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Monday, July 07, 2008

Hukilau



A few snaps at Hukilau, our family cottage, where 39 of us descended for the 4th of July weekend.



























































And Peter's 4-minute video:



Here's another video Peter put together from his footage. WARNING: There is a snake in this one.

34 comments:

André Lemay said...

I love the first photo with boat, it is excellent. Welcome back we missed you.

Anet said...

What a wonderful place!
Love the photo of the dishes! wow!!!

Loring Wirbel said...

Have you told us before where the name "Hukilau" comes from? Peter's video is wonderful, too, good editing, nice song.

Abby turns 18 today! One early July 4 present was that she got to be an extra in a music video by The Flobots.

Anet said...

Oh I missed the video the first time! What a great bunch of kids!
Love the music too! Peter's band? right?

Ruth said...

André, thank you!

~ ~ ~

Anet, thank you! I added the YouTube after you'd read the post, which I'd meant to do and forgotten. So I'm glad you came back. No! Not Meridian, but a track from Coldplay's latest! That you hear similarities to Meridian ought to please Peter, since Coldplay is one of their bigger influences.

~ ~ ~

Loring! Happy Birthday to Abby!

'Hukilau' was in place when my parents bought the place in 1963 (our first weekend there was the weekend JFK was shot). The previous owners - who literally walked out and left EVERYTHING in the house, including full salt and pepper shakers - had named it after trips to Hawaii. It means the luau/celebration after the day's fishing.

Sharon said...

Looks like an amazing weekend! 39 people!!!! I watched Peter's video a couple of times, it was mesmerizing. The kids looked like they were having a lot of fun and the setting is beautiful. Other than all of those dishes, it looks perfect!!! :)
Glad you're back!

sandy said...

This was so cool. Everybody, everybody had a smile on their face. Video was great and loved the music.

The photos - well my absolute favorite is that bedroom with all the beds.

I remember seeing a movie, darn, can't remember the name, with Burt Lancaster and he was the grandpa and they all gathered at the lake. He passed away and they put his body in a boat and sailed it out and set it on fire (that's what he wanted), and ...I loved that movie. Whenever I hear of families gathering at the lake, I think of that movie.

If I can think of the name of the movie I'll come back and post it. Maybe you've seen it, it's fairly old.

This was really fun to see, both the pics and the video. So lucky to have such a large family gathering at the lake.

Oh, I remember as a kid all of us going to the Lake of the Ozarks where my aunt had a cabin.

Anonymous said...

This must be so special for all of you, the first picture is a joy for the eye, I just love the fog over the water, so well spotted.

MYM said...

I know I've said this lots of times, but it's true ... your family is just wonderful! :) Looks like an amazing time.

My fav is that first photo ... just lovely.

Gwen Buchanan said...

What a feeling!! Must have been a very busy weekend... So good for all the children getting to know each other better when most everyone is relaxed.. except I suppose when you all were planning the feasting...

I remember times like this when I was a kid with large groups of family members camping together and playing with cousins, when the weekend wore on and on and none of us wanted to go home!!

Ruth, Did I see you in Peter's video ( great) sitting near the water seeming meditative?

Ruth said...

Oh! and Loring! I forgot to say that is way cool about the Flobots video!

~ ~ ~

Thank you, Sharon, I missed you guys. Wish I could've taken everyone with us. We have a great time, even doing dishes. And we divvy it up so technically no one has to do dishes more than once. Yep, Pete did a great job synchronizing that video. I am mesmerized by it too.

~ ~ ~

Auntie Sandy, that 'dormitory' room is practically wall to wall beds. The kids, when they're little, run from one to the next. I have not seen that movie, so please tell me the name when you think of it. I could always IMDB Burt Lancaster too. Did you like going to the Ozarks?

Ruth said...

Astrid, thank you. I especially love how the young kids look forward to this time together, which makes it more special for the upper generations too.

~ ~ ~

Thanks, Drowsey, I don't disagree with you about my family being wonderful. And I have to say this time I laughed with my sister Dee Dee (doing the dishes in the photo) so much I thought I'd die.

~ ~ ~

Gwen, hey! We have the planning down to a science, and we divvy out the food staples so each family unit brings certain items. Otherwise, we'd have 8 gallons of milk in the fridge! It works great, and the second generation is taking over the planning (who needs a bed, who brings what food, etc.), and that makes me HAPPY.

Yes, I was in the video rocking on the waterfront, and also hitting the ball with the bat badly and running to first base. :)

sandy said...

Ruth:

the name is Rocket Gilbralter - I LOVED that movie, the whole feel of it. I hope you can rent it.

I LOVED the Ozarks as a kid! Many great memories there.

In this movie, I mentioned above, I think there is so much you can relate to, with the family at the lake, and such.

Ruth said...

Sandy, oh good! I've heard of that, I'll put it on our queue. Thank you for the recommendation.

There are some more memories for your memory blog!

Anonymous said...

