Life Goes on -- Day by Day

Dogs holding planning meetings

This week marks the nine month anniversary of when our lives changed so dramatically in early May of 2018, first with Lunel's seizure and coma incident followed closely by our home burning to the ground, and days later being covered by lava.  AND, life goes on, day by day.

Sometimes our days feel like they are full of simple, small things.  Maybe that's just as well since we are both still getting our bearings in our new home and neighborhood -- and recovering from 2018.

.... while Phil puts up temporary dog fence

So the small things include getting a fence set up for our beloved Corgyn -- Poko, Tudor and I'Lani who seem to feel that their contribution to all the tasks at hand can be managed from one of their favorite spots -- the king sized bed!! (Just call us at mealtime.)

REAL "Executive Time"

Since we have lived in four (FOUR) places during this event, just imagine if you can, trying to go through the list of utilities, suppliers, doctors, subscriptions, banks, AAA, AARP, Medicare, and other services that need to have address changes  for the 3rd time.  Or, worse yet, since included in our complete home loss were the many passwords we had to use for everyday things like -- anything ordered on line, Apple, Google, email, automatic payments to insurance, etc. As we all know,  PASSWORDS are needed to do anything these days This has been a task that has given Lunel a major headache.

Some of the birds

We do take time for fun -- trips to the beach, watching the birds which include: several kinds of house finches, cardinals, saffron finch, 'Io (Hawaiian Hawk),  Kalij pheasant, manikins, Apapane, Myna, doves.

We are also learning about the variety kine fruits and veggies  that grow well here at 3500 feet elevation in the town of Volcano,  like one of Phil's favorites - Rhubarb!!

Great greens and rhubarb

Handsome Kalij Pheasants

It took over two years to create the lovely accommodations we had in Leilani Estates, including a big wood working shop for Phil, carport, ohana/rental, and most especially our gorgeous lanai -- complete with hot-tub. We are now creating plans for some of these features, knowing it will take time.

Rhubarb Pie for Phil

In our most recent temporary home (a 6-acre ranch with appropriate farm animals) Phil had a wood working "spot" beneath a 5000 gallon redwood water tank, but we are currently enclosing our existing carport to accommodate his projects, so he can continue providing pieces to his galleries.

Yes, life goes on -- day by day and so do we, thankful every day for all the blessings, love and support we have received.

We Found It!

We Found It!

Phil is standing at the path that leads to our new abode.

We just returned from a very comforting experience in finding a rental for ourselves for the next number of months....at of all places, a lovely farm-style place on five acres.  Another diamond we are blessed to have found!

Exactly three months ago today, while Lunel was in ICU for a surprise seizure/coma (for which there is still no definitive diagnosis or prognosis) our lovely retirement home burned to the ground.

As blog readers already know, we have been housed safe and sound since then but have always recognized that this was only a temporary respite. Two days ago we began our search for a new place in earnest, searching on line through Craig's List as well as utilizing other sources. We sent out our introductory letter (including photos of ourselves and of our "kid" corgi dogs) to a variety of realtors, property managers, rental ads, etc..

Our unit is in the back with patio and picnic table in front.

Today we met the owner of a lovely old-fashioned farm/ranch that has a lovely, fully furnished studio unit with covered lanai. The property, in Volcano Village, is surrounded on all sides by giant Sugi pines, housing  mating and nesting pairs of Io (Hawaiian Hawks).

There are a dozen kinds of chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats and a token horse.  Phil's wood shop is -- get this -- a building under an old fashioned functioning redwood water tank!! The woman (our age) who owns this ranch grows and raises nearly all of her own food and runs a farm stand as well. She bakes bread, makes a variety of cheeses and is getting started on making her own soap. Additionally, she runs a charming B&B, separate from our small place. Needless to say, her day begins at 4am.

The elevation is about 3000+ feet, so the air is fresh and cool -- and will be chilly this winter, so we will have, as the song goes, "Three Dog Nights." Volcano Village is well-known for its artists community and it feels like home because we have visited there so many times. There will be some "earthquakes" that are not true earthquakes but tremors from parts of the inner walls of Kilauea caldera that are collapsing -- but after what we have been through -- what's an occasional 3.1 jolt!

Just yesterday we received a generous check from one of Phil's relatives in Michigan that will cover the security deposit and we will be moving in around Lunel's Birthday!! This means of course, that she will have to get some work boots and gloves, but Joan has a full contingency of appropriate tools -- and while Lunel can't wait to get out in the garden again Phil will have a great new wood working space too.

PS Several people from "The Continent" have been puzzled by our move to "Volcano."  And, it can be a little confusing.  No, we are not moving TO or ON a volcano! (The entire island is made up of 5 volcanoes itself.) Volcano is a small town (3000 or so folks) up at the 3200 foot level adjacent to Kilauea National Park. Now, if that sounds crazy, you need to know that all lava activity at the crater of Kilauea has stopped, and is now flowing down and through Fissure #8 -- which, ironically enough, opened in our front yard. So, we are actually moving AWAY from lava activity. Volcano Village is a small subset along Highway 11 -- an artists community with galleries, B&B's, and restaurants. 

Phil and the Hawaiian Hawk

Full height of sculpture

Phil's painting

We moved into our house in Puna on the Big Island in December 2012. Only a few weeks later we were surprised to be visited by two hawks who landed in our very own Ohia trees. One was a light colored one, and one was a brown one.  (There is a little Hawk Info at the bottom of the blog.)

