The "Haysmer Hale Herald" News

After a year of really BIG THINGS it is both comforting and normalizing to be finding joy in small and ordinary things, and to see them not small at all and life as  anything but ordinary. So a blog post about some simple but delightful occurrences in our week.

Birthdays and bananas - dogs and dedications and continuing to turn a house into our new home.

Lunel invited a group of girlfriends for a celebration -- and the cake!!! OMG. It was light fluffy sponge cake with many layers of whipped cream and lilikoi. We shared an outstanding dinner at the "Rim Restaurant" with window seats only a few feet from the edge of Kilauea Volcano. (Yeah, we know that might sound weird to some people, or the fact that we now live in a town called VOLCANO!)  We have always known we were living on "an edge" of a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean; we still love it here)

The dog-and-beach photo is one of our beloved Reba-Bo-Beba who is doing very well in her new home. (The trauma of our relocation and stress resulted in some sad dynamics between her our other corgi dogs.) She has been re-homed in Kona and we get periodic updates and are happy she is now doing well.

As for the dedication -- hopefully it is large enough for you to read; if not just click on the photo to enlarge it. A framed copy is hanging on the wall just as you walk into the art studio, dedicating the space to Phil's grandfather and Lunel's dad whose influence in our lives helped shape the people we are today.

AND LOOK GUYS -- we have bananas in our yard. The the flower of one of our many bananas looks totally alien. FYI: Bananas are not trees - technically the plant is an HERB, but the  banana is a fruit. We're lucky to have about 12 of them -- ranging from keiki (baby) size to this over 20' tall.


A nearly unbelievable set of circumstances and the involvement of many people lead us to our charming new home (Hale Le'a) for which we are grateful. It was hard to lose our home, 99% of all our possessions -- but finding this house which included buying all of the previous owners' normal home furnishings, meant essentially moving into someone else's fully-stocked home. It has taken many months, but we are feeling more settled and comfortable. The library and our art collection is gone which means we have been on the hunt for some haysmer-style art.

Part of the excitement these days is the conversion of this (photo) space into what will be a big lanai with a hot tub (where the light blue elliptic is.) We are envisionaries  - the transformation we created with our beautiful Luana home in Leilani Estates we can do again, albeit slower, with the help of our highly competent contractors.  We WILL post the after photos in a few weeks.

Ahab and Ahab's Wife

As Ahab eyed me, he said, "What I really really want are wheels."

On a visit to Kona side some months ago, I fell in love with a beautifully carved horn in the shape of a whale at one of our favorite antique stores. He was just so charming!

Taking him out at home I polished him with some wax,  and decided to call him "Ahab>"  I was admittedly stunned when he said, "...but what I really really want are wheels."  My eyebrows lifted, I cocked my head to the side, shrugged and said, "Sure, why the hell not!" I got distracted though (who ME?) for a while, but recently I took him out to play and see...about wheels.  Phil helped me find some wheels at the hardware store that I was able to antique.  Using thick copper wire I created a frame to hold the wheels.  Looking good, but there was just one more thing....a shining spout of copper water!!

Interestingly, a few weeks later I was attracted to a used book at the local bookstore in Pahoa entitled Ahab's Wife.  If you want a good book, I whole-heartedly recommend it, and have provided a LINK to just one of many amazing reviews.  If you're curious read ... A review of Ahab's Wife

Gone Holoholo

This last week we went "holoholo" which is the Hawaiian equivalent to a "ride-to" but the "to" may be unknown, similar I think to the Australian "walk about."  Part of the tradition is that you don't tell people where you are going -- the idea being that the time is for a true get away.

On our list of things to explore was the above pictured ancient fish pond located on the Honokohau Bay just south of Kona's airport. Kaloko, the name of the pond area comes from the Hawaiian word LOKO whose meaning includes within/inside, interior, pond, lake, pool.  The fish pond seawall (kuapa) is constructed of porous lava allowing the water from the ocean to flow through.

The Honokoau National Historic Park is home to a number of interesting features rich in ancient Hawaiian history: house platforms, stone game boards, petroglyphs, stone enclosures, heiau (sacred altars) freshwater ponds, ancient Hawaiian slide, Queens Bath, and a small boat basin loaded with fishing boats. There is an excellent article about this area you can read by going to this link: KALOKO FISH POND INFO



Over 80 species of birds (manu) have been identified along the series of ponds, many are endemic to Hawaii. The photo above here is of a Black Headed Heron we saw.  We also saw a pair of Hawaiian Coot who were building a floating nest near the reeds.  (Our photo did not turn out as well as this one by Mike Neal.)

