Every morning, Chuck asks, âHowâd you sleep?â Then he often says, âI had the craziest dream last night,â and launches into a detailed description of his dream(s) from the night before. It is one of those rituals I thought was unique to us, but then I saw Hartley Linâs cartoon in the New Yorker.Â
Maybe it was the surf pounding so close to my head, or too much sun, or the saltwater I swallowed while snorkeling? Who knows? When Chuck asked how I slept during one of our last days in Hawaii, I finally had one to share: It was one of my post-apocalyptic dreams.Â
The dreamâs opening scene was of my brother-in-law shooting beige-colored turkeys like the one we saw near Hilo on the Big Island. It reminded me of the TV series The Walking Dead. There was a sense that something bad was coming, and we had to get out of Dodge. I was frantically trying to decide what to pack. Only practical, useful items, like underwear or a toothbrush, were allowed, and there was a limit on the number of items you could takeâthink 5 items or less at the checkout line. The pressure was realâchoose between clean teeth or going commando.Â
I was at my limit and feeling absolutely panicked. I turned around, and my sister Dianne was wearing a spotted, full-length fur coat. I said, âWhat the hell!â She shrugged and turned away. âIf she is taking that, I want my jeans,â I yelled. Of course, I couldnât find them.
My dream then morphed into an episode from I Love Lucy. Instead of stuffing chocolates into my mouth, I was frantically opening and closing drawers and flinging clothes. Clearly, living out of a suitcase had gotten to me.Â
Valuable Packing Lessons:
The sweatshirt I lugged onto more than a half dozen planes was only worn once and was not practical at all. After a while, I came to resent its presence.Â
I should have packed more than one Q-Tip, they were freaking expensive at the Foodland in Kauai, so I didnât buy more. Dreams about excess ear wax were an issue for a few nights.Â
The extra hair supplies were a total waste. The planeâs air pressure squeezed most of the product into my bag. What was left wasnât designed for the humidity, salt water, or WIND. The tiny clip the size of my pinkie was more useful. And the jumbo hairbrush never left my bag.Â
Hawaiian Surprises:
Our Airbnb host warned us that the wild chickens would crow every morning at 5:15 am, so those werenât a surprise, but feral goats on the Big Island playing frogger were. A number of them didnât win.Â
"House Plants Gone Wild," our tour guide at the National Tropical Botanical Garden yelled. His voice bore an oddly striking resemblance to Rob Schneiderâsâexpressive and infused with a comedic timing that danced between seriousness and humor. Thanks to Robâs doppelganger, we were quite adept at identifying Hawaiian plants, cheerfully pointing them out and yelling, âHouse Plants Gone Wild!â  Â
Every third vehicle was a Tacoma pickup. They may have outnumbered the chickens.Â
The most startling surprise, perhaps, was at the "Temple on the Hill of the Whale," constructed under the guidance of King Kamehameha's aunt. She prophesied that building this temple would ensure Kamehameha's reign over all the Hawaiian Islands, a claim he could not solidify due to opposition from his cousin, who lived just a canoe ride away. Kamehameha extended an invitation to his cousin for the temple's dedication ceremony. Foreseeing his grim fate as a human sacrifice, the cousin made a shocking decision. Instead of simply refusing the invitation, he mutilated himself by cutting off the end of his penis, a drastic act believed to be an attempt to spoil Kamehameha's plans for the sacrifice. Personally, I would have just declined the invitation to the dedication ceremony.Â
Our Hawaiian adventure is over, and now I'm left dealing with jetlag and an extra 10 pounds I didnât expect to bring home. With its wild chickens and relentless winds, Hawaii was a reminder that life's best adventures are found not just in the places we visit but in the dreams we share and the surprises we navigate together. Ultimately, it's not about how much we packed or what we brought back but about the journey. Iâm curious: do you have a quirky ritual of sharing your dreams in the morning, too?Â
In Other News!Â
I woke up Thursday morning to find an email from Rural Innovation Exchange sharing their most-read stories of 2024 (so far)! Â
Good morning,
With spring break in mind, we thought we'd step back and share our most-read stories of the last three months. If you missed them the first time around, here's your chance to give them another look. Published in January, The life of a modern shepherdess: Bridging tradition and innovation in farming in rural Michigan was our most popular story. No wonder. The story captures the appeal of living in the country and the sense of entrepreneurship that can be found in rural areas of Michigan.
Take a look at these stories and others exploring innovation and community across rural Michigan. Feel free to reach out to us at editor@ruralinnovationexchange.com. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter.Â
Thanks for reading,Â
Greg Tasker, Managing Editor
Yes, I wrote it, so Iâm pretty geeked about it. So this got me wondering about Life In Michiganâs top 3 stories for the past 12 months (Drum Roll please):
All three articles took on their own life and continue generating lots of interest. Which Life In Michigan article is your favorite?Â
Substack Attack
I only have one Substack Newsletter to chat about this week: Louise Tilbrook from Everyday Knitter. She is a knitter, which I am not, but her newsletters are chock-full of tidbits for anyone interested in fiber arts or really anyone who is crafty. Her April 5th, âFive on Friday,â was about taking your projects on the road. I also take projects with me when I travel. Since space was an issue, taking a rug hooking project to Hawaii wasnât an option. So, I took the plunge and bought a Corinne Lapierre embroidery kit.Â
I finished 4 of the 5 birds. Donât look at it too closely; my stitching needs practice. I highly recommend these kits if you want an easy road trip crafting project. Do you craft? Do you take projects on the road? If so, do you have any recommendations for crafting on the road?Â
Etsy FavoritesÂ
Do you love Etsy? Until recently, I avoided it. During the pandemic, I ordered a few things that never arrived, but lately, Iâve been burning up the AMX card. At the moment, my favorite shop is the Crow Creek Farm. I am a hooker (yes, Chuck is aware) and just love her patterns. Iâm itching to get started on her Chicken Stroll rug.Â
Here is the Zells Bee Garden project I finished earlier this year. (She has an Etsy Shop too!)Â
What are your favorite Etsy Shops?Â
Upcoming EventsÂ
The Summer Festival Season is heating up! If you are organizing one you think we might enjoy, shoot us an email.Â
Join us for a daylong celebration of gardening, nature, and hands-on activities! Gardening & Farm Fest features artisans and farmers selling their wares, along with representatives from local farms who offer CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture).
Details: https://aadl.org/farmfestÂ
For more details, check out their website.Â
Our friends at Hearts in Service are putting on a big concert on July 20th at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. Check their page for all the details!
Final Thoughts:
Another edition of Sunday Sip is in the books! Remember to cherish the rituals connecting us and stay open to life's endless surprises. Here's to embracing the little moments that make our stories richer. Happy exploring!
You write so well Brenda. I enjoyed reading every line!
Thank you for sharing these moments in your life. What are we sipping on Sundays? I also would like to know, when you get those detailed dreams described, do you analyse or give your verdict? Enjoyed this read very much.