s Eve celebrations.
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| Pods that will open to lilies in our yard. |
When we decided to forgo future celebrations, Tom didn’t waiver in respect for the memory of his grandfather and was content to let the “holiday” remain relatively unimportant.
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| Still searching for the name of this flower. |
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| Pink Ginger Flower. |
I suppose we all have our reasons to celebrate or not. Some fear driving on the roads with possible drunk drivers out in full force. Others fear themselves driving after imbibing on a glass of wine or two. Others simply fear the disappointment of not having the good time they’d hoped to experience. And others, are simply bored by the whole thing.
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| The raging sea with heavy mist. |
Tonight, whether you may celebrate or not, we wish each and every one of our readers, family, and friends a New Year filled with the opportunity and execution of reaching for the stars to fulfill whatever dream you may hold dear to your heart with health, happiness, and love.
Happy New Year…
Photo from one year ago today, December 31, 2013:
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| On New Year’s Eve, we returned home from a casual gathering and dinner at Jabula Lodge in Marloth Park. After a wonderful evening, we found this foot-long “thing” on the wall in the bedroom near the bathroom. I must admit, I had the creepy crawlies all night long wondering if more of these were waiting to walk over me while I was sleeping. At this point, I had overcome many of my insect fears but this one was pushing it. Tom swept it into the dustpan and took it outside where it belonged. For details from that date, please click here. |
Happy New Year! Sounds like you are having a wonderful time. So glad the lava has stalled enough to not harm the homes you are in. The small banana looking flower plant in the ninth picture is called "Heliconia psittacorum". The pods picture above it in the eight picture is a Papaya tree.
Joanette, how wonderful to hear from you and Happy New Year to you as well. Thanks for the flower info. You're so good at that! Is it a passion or profession? In either case, we appreciate your input.
Have a safe and enjoyable finale to the holiday season and a great New Year to come.
Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom
Happy New Year from Stowe, VT! A quiet night for us as well…reminiscing about Maui and thinking forward to a trip back to County Mayo, Ireland (John's ancestral roots) in June. Here's to discovering more of what life has to offer in 2015. Thanks for reminding us all to live the dream.
Lisa, we loved Maui as well. But, if one wants a snowy winter, certainly Stowe, Vermont is a gorgeous place to be. Your photos on FB have been wonderful! Tom's ancestral roots are also from Ireland. He's researched considerably in Ancestry.com and has been able to pinpoint some cities. Have a fabulous time in June. Sounds like an excellent trip. We were in Cork, Ireland to see the Blarney Castle in September and I loved Ireland. Tom had been to visit a few times before we met. It would have been enjoyable to see more of it. Perhaps, someday we will.
Have a fabulous New Year's Eve and year to come and, thanks again for writing and staying in touch!
Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom