In Living Color!

What a busy month! We've received a few emails checking in on us since we have not created a new blog entry lately -- so here's the scoop!  We've been busy!

Work on the art studio is progressing very well, sheet rock going up this week, railings will be done, and beautiful "Lehua Doors" will be going up soon too.

Lehua Blossom (Lay HU ah)

OK, you say, what are "Lehua Doors" -- well early this year we were surprised by the COLOR of the ohia blossoms as they were such a deep orange/red and were visible from every window in the house.



Phil is making art out of left over scraps of wood from the building project, and has just finished one of Poliahu -- one of Pele's sisters who is associated with the snow on the volcanoes.

Lunel continues to work in her art journals filled with drawings, illustrations, poems
and quotes. She continues to learn about and work with the effects of on-going PTSD symptoms. Working in a densely packed 4' space for over a year, she's thrilled to know the new art studio will be completed soon.

About the knees, since friends are asking: The plan, for now, is prolotherapy injections that admittedly may or may not work. The MRI images for both knees were graphic and depressingly honest, so surgery may be an eventuality. After the year we have been through, it is understandable that another 6-month "recovery" would not be anyone's first choice.

Designing a new lanai (again) that will be adjacent to the house -- when what we had was so beautiful is a challenge, especially remembering all the amazing art that we had placed so strategically.

Phil is getting bids on installing whole-house solar which will include the latest Tesla storage batteries.

Giant Rhubarb

Younger selves in Santa Cruz CA

Lunel is getting information on replacing the wonderful cedar hot tub that we both will be glad to have again.

And then there's Rhubarb for one of Phil's favorite treats -- grows amazing here at 3500 in Volcano

Both of us have experienced a slowing-down we have to acknowledge and honor. The last year of various kinds of trauma and recovery has taken its toll, and although we are enjoying our new home,  it is still NEW as are all the things we are slowly replacing from wedding rings to underwear, from books to art -- as we also acclimate to new cooler weather, new neighborhood and new colorful opportunities.

This week we also celebrated our 33rd anniversary -- goodness 1986 seems like a LONG time ago -- we were a LOT younger!

May Day - Lei Day!

We are coming up on some significant anniversaries in May, as most of our friends and blog readers realize. (coma, fire, Leilani lava, homeless, legal fight and slow recovery, AND our 33rd anniversary!)

However TODAY is  Lei Day in Hawaii - Lei Day is a statewide celebration in all of Hawaii. The celebration begins in the morning of May first every year and continues throughout the entire day and even continues onto the next day. Lei day was established as a holiday in the year of 1929 and continues to this day.

This past week we attended a premier showing of a 1-hour documentary created by Hawaii News Now that featured interviews with local Puna residents about their experience. Our story was included and Lunel's interview came up early in the film. 

This LINK will take you to a very short recorded segment and a longer written description. Hawaii News Now - Haysmer Interview

(And, here's a LINK to the FULL version of the film:
  "Pele's Path" - full length story

The room was filled with hundreds of people who, like we, were looking back at last May, but also supporting each other in the present as we move into the future.

Close-up of the Leis we received

After the viewing, we decided to go out for a little lunch. While we were eating, two women we did not know, came over to our table and presented us with gorgeous leis -- saying that they recognized us from the film and wanted to show their aloha and support by presenting us with their own leis! We were a little surprised, but also find that our story has reached a pretty wide audience here in Hawaii.

Phil's latest --  a carving of Pele

"Remember then: there is only one time that is important - NOW! It is the most important time because it is the only time we have any power."  Leo Tolstoy

A year later we both feel we have "aged" -- we are both hoping that like good cheese or fine wine,  we will get better over time. We are also keenly aware that during the whole year, we have been loved and supported along the way by friends, neighbors and even strangers!

Blessed LEI DAY!!

"A Smallness That Will Be Big Later"

Our team of builders began the work in early March, and except for some days of rain, the work has continued steadily, based on sketches Phil drew way back in February.

The windows go in next week and the roof materials have been ordered for delivery too. As our blog followers know, we each lost amazing art spaces when our home burned, and charming as our new cute pink house is -- there was no art space for either of us.

If all goes well, it looks like we might be able to move in for our 33rd Anniversary!!!












There is a beautiful proverb that describes this process, found in 'Olelo No'eau, Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui.

O Keia 'u'uku e nui ana --  This smallness will be big later. Said of a small child who will grow into adulthood...a small space that may develop into a large one.

