Chapman Family: Lydgate Park

Today was an incredible day. It helped that we all got a decent night sleep, despite our rooster friends. The kids are actually sleeping on the sleeper sofa. Yippee!

We started out at Lydgate park this morning, which was a wonderful surprise. The playground was enormous and shady. The kids really

enjoyed the chance to run around, while Keith and I enjoyed watching the birds (including the roosters). There was a beautiful bird that we finally identified as a red-crested cardinal. I'm not usually a bird person, but this one was so pretty.

Best of all, Lydgate has a boulder-enclosed pond that allows sea water and fish in but allows for nice, calm, clear water. I had heard that you could feed the fish, but this was beyond anything

I had imagined. I began walking along the rocks off to the side and saw some very small fish. Interesting, but not so impressive. As I moved toward the center, they got bigger. I pulled out my baggie of bread crumbs and soon was surrounded by fish, some were blue with yellow near the fins and as big as a loaf of bread. There were silver ones half the size and palm-sized yellow and blue ones. My favorite was the needlefish. I'm sure my pictures won't do this experience justice. You'll have to come visit and see for yourselves.

After

we ran out of bread, we sat on the beach and enjoyed the view - well-slathered in sunscreen this time - while the kids built the first of many sandcastles.

We ate lunch back at the condo and then headed out to the weekly farmer's market where a banner event occurred. My dear husband, who will not eat anything containing even a pinch of coconut, joined us in drinking from an ice-cold coconut. I have a picture to prove it!

We finished off our fabulous day by enjoying some hula dancers at a local shopping area. Three of the girls were Carson's age, which made it eve

n more fun to watch. At the end of the performance, they sold leis to help support their "hula education."