Recycling the Forest

Book Recommendations From The Haysmers

 

We picked the best of 2022 to share with you. Check them out – maybe something will appeal to you – add them to your wish list and enjoy!             Phil and Lunel

 

LIBRARY OF LEGENDS                               Chang

GENTLEMEN IN MOSCOE                        Towles

MERCURY VISIONS                                    Daguerre

WEST WITH GIRAFFES                              Rutledge

NEVER                                                           Follett

RISING MAN                                                Mukherjee

ANATOMIST’S WIFE                                  Huber

LILY AND THE OCTOPUS                          Rowley

SALT – A WORLD HISTORY                      Kulansky

LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD         Preston

WATER FROM MY HEART                       Martin

GIVER OF STARS                                         Moyes

HALF BROKEN THINGS                             Joss

ROSE OF TIBET                                            Davidson

TIDELANDS                                                  Gregory

HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS                            Allende

 

Phil continues to pick selections from two shelves of Hawaiiana (thank you Walt) one current one on Hawaiian wood sculptures, and we are sharing one with legends of Maui. Lunel’s new passion is exploring the many mosses here on our property. She read SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS by Gilbert and GATHERING MOSS by Kimmerer and has two other books that catalog mosses with great photos and drawings.

Island of Fire and Snow!!

WOW -- talk about extreme weather -- Just two blogs ago we were extolling the beauty of lava as it flowed down from Mauna Loa (current flow now over) and here's that latest extreme -- SNOW! As we pull out of our driveway the view of our other giant, active volcano Mauna Kea, greets us for each errand we run. How lucky to have this view on the Winter Solstice.  WISHING YOU AND YOURS A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

ANNIVERSARIES 10-20-30

 

Mauna Loa Eruption

We moved from Eureka, California to the Big Island of Hawaii in 2012 and when the 2018 eruption happened and we lost our home to a fire, we ended up living in a small community called "Volcano" only a couple miles from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Visit the Park Website

Many blog followers were confused about this as it seemed we were moving closer rather than farther away from danger. With the advent of Mauna Loa's current eruption, some folks my be concerned about our safety, but by listening to the following news release, there is little to be concerned about for us.

In several blogs during 2020-2021 we reported that Kilauea is active but that the lava stays within a huge inner caldera. This blog explains Kilauea and us

One of our favorite drives is up Mauna Loa Road where we sometimes go for a hike or pack lunch. Even at a full hours drive up that road, we are not remotely close to the summit where this lava is slowly flowing over a sparce rather lunar like landscape. It does make for a dramatic night-time scene.

News Release about Mauna Loa

INTERESTING -- the dark blue line above reveals just how HUGE Mauna Loa is!

Our young friend, and professional photographer, Marcus Moylan, too this long-lens photo. Hawaii's official state bird is the Nene - these birds make the slopes of Mauna Kea their home. Attempts are all ready in progress to help protect these beautiful birds. Thank you Marcus!

It appears that the daytime photo below was taken on the opposite side from the Nene photo.

Two Sick Kids Here

GOOD NEWS:  Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with our Nahelenani Ohana -- several of our neighbors gathered to share good food, good stories and good friends.  And, thankfully we are 99% recovered, just lagging a bit on the energy/stamina that will come soon enough. But, with so many people traveling, some without vaccinations, many without masks, the hospitals are preparing for a new surge.  Take care!  Be smart! Stay safe!

Well, hmmm!  11/15 update:  NO, unfortunately it is NOT over yet as symptoms come and go daily.  One day we feel "better" but a few hours later energy and stamina drop and drips and hacking pick up. According to our doctor and because of our age, we apparently fit the 'model' of recovery -- lungs have been sorely impacted and take a long time to recover. Rest, liquids and additional prescribed Rx and more REST. And so, we hunker down, make more good soup, select new books and enjoy the lovely peace of our home with an occasional saunter out to the beautiful gardens. So it is! 

BREAKING NEWS: It's been three long miserable weeks, but as of today 11/11 we are "Veterans of RSV" and symptoms are diminishing by the hour! Good thing too, because we are hosting our neighborhood Thanksgiving at our house!  WHEW !!

 

Late October:  In Case you are checking our blog, here's the reality at the Haysmer Hale Le'a.  Two weeks worth of nasty RSV virus has laid us both low and we're not over it yet.  We Do test for Covid as well but negative for that at least. Lots of people are sick with all the same symptoms. Many OTC drugs have had minimal effect, After checking with our doctor and the pharmacist, we have a couple of things that do relieve symptoms at least.  

 NOTE:  If you think you "just have a head cold" or even "just flu" you may have RSV -- GET MORE INFO from on-line or check with your health provider. This is a nasty virus that lingers and is exhausting.  Take care. WEAR YOUR MASKS!

What happened to September? (All kinds of FUN!)

 

A New Deck In The Forest

 

A Quasar Gets a Hawaiian Name

 

The whole year before our move to the Big Island in 2012, we read many books about the Hawaiian culture and one of the first words we learned from a Hawaiian Dictionary (Mahalo Queenie) -- was PO!!  Lunel wanted to design a collage that might reflect that awesome destructive/creative force.

Rural Hawaii Water Maintenance

If you live rurally in Hawaii the task of water maintenance is an important element as all of our water is collected rain water. The water here is acidic which explains why we don't have metal pipes, but use PVC for all plumbing. Keeping the Ph and Alkalinity in balance both in the 10,000 gallon catchment tank (of collected rain water) and the hot tub is a regular maintenance routine that includes testing and adjustments and switching out the filters and UV light. 

Phil's back surgeries prevent him from crawling into the access space for this task, but he's there to remind me to unplug the power, close the two shut off intake valves, and push the red pressure release buttons so I can unscrew the receptacles to replace the filters in each one. Fortunately I still have enough arm strength that, together, we can get it done....at least for a few more years hopefully.

The Daze of Phil

 

As We Get Older

The porch steps of our house were showing a lot of wear and tear due to age and weather. That sounds like bodies that are 74 and 81 too, right?!  As we thought about replacing the steps, Phil decided we could extend the porch a bit and add a roof, making a lovely new space to enjoy our view of the gardens and forest. Fortunately, the two men who originally built this house, and who helped us with adding our studio and lanai additions, were available to create a new space for our 36th anniversary this month. Below are view of the house, details, and view from our front door. HAPPY ANNIVESARY --

And, big thanks to Matt and Kalani!!

Flowering Inspriation

 

Hawaii Artists -- Phil and Lunel Haysmer

Our new home in the small community of Volcano on the Big Island is surrounded by a beautiful ohia tree forest filled with nectar producing lehua blossoms loved by our native birds. Occasionally, while we are landscaping we come across an old root from a dead tree. Phil had found one two years ago and he has been waiting to see what it "wants to be." A few weeks ago this rather gnarly root "spoke" to him and it said -- "I AM KAMAPUA'A" -- and Phil took up the challenge to "find him" in there!  Here's the result. The stand is made from curly koa tree wood. 

Not shown here (but in many previous blogs) are many of Phil's hand carved and painted bas relief featuring many of Hawaii's flora and fauna as well as traditional navigational canoes. A large selection of these are featured prominently at the Michael Jayme Gallery Honaka'a -- a charming town north of Hilo.  (520 279 7462)

 

Haysmers and Hedgewood

 

Feburary -- Lost in the Forest

 

A January Visit with the Haysmers