What's in a Name?

Nahelenani Street

It was during our 2011 vacation to the Big Island that we first got the idea to retire here. Many of the necessary logistics such as divesting a lot of our "stuff," finding a buyer for our 22-year old gallery, and selling our 1860's Victorian were just plain work. But one of the FUN things was discovering the richness of the Hawaiian language.

Some of the first words we learned were typical vocabulary like 'aina, mahalo, and aloha, or learning the different kinds of lava formation like pahoehoe or a'a. When we made the offer on our first home in Leilani Estates and found out that our street name was LUANA -- of course we looked up that word too: Luana: to be at leisure, to enjoy pleasant surroundings and associates and to enjoy oneself. 

Luana -2012 - Healthy Trees

At that time our lovely one acre of land was thick with Hawaii's native 'Ohi'a trees, but in less than two years most of the trees were dying from a fungus that was spreading rapidly - hence the name "Rapid Ohia Death" or ROD. The photos here show the difference in about 18 months' time.

Luana - 2013-14 - dead trees

That is just one of the reasons we are so delighted with our new street name of Nahelenani, because it means nahele (forest) nani (beautiful.) Once again, we are blessed to be safely snuggled into forest of beautiful 'ohi'a trees that are now bursting with lehua (lay-HOO-a) blossoms.

We loved "Leilani Estates" and are heart-broken over the lost of our home in May 2018. Leilani was a larger subdivision with dozens of streets -- all with beautiful Hawaiian names like Moku (island) or Hapu'u (fern), etc.. Our new subdivision of "Ohia Estates" however, only has two street which makes it easier to get acquainted with our new neighbors.

Trees on our new property

If you are interested in learning 
more about the ROD "Rapid 'Ohi'a Death" 
you can click on this link:

  ROD - great photos and explanation

Spring Into Spring

Today, standing near where our home was

This week celestial events gave us the drama of a SUPER MOON and the first day of SPRING. Also this week we were invited to do a TV interview about the devastating experience of losing our home last year, the trauma of evacuation, the anxiety of dealing with the insurance claim, the stress of living in four places in less than nine months, and our focus on recovery and starting over -- from scratch.

Given this conjunction of events, we decided to mark our "spring" as a personal "new beginning" by visiting Fissure #8, now a prominent and permanent 200 foot landmark in Leilani Estates.. Of the many lessons we have learned throughout this past year perhaps the most important is to look fear directly in the face, or as Pema Chodron reminds us -- to invite in what scares us.

Lunel placing our offering

Art by Jessica Taruni
Originally created for The Volcano Inn 1999

Standing at the base of the cone, we offered ho'okupu (offering) with a flower lei Lunel had made with orchids from our home. She sang an oli (chant) of gratitude for all we have learned and received. It was our first time visiting the place where our home stood, but we both felt ready.

After the loss of our home, many people asked whether we were going to leave Hawaii -- but honestly that thought never occurred to us as we both feel deeply connected to the 'aina - a Hawaiian word that means not only "the land" itself, but a relationship with the whole island-environment, itself a symbol of destruction and creation. Recently we even bought a beautiful, large stained glass window to place in our new home.

Please listen to this talk by Auntie Pua. It is short but packed with power -- about the changing of seasons, a celebration of the SUN, and our place in this world of reciprocal cycles.

 Auntie Pua --

 The Intense Breath of  the Sun

A Place for Artists!

Coral with pale green trim

Everyone who knows us, knows we are artists who need a place to play. Friends and blog followers also realize that we each lost amazing art-spaces when our home was destroyed in May last year.

Phil had the space of a two-car garage for all his stacks of Hawaiian hardwoods like koa, mango, monkeypod, silkoak, milo -- and, of course all his tools. Lunel had a large art studio with big windows and cupboards and drawers filled with her art journals and supplies.


Our charming new coral-colored home in Volcano was a perfect choice except for the fact that it did not have adequate art spaces. We have been blessed to meet several local builders who are now creating that space where our creativity can bloom again. All three men live aloha and live right here in Volcano. One lives on our street, one actually built our house in 2006 and another has had projects right here on our street too. Talk about good luck!!

