Our Guam Experience

We have had an amazing opportunity to travel to beautiful Guam to work with the National Pesticide Safety Education Center on an invasive species project. This is most of the group that traveled. Betwin and his wife opened their home for a traditional meal. Bill and I weren’t able to join them because our flight didn’t arrive till 2 days after everyone else. 

This is the typical Guamanian greeting: Hafa Adai. 

Our hotel was on the beach. I could have stayed here much longer. The water was truly the aquamarine color and so clear. 

We were able to snorkel right there. 

The work started with a meet and greet at Guam EPA office. This meeting brought a lot of different agencies together to discuss how they can work together more effectively to control several invasive species, the green tree snake, fire ants, and the Rhino Beetle. The green tree snake has eaten most of the birds in the jungle and the Rhino beetle has desimated the coconut trees, which is an important crop in their economy.  


This is one example of a control method for the Rhino

And this is the other method that seems to work better. 

This is the plumeria tree where the flowers come from for the leis. 




We visited the University of Guam to deliver a worker protection program. Take a look at their view. Imagine coming to work everyday to this. 

The island isn’t too large, about 32 miles long and 4 miles wide. With the speed limit 35 MPH, it took awhile to get around the island but it was a gorgeous drive. 

This is the spot where the Americans first landed during World War II. It wasn’t that tranquil then. Now it’s a National Park. 




A colleague, Dean Herzfeld from Minneapolis, had a car and drove us around the island with a lot of stops to walk and take pics. 




I was amazed at the size of that philadrendon leaf. The vine was growing up a tree




We stopped at several World War II museums. Interesting to learn the Japanese side as well as the American view. 

As we were walking on the beach, there were a group of firemen celebrating some of their firefighters’ retirements. They invited us in to celebrate with them. The people of Guam are so welcoming. 





This is a type of necklace they make for celebrations. It’s leaves are used to make Chanel #5. Very aromatic. 


We were able to taste several of the island’s different foods. 

Of course, what would a trip to the islands be like without a Polynesian dance. 

Play time is over. It’s time to get back on the big United bird to head home. 

3 hours to Tokyo

11.5 hours to Chicago 

1 hour to State College

Yep, it was worth the long airplane ride. 

A California Thanksgiving

My annual Thanksgiving trip west to visit Shan, Carl, Drew and Erin began a little earlier than usual. I didn’t look at the calendar and I didn’t realize how late Thanksgiving was this year. So I headed to CA a WHOLE week prior to the actual day of Thanksgiving. It all worked out though. 

Shannon came down to Drew’s in Sacramento for the Penn State vs Ohio State. We watched the game at Drew and Erin’s friends, Robbie and Megan. Guess who was their team!Even though we didn’t win that game, we were pleased that it wasn’t a blow out by Ohio. 

After the game, Shan and I left for Nevada City for a few

Days. The sunset we saw on the way there. 

On Sunday we took a 6-mile walk. Milo is still able to go along with us. 

This is the new sliding glass door they put in their great room. It really opens up the space. 

Plus, the new door opens up to their new patio and hot tub. We sure made use of that while I was there. 

As we were leaving for Sacramento, it started to snow. We later learned that they got about 18 inches. 




Shan and Carl left to have Thanksgiving with Carl’s family in Boston. 

Drew and Erin made homemade fusili with sausage and a pistachio pesto for one of our meals. Yummy. 

When Milo and Bandit and I were walking, I saw this palm tree with a cactus hugging it. And the cactus was blooming. I’m always so enthralled with the different flowering plants here. 

Drew and Erin’s friends, Lorena and Boye, invited us for Thanksgiving with their family in their new house. Drew decided to make a rack of lamb. This was their first time to make this (mine, too). It was delicious. 

Of course a trip to Drew’s wouldn’t be complete without a trip to some wineries!  This was no exception. This time we visited Skinner and Turkey wineries. This is the view from Skinner. Unfortunately it wasn’t warm enough to sit outside. 

Now it’s time for baking Christmas cookies. 

It’s fun watching Drew and Erin cooking. They attempt so many unusual dishes that turn out so tasty. 

Look who wants to know where his cookie is—Milo. 


Saturday’s meal was Khachapuri, a Georgian meal. Drew has this when he visited cousin Joe in DC. I’m always impressed what food challenges Drew and Erin try. 

What fun to try new things. It was delicious. 

Next experience was a play in the BStreet Theater called On An Open Fire. A IChristmas Play with a lot of metaphors   Then a beer at the Ruthskeller, almost like our own Rathskeller. 

Next was dinner at Kodaiko Ramen Restaurant. I relearned how to use chopsticks. I think I’d be much skinnier if that’s all I used!  The tonkatsu ramen was very challenging but they gave me a spoon. Again this was delicious, too. So much so, we are having dessert!

Here’s the macaron cheesecake ... oh my!  


Even though it rained a lot Monday, Bandit and I were able to take a walk around the neighborhood. 

When Drew and Erin got home, we went to the Sac City Brews for dinner, beer AND bingo to benefit a neighborhood school. What fun. 

On the way home, we drove through the neighborhood to see the Christmas lights. Some of the places go all out.