Giving Thanks (over and over)

Photo taken by our friend Marcus (with photoshop adaptations)

"Once Upon A Time" TWO YEARS AGO the 2018 Kilauea eruption in Puna on the Big Island found us homeless and filing what we thought might well be a useless lawsuit against Lloyd s of London. However, two years ago, just a few days before Thanksgiving we had (through amazing circumstances) both a home and a check with which to begin our lives over. There's ample reason for giving thanks...and here are just a few more.

Phil is continuing to discover new techniques with his wood carving and painting and here's his latest piece entitled "Good Omen" -- maybe an unconscious prayer given the current situation of our world.

The bird featured in the carving is a Koa 'E'kea -- common name is Tropicbird (yes, spelled that way.)

Other images are a new group of fledgling doves who are permanent residents in our yard -- along with numerous other native and endemic species (watch for new blog about them.)

An unexpected bunch of buds on our Marc Chagall rose and a BIG surprise -- three pineapples we never expected to produce. We'd had several dozen coveted "white" pineapples on our previous property -- we'll have to wait and see if they mature -- through the upcoming cooler winter here in Volcano town.

I am continuing to be frustrated with this format --

which doesn't allow for customary maneuvering of photos.

Wishing everyone a safe, thankful Thanksgiving --

we are "together" despite the circumstances. ALOHA

Smoke In the Air

USGS webcam looking east (our subdivision is far left)

Since all the windows are open in the house, it is pretty easy to notice the smoke in the air.  Yesterday as we left Pahoa and drove into Hilo (to drop off Lunel's art at Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art for the "Trash Show") there was a plume of smoke visible rising from the new flow area.  Today, the trade winds are minimal and the sun coming up through the trees is casting long feathery rays of light in a eerie elongated fan shapes across the yard.  The photo above was posted this morning by USGS and is a remote view of the lava as it inches its way through the forest.  (** See Update at bottom.)  It is not always visible when it submerges down into cracks and fissures.  Don't let that "tiny" spot of orange fool you.  There's over 16 acres of "visible" lava, and the rest is moving slowing either on the surface or down fissures as this next photo illustrates.

Aerial shot from opposite direction.

Yesterday morning, it was clear and crisp, however, and we found this delightful couple of lovey dove sitting on the rusted wheelbarrow out in the back orchard area.  In the foreground you can see pineapple and behind you can see the edge of the avocado tree.  Behind is typical forest/jungle.

For a while, Phil was tossing out a handful of seed in the morning, but within a few weeks, we were inundated with about three dozen doves who were crowding out many of the other frequent visitors, so we decided to stop the feeding.  The dove population is now back down to less than a dozen.

Sadly, during the hurricane crises, we missed harvesting a few pineapples that got overripe on their stems.  We did, however, save the tops and have them rooting in pots for replanting.  You can see some of the pineapple plants in the foreground with avocado and woods behind.

What an interesting juxtaposition -- the real threat of "what could happen" mixed with today's coffee, dismal world events, and making brownies for tomorrow's Labor Day Party with friends.

(P.S.  By the time I finish this entry and push "Publish Blog" -- the smoke has dissipated some, the dogs are stirring; I leave the unknown and unknowable behind; shall we have pancakes?) 

** Email report in from our terrific Civil Defense Warrior, Darryl, about the ground-level smoke)
"I just got back in from this morning’s over flight. There was s prominent inversion this morning holding the smoke conditions down near the surface and not allowing it to dissipate. The conditions should as was starting to improve with the heating up of the morning sun and the pickup of winds.  As for the flow, it is a very slow moving surface flow and is fairly narrow in width. The burning of vegetation remains limited to only what is being touched by the flow and there is no brush fire or wildland fire threat. The leading edge of the flow is approx. 1.3 miles from the Wao Kele Puna Forest Reserve and no immediate or imminent threat."