OMG, the children are absolutely beautiful. What are the names of the songs/groups on the two utubes?
very talented son, you must be proud mama

Ruth said...

I agree, Anon.! Thank you.

It's the same group: Coldplay, from their new album. These are the only two tracks I've heard from it. The second video's song is played quite a lot on TV, in the iTunes add.

I am very proud of my kids (have a talented daughter too).

VioletSky said...

How blessed you are to have such a family full of fun and love and a place like this for all of you to come together.

Loring Wirbel said...

Coldplay for both videos? Well, it's a good album....

Ginnie Hart said...

It is always so special to see Hukilau through YOUR eyes, Ruth. Maybe I'll do my post tomorrow, now that my album is done. :) Thank you!

Ruth said...

Sanna, yes we are. It keeps getting better too.

~ ~ ~

Loring, yeah, I'm thinking Peter's pretty crazy about Coldplay. I wonder if you're heard the whole thing?

~ ~ ~

Boots, your album is phenomenal, so I know your In Soul post will be special. What a weekend!

Loring Wirbel said...

I have all these friends that started making fun of Chris after he married Gwyneth Paltrow (not for that reason, but because he started "pulling a Bono" by taking Coldplay into U2-like regions of pomposity). I thought the last album was boring, but after hearing a lot of good things about "Viva La Vida", I bought the special vinyl edition with free CD copy inside (at Best Buy of course, now that they sell vinyl again - gasp, I didn't support the small independent dealer). It's a solid album throughout, at least seven really good songs, though I would say the best showing for the year would put Coldplay in the last half of the Top Ten - and 2008 hasn't been that stellar a year. I'm too much of a snob, I know.

Loring Wirbel said...

P.S. Has Peter seen THIS Coldplay video??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WqQL5WFN20

Ruth said...

Loring, yes, I think you are a snob, but the thing about you is that you look long and hard (listen long and hard) and come the closest to an expert on many subjects of anyone I know. That affords you some leeway to be a snob. And clearly you don't mind hobnobbing with ignoramouses like me, which makes it all right to be a snob. Expressing your opinion, and yet not taking yourself too seriously, is a good combination.

Yes, Peter sent that hilarious YouTube to me some time ago.

laura said...

Great photos, Ruth; as usual, you've captured something essential. I especially love the beds room--that chaos of everyone on the dash to be outside--and the nod to your ancestors. Thanks for explaining the cottage's name; sounds like a good name for a boat too ...

laura said...

p.s. Just visited your Ireland posts! There are many places I'd like to go, but Ireland has been my heart's desire the longest: I have a long-held fantasy that I'll feel at home there. When I go, I won't be coming back!

rauf said...

39 people in itself is fun and you are in a heaven like place. So nice to see adults becoming children. Ruth, You know how to enjoy yourself and make others enjoy themselves. i think we all should be thankful, looking at the pictures and the video itself is so much entertaining, refreshing and much much better than yoga.

Loring Wirbel said...

Ignoramus??!! I always cite you as one of the most aware people I know!

Ruth said...

Laura, oh thank you. Just the way you put that means a lot to me, about something essential. Been reflecting on that in photography lately, so . . .

Yes, that dormitory room is wall to wall beds. You can't even see them all in the photo, around the corner to the right. It's a challenge with snorers. A person could actually be closer to the person in the next bed than to the person in her own!

Oh Ireland. Are you serious? You think you would like to move there first visit? Strangely, I never had a burning desire to go there, and then I was sent for work, and I fell in love. I especially found connection with certain places, such as Tara. But you can read about that in my posts.

Ruth said...

oh rauf! Are you settled yet? How's your computer? Still on your sister's??

Thank you for the sweet words about the post. I think you could use some cricket right about now yourself after the hassles you've been through? Nothing like whacking at a ball to ease frustrations.

Ruth said...

Loring, that is so great coming from you. But you, rauf, Jack, Sandy and others put me to shame. But hey, we help spur each other on to love and good works - or something like that.

sandy said...

I don't know how many times I come back to look at that rowboat in the top pic!!! It is such a peaceful scene.

You know what, after remembering about that movie, Rocket Gilbralter, I'm going to go look through my VHS library (yeah I still have tons of tapes) and pull that out and watch it again.

I LOVE LOVE that movie.

Bob Johnson said...

So Ruth your Photos are fab, that boat one is way cool, and the videos are awesome, love Coldplay and the editing is remarkable, what comes across is family is important to you as it should be, oh and I bet the stars were out in full force.

Ruth said...

Sandy, I still have to put the movie on our queue, and then we can talk about it when Don and I've seen it!

~ ~ ~

Thank you bunches, Bob. I keep watching Peter's videos myself. And when I read what you wrote about stars, I gulped. Forgive me, Bob, I didn't go out at night, not once. I bet they WERE fabulous. I think I was in bed shortly after the kids each night. :|

Mrs. SwedeHart said...

Not quite as good as being there- but lovely footage! Nice videos Peter.