Phil, inspired by this auspicious visitation, headed right for his watercolors. The painting is done from a real photograph that Phil took himself -- the hawk lifting off from a branch. Now that we have been here a few years, we notice the pattern of them returning here during the early part of the year; they nest around March.  "CLICK" on any photo for a close-up view.

Top of piece

Landing for a viewing

Last year, we had to cut down some of our dying Ohia trees (from a fungus scientists are still attempting to understand -- and which threatens the entire Ohia population on the Big Island.) We asked the tree fallers not to cut them at the ground, but to leave 8-10 feet standing -- so Phil could think about what kind of sculpture he might create from the remaining trees.  We built up a platform for him to stand on because the surrounding ground was full of loose chunks of lava.

Over a period of months, he began to envision carving and purchased a cute little 12" chain saw to work with.  Last week as he was completing the first one, he kept feeling that what he had been doing somehow connected him to the earlier hawk visitations.  As he was finishing the final work on the sculpture at the end of the day, a light-phase hawk flew down and landed in some bare branches just behind the sculpture.  That settled it in his mind -- we are talking with a language teacher to determine just how to name the piece -- in honor of the fact that hawks represent ancestors to native Hawaiian people.

Finished piece is on the left -- new one on the right

Now that this piece is completed, the final photo is of Phil securely screwing down the rotating platform around the base of his next carving project.
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INFO ABOUT HAWAIIAN HAWK

The ‘io (pronounced EE-oh is endemic to Hawai‘i and was a symbol of royalty in Hawaiian legend. The ‘io is also the only hawk today native to Hawai‘i. They only breed on the Big Island. Although there is one species it comes in two “phases” – two distinct colors – light cream and brown.  They have a shrill and high-pitched call much like their Hawaiian name: "eeeh-oh."  They depend on native forest for nesting, but are able to use a broad range of habitats for foraging, including papaya and macadamia nut orchards, as well as forests dominated by native and introduced vegetation, from sea level to 6,500 feet elevation. 

"We're All in our Places...."

During the past two years Phil has been painting watercolor images of local native birds -- including two Io (hawk) which visited the Ohia trees in our yard!  Recently, he has completed a third painting in his series of native birds -- the handsome Nene (geese.)   He is now laying out his fourth painting -- Koa'e Kea (white tailed Tropicbird.) Yes its name is "Tropicbird" one-word.

The light in the art studio is perfect for painting, as Reba-Bo-Beeba offers her encouragement.


 In the meantime, with the help of our yard helper and friend Sam, Lunel is continuing on-going terraforming projects in another part of the property, using the accumulated lava for new terraces bed.

The cairn of lava was created by digging up and leveling areas of the yard, particularly as we dug holes for fruit trees and Hapu'u ferns.  The lava pile dwindles, however, as the walls are created for new beds. 

 

Hawk Visitation

The Hawaiian Hawk is called 'Io -- the only hawk that is native to Hawaii.  The fossil records show that at one time these raptors also lived on other islands, but only live on the big island at this time.   They love the native Ohia trees which grow prolifically in our area.

This appears to be a different hawk than the one that visited us about this same time last month.  There is protected forest land near here -- across from the geo-thermal plant, so our subdivision is in their range.

Phil just completed a painting (see below)
featuring the light hawk who came for lunch in April, and now he is inspired to do another painting of this one.

On our first visit to Hawaii a few years ago, one of the things we purchased was a painting by a local artist of a baby 'Io under the moon.

Birds of a Feather

There are many kinds of birds who live in and around our property, and they sing throughout the day, but especially in the morning and evenings.  We have a pair of Laughing Melodious Thrush (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdlAMlOn4u4) who offer a huge variety of songs and who, like our Mynas can also sing variations on other birds' songs.  Mynas are a hoot to watch and we have a mated pair who are building a nest at the west side of our house.

We have a pair or Cardinals (this is the male) who sings several songs (different songs in morning and evenings).  The small Japanese White Eyes are little greenish birds who flit around quickly moving in small groups from tree to tree singing sweet little songs.  There are a couple different kinds of doves -- small and large with their coo-cooing.  A number of different "honey creepers" are regular visitors too.

One spectacular surprise a few days ago, was the arrival of a hawk (Io) who landed in the large Ohia tree just outside of our kitchen.  We spotted him while we were washing up the morning dishes, and dropped everything and each grabbed our respective binoculars (kept on a hook by the dining room table.)

This large predator was only about 20 feet away, and we had front row tickets!  He swiveled his head around for 5 minutes, just taking it all in (reading the menu actually.)  Then Mr. and Mrs. Myna started dive-bombing him trying to scare him away -- because their nest is so close.  We managed during the antics to get out the tripod and, balancing one leg in the sink, we managed to take several photos.  When he made a giant swoop down to make a kill, his wings fanned out to full width as he attempted to protect his catch.

After his morning snack, smug as you can imagine, he returned up to the very same branch -- maybe waiting for dessert.

Finally, though, with a powerful s-w-o-o-p of his enormous wings, he "lifted off" and Phil managed to get this amazing shot.  The hawks here come in a couple varieties, dark and light -- this one is a light variety.

Perhaps as a thank you for such a good meal, he left a lovely long feather in the Ohia which Phil rescued before one of the Myna's could carry it off for their nest.