Down the Rabbit Hole

On December 1st I had what I can only describe as an Alice in Wonderland kind of day.

Many things happened that were well within the norm for us -- dogs, mail, meals, some yard work, a painting project a little news and a movie. It began with coffee, feeding the corgyn and a discussion about what the day would bring, ruled tyrannically by the weather -- go with the flow and all that.  Then the monthly Civil Defense siren went off -- as did the singing dogs, of course. But THEN... the second siren went off...playing a different elongated blast!!

AND   DOWN 
      THE  RABBIT HOLE 
                    I WENT

While it was blasting, I wondered if any other states, on the continent, were practicing BOMBS INCOMING drills. I experienced an odd unreality temporal dislocation of some kind - f**k me! I was in elementary school hiding under my desk. What reality is this? For better or worse, I didn't stay in that lane for long because our friendly yard guy showed up to unload some mulch.

Later there was a stunning bacon-lettuce-tomato-cucumber-avocado sandwich on rye, a few emails and preparing "puppy lunch" for "Tudor."

Monarchwatch.org gives instructions on care

Then, another kind of rabbit hole experience -- the care and feeding of over 30 Monarch caterpillars who are all creating exquisite pale green jade chambers for their magnificent transformation. Many more are now hanging from the "ceiling" of the enclosure.

NEXT -- carefully following the instructions of the folks at Monarch Watch GO MONARCHS  I carefully tied thread around the base of the cocoon to remove it so I could transfer. I am getting some ready for local teacher to use in her classroom.

Pleas and Deals a comin'

Another Rabbit Hole experience was its own brand of weird -- for the first time in months, I think I saw a hint of grin on Adam Schiff's face today.

But then again I saw another grin on the faces of the Trump children after the tax bill passed.

Not my usual post, but a response to the current UNREALITY.

Rethinking Reality

We have been re-thinking a few things lately, particularly in view of our recent hurricane and current Lava Event.  Seems like disasters of any kind, no matter their “package” force us to rethink our reality  For many years the residents of Puna have had the common sense to realize that having only ONE road into and out of lower Puna was not enough – especially in a disaster; there are simply too many lives at risk.  Another example is the infrastructure of our power grid including the geothermal plant (less than 5 miles from our home) that could be providing power more directly to its immediate neighbors.

It seems that for decades these issues have not been seriously addressed at a governmental level.  As frequently happens, the common sense ideas seem to get lost in the bureaucratic process of government.  In the wake of hurricane Iselle and the new lava flow from Pu’u O’o, many of these issues are being readdressed.  Roads are being created where there were none; power grids are being viewed anew so that thousands of people would not be stranded without power. 

Similarly, many people are being presented with opportunities to examine their own participation and responsibility.  In an area often faced with power outages, investing in a generator becomes a higher priority.  Planting gardens, rather than a pleasant pastime becomes a viable source of food in an emergency.  And neighbors reaching out to neighbors are building better communities. 

Any challenge can be viewed from a variety of perspective that we choose. No one likes a disaster, but being new to this island way of life, we have been very impressed with the aloha spirit as demonstrated on our block, in our neighborhood – and in the pro-active responses by our county leaders, civil defense teams and many volunteer agencies and groups  ALOHA is alive and well in PUNA on the Big Island.  MAHALO

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."

Lava Flow Heading Our Way!

Bird's Eye View in relation to our Subdivision

Last night we attended a packed-to-overflowing community meeting in Pahoa where Civil Defense Administrator, Hawaii Volcano Scientist and the Mayor lead a discussion about the current new surge of lava from Pu'u O'o vent.  If you look at the map it appears to be heading directly toward us.  Right now it is only two miles from Kaohe Homesteads subdivision, and traveling at the rate of 100-300 feet per day.  Our subdivision (Leilani Estates) is only about another 2-3 miles due east from Kaohe Homesteads

Lava flowing through a crack/fissure.

For anyone unfamiliar with this, Kilauea is one of our five volcanoes on the Big Island.  Lava has not come directly out of Kilauea in Volcano National Park for a long time.  However, lava from Kilauea flowed underground up and out through the Pu'u O'o vent in the early 1980's and flowed south (see grey area above) for over 30 years.  That flow stopped a few months ago, and began to flow in a new direction -- north and east.


Unfortunately, it is not like a river flooding – where you have some idea of what it will do or where it will go.  This new geological island is riddled with fissures, cracks, tubes and subterranean puzzles, so most predictions do not allay fears simply because of the unpredictable nature of this kind of flow.  We just ordered a detailed topo map which may offer more information.  We hear and see the helicopters flying over a couple times each day to take up to date photos.

Red shows lava, lava lake; Black shows our subdivision

If elevation were the only consideration, it would allow us some measure of peace, since it would have to technically climb uphill to reach us. You can see our subdivision is highlighted so you get a feeling for the elevation. Officials state there is "no imminent threat" -- but we are considering our own safety and some measures of response...just in case.    http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/maps/
 

There is no imminent threat, but it could develop into a threat fairly quickly,” he said.
Scientists have been monitoring very closely the June 27 flow — named for the date when it first emerged — as it moves to the northeast of its vent on the flank of Pu‘u O‘o on Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone.
The flow has been active on two fronts, one to the north, and a more worrisome one to the south. As of 1 p.m., that flow had continued moving eastward within a large crack, leading it to within about 2 miles of Kaohe Homesteads.
- See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/lava-flow-within-2-miles-subdivision-officials-say-no-imminent-threat#sthash.TI5k3VUR.dpuf

Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira, as he spoke - See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/lava-flow-within-2-miles-subdivision-officials-say-no-imminent-threat#sthash.TI5k3VUR.dpuf