All In Good Time (papamanawaa)

Elsewhere in a blog entry I mentioned my favorite sign along Mango Road on the way to the ocean, swimming pond at Ahalanui and boat ramp at Pohoiki. 

4 years ago -- felling dead tree & beginning excavation 

4 years later -- the root takes its place as garden art

Although the sign is no longer physically there, it read simply, "It is only a matter of time." Being a fan of (Science) Science Fiction, black holes, dark matter, and quantum cosmology**, the message continues to make me smile. 
 (**One of our many landscaping beds is called "Cosmic Dancer."


When one of our first grand ohia trees died, we excavated a particularly sculptural, twisted root, setting it aside for possible garden art; that was four years ago. Being fond of all things reptilian, I saw its u-shape to be snake-like. I leaned it up against some lava and it sat along the driveway for over a year. 


Eventually, Phil got the idea to turn it upside down and hang a wind chime off each end -- and, since I'd not done anything with it I said, 'go for it.' Since then that heavy root has been relocated numerous times as other tasks took priority. 

Just recently, I uncovered an area of thick moss that I pulled up and saved in the greenhouse -- not knowing for sure where it would go. This week, however, I realized that our beautiful root would look wonderful as a garden sculpture covered with moss. 

The two photos above represent a visual example of how art percolates over time and how time sometimes has its own independent structure so to speak. The first photo is what this 15x12' area looked like after we had begun to whack back the invasive trees, vines and bushes. The second is what it looks like now, with the new moss covered root mounted on where an ohia tree once lived.

Pictured is another example of "all in good time" -- one of the first things we bought was a unique hybrid hibiscus called "Gabriel" -- which promptly succumbed to a common plight here in Hawaii -- leaf mites. It has been severely pruned three times and treated for three years and FINALLY (given time) it is now healthy and blooming. (I almost tossed it out numerous times.)

Note: In Feb 2012, we bought a house in Puna on the Big Island -- while on vacation without really having a plan for the future as such, or even a time table -- more an abstract image of what could be, and a deep trust in our creative power. We discovered two ideas of time in Hawaiian cosmology. The word "papamanawa:" Papa is the Earth-Mother-Goddess -- so we chose to move into the that space, allowing things to flow (while we put in the hard prep-work admittedly.) Another Hawaiian concept is a notion of "vertical time" -- when time stops because we are living in the moment of Nowness. Interesting to see both the philosophical and practical applications 

The OBAMA FISH!

Recently a new BASSLET fish was discovered in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument -- and it has been named for President Obama -- Tosanoides Obama.

In 2006 President Bush set aside about 140,000 square miles of marine national monument that was later expanded by President Obama in 2016.

*Papahanaumokuakea is the name of the place where this newly discovered fish lives, but don't let that long name intimidate you. Many long Hawaiian words are actually made up of smaller words, so here it is broken down.

PAPA - Earth Mother --HANAU - Birth
MOKU - Island  - AKEA - Sky/Father

It "sounds like this" pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah, and translated it describes a fertile woman giving birth to a wide stretch of islands beneath a benevolent father sky.

The political side to this issue relates to the fact that Trump is expected soon to issue an executive order repealing the Obama administration’s moratorium on new federal land leases for coal mining. Trump appointee, Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, is responsible for those leases, and has come out strongly against Obama’s moratorium.  (source thehill.com) At his confirmation hearing, Zinke endorsed long-held Republican policies like allowing more oil and natural gas drilling.

Carved from Koa - approx 7-8" -- $29

But he also came out strongly in favor of conservation priorities that Democrats hold dear, and promised to oppose large-scale transfers of federal land to state or private interests. This apparent commitment helped secure the necessary Democrat votes for his confirmation.  If you would like to express your opinion on retaining these federal protected lands, you can contact the Department of the Interior: feedback@ios.doi.gov 

Carved from Ironwood, hand tinted, approx 10-11 -$50

Of course Phil has already created the design for an OBAMA FISH and will craft them from Koa (sample) adding to his collection of hand-carved Hawaiian Reef Fish. He is also considering doing a hand tinted version like the one I GOT!!! for Mother's Day (made from Big Island Ironwood.)
If you would like your own OBAMA FISH, just email us:  haysmer@sonic.net

** Links to additional info on the Papahanaumokuekea National Monument
National Geographic article
Washington Post - Obama Fish