Hale Le'a - House of Gladness

Joe -- who lives around the corner!

Nona Lunel and Joe -- chanting

It's been a month since our last blog, but we have been super busy getting ready for our house blessing and helping to finish up all the building projects that have occupied the last 7-8 months thanks to some wonderful local builders.

A dear friend was conscripted to take photos so we could enjoy our 40+ guests, and two other friends took charge of the vast array of potluck foods and directing people to the self-guided tours of the house, yard and studio.

Mixing rain water and
 salt for blessing

There he is! Happy Guy

Joe Camacho conducted the blessing assisated by Nona Wilson, both of Hawaiian heritage. Much of Joe's blessing was done in the Hawaiian language and during the occasion, we were blessed with a short burst of rain that Joe used, with salt to bless the house and studio, as well as ourselves and guests. Joe and Nona helped Lunel struggle through a chant of thanksgiving Oli Mahalo

We encourage you to -- .listen to this beautiful chant!

These are just a FEW of the cutting we received

Photos above are of the blessing; it was a gathering where old friends and neighbors from Leilani Estates chatted with our new neighbors from our street and elsewhere in Volcano Village.

Not only were four tables full of food, of course people remember that our new yard would need cuttings!

This is an east facing window

Next week is Thanksgiving, and this week last year was when we received word that insurance was going to be paid AND that we had (through other dear friends) secured a place we would eventually call home. In fact, just this week, escrow has closed on our new home.

No, we don't "dive" in -- there are inside steps for us

Finally, we are including a couple photos of the beautiful new lanai, complete with deep cedar hot tub -- just in time for winter at 3500 -- which can be chilly. Although you might think this stained glass window is of Fissure 8 that ultimately destroy our house after it burned, this beautiful window was crafted by local Volcano artists over 20 years ago. We were fortunate to be able to purchase it from the previous owner of a local B&B. (The morning light makes rainbows on the hot tub.)