Recently an article was published about West Nile Virus and the disastrous effect it could have on Hawaii's already at-risk bird population.  If it isn't hurricanes, tsunami's, tree fungus, or lava -- it may be something else:  WNV and Hawaii's birds

STAY TUNED TO OUR BLOG!  Our holoholo also included a visit to Napo'opo'o, Pu'u Honua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) and a drive up the Kohala coast to hike and explore the Puako Petroglyph trail.  WATCH our BLOG for further stories from these historical/cultural Hawaiian sites!!

A Dog's Life

Such a face!  "Hey, get me outta here, OK?"  (In the photo, he is not growling or snarling -- he just had his nose pushed through the wire, wanting to get up to the front seat with us.)

When Dexter had his first seizures a year ago, of course we were scared, and rushed him to the new vet -- not the best way to make our introduction, but the staff at East Hawaii Veterinary Center was fabulous and helped us (all) get through the diagnosis and difficult adjustment period as he got used to his phenobarbital medication.  

After that he did not seem to enjoy going for rides like he used to, being in the car made him nervous, and he got overheated easily.  So, when we were graciously invited to share Thanksgiving with friends in Kona and have a sleep over, we tried to set it up for his comfort.  His kennel, covered with a towel seemed to cut down on the overstimulating flash of lights and trees during the ride.

We made stops so he could get out and walk a little, but overall we were able to interpret what he was trying to tell us -- "No, I really don't want to go traveling -- I got to Hawaii fine, but I don't like it much any more." OK DEXTER -- we got it!

Photo was taken at one of the rest stops along the way -- at Whittington Park which is about 1/2 the way to Kona (2-hour drive.)  Even at the end of November, we are still delighted to have 75 degree weather and a beautiful sunny day for a ride.

Hou ho'o maka'ana

Hou ho'o maka'ana -- New beginnings! 

Now that the woods and jungle "edges" of the property have been delineated with pick axe, pruning clippers and hedge cutters, we are getting back to designing more lava walled beds. The bed pictured here is a big extension on an existing group of plantings (that did not have lava around them.)

Those big trees to the right and behind are our lovely ohia trees that are covered with red blossoms beginning around February through May, mostly.

We have already gone through TWO truck loads of red cinder, and one of soil, so we may soon have to get more. 

For four months this year, the canopy structure (right) was in front of the house -- for the contractors as they built the ohana addition.  We have now relocated it to the side and plan to turn it into a greenhouse, except, in Hawaii it is called a "shade house."   We have ordered custom made shade fabric that will allow 1/2 light and rain to come through.  This will give us a place to grow lettuce, spinach and other greens that don't do well in our hot, direct sun -- and be a place to hang out in the evening mosquito-free.

Other "new beginnings" include some cuttings off of angel trumpet vines (peach, yellow and white) from our friend Yani over in Honaunau (Kona side).   Although we have said it before, it is true!  Take your cuttings (even in November) stick them in a pot of cinder and soil and wait a couple weeks; in a couple weeks they will have new baby roots and new leaves. (Of course, when they do, I'll send another photo.)

Lunel Heads to Kona This Week

Expect a pause in the BLOG for a few days as Lunel is headed for Kona on Monday where she will visit her dear friend Yani and visit Humboldt friends visiting from Blue Lake.  In addition to spending time with friends, she is planning to get in some serious snorkeling time at some of her favorite beaches.


Before heading back to the lower east side and PUNA, she's planning a stop at Costco, returning home at the end of the week via the Saddle Road.  It will be a nice break from subcontracting and all the 'boy energy.'

Phil Is "Beaming!"

When the contractors go home, there is quite a list of things we do that to only save us money, but ensure the project gets done more quickly.  Here Phil has sanded a giant beam that is one of the main beam supports of the apartment's structure.  The ceiling is finished with mahogany so we are staining the big beam to match it.  You can't see it in the picture, but the clerestory tempered glass was installed this week, and much of the wainscoting went up as well.  (Note: The colors here are not perfect due to the lighting.)




We also finished staining the sweet deck off the west end of the apartment.  The next step will be to cut the beautiful and sculptural guava tree branches which will  be the uprights around the deck.


Another on-going project is painting the new "accent color" which is a cross between poppy and cinnabar --  the perfect complementary color for all the luscious greens both inside and out.

(Lunel is taking next week off for a visit to her dear Kona friend Yani, and some friends visiting from Humboldt County.)