Color Names:  HAVEN, RAVISHING CORAL
and QUIET CORAL --- HENNA

Phil sketched the elevation and floor plan, and in just three weeks, the project is well under way. Next came the fun part of selecting colors. We wanted the new building to complement the house, so here's what we came up with. The colors will be reversed: pale green for the outside walls and corals as the trim and deck in rich henna.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of our loss, it will be exciting for us to watch this get built. Phil's space will be in one half and Lunel's will be in the other half. There will also be a large, covered front porch/deck area.

What a great way to celebrate the arrival of SPRING!!

Hawaiian Crow

COME-BACK-CROW!! From extinction in 2002 to a return to its native habitat. One of the wonderful perks about living in Volcano is we are only a couple miles from so many wonderful activities, cultural, scientific, and ecological. Click on links below to learn more:

Info about Volcano Art Center
Volcano National Park Info

Last week we attended a presentation about the reintroduction efforts to return the Hawaiian Crow 'Alala to its original habitat.

Tool User

The ʻAlalā Project with the San Diego Zoo (who introduced their own captive breeding stock} have been working with this unique species. The 'Alala is a highly intelligent bird that is integral to native Hawaiian ecosystems and culture. There are over 100 crows currently being raised in captivity, and over two dozen now living in the forests being monitored to track their territory, feeding habits and interaction.

During the presentation we learned that of the most recent releases to the wild, two pair of male and female birds have begun to defend their territories -- which project members hope means nesting. If this happens, it will be the first crow chicks in a very long time. Article - Return from Extinction

The Past Meets the Present with Presents!

from my art journal

Ernest and Maybell

We're almost at "ten months later," with insurance money in hand, in a new lovely home in a great neighborhood. There's food in the fridge and three dogs in the yard -- so our future is looking brighter since our Leilani Estates home was lost back in May last year

One of the more painful processes we faced was actually listing everything that we lost, room by room. But just who makes a list of their treasured library, collected over a lifetime? Yeah, that was a tough one. Also gone were all the amazing art treasures from around the world.  But perhaps some of the hardest losses to embrace were our wedding photographs (from mid 1980's) and our wedding rings -- Phil's was his dad's and mine was a sweet rose gold ring that was my great grandmothers!!

Santa Cruz wedding in our back yard
(My dress was covered in Hawaiian style Hibiscus)

When we past our 32 anniversary last year (in the same month we lost our home) Phil gave me was a beautiful birds' nest he had found, and with it came the his promise that we WOULD find our new nest eventually.

One of our dearest friends back in California sent Phil her mother's wedding band to give to me, along with a photograph of Ernest and Maybell. She also had one of our wedding photos -- one we didn't even remember giving to her!

Cosmologists and astrophysicists tell us that time is relative and can be "folded" - so in this blog entry we are folding time -- taking a tuck from the last century and the last year, folding it into our new present, with the understanding that that was then -- this is now -- and we are living in the moment of NOW!

Niuhi-Shark and Kamehameha the Great

This week we had the privilege of being invited to attend a panel discussion about the history that prompted the telling of this story of conflict between regional family groups. We were both impressed by the (kupuna) elders who spoke as they attempted to deal with and accept all parts of the story -- political power, death and loss and the unification of the islands. The word in Hawaiian is "ho'okuleana" - taking responsibility.

Another word that was frequently used during the discussion (which included thoughtful audience participation) was "pono"."  The word means  living with a conscious decision to do the right thing in relationship with self, others and the environment further suggesting  that by living with moral character, people will find happiness.  

Of particular poignancy was the goal of teaching the keiki (children) -- how to accept the past without judgment, and how to move into the present, learning from the past. Reading from another book about King Kamehameha (The Lonely One) by the same author (Eyre) an entire lesson plan is offered for young students.  LINK: Keiki Lesson Plan

EXHIBIT: NIUHI-SHARK: Honoring Kamehameha the Great in Paint and Prose

Volcano Art Center is proud to announce the next fine art exhibition to be displayed at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in  Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park from February 16th – March 24th, 2019.  The exhibition titled NIUHI-SHARK honors Kamehameha The Great in both paint and prose with original paintings created by Carl F.K. Pao paired with selections from the book Kamehameha–The Rise of a King by Kāwika Eyre.  

The exhibit in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of King Kamehameha’s death will open on Saturday, February 16th with artist and author present at an opening reception from 5 to 7pm. The public is also welcome to attend a panel discussion the day before on Friday, February 15th at 5:30pm at the Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village.

(If, in our ignorance, we have inadvertently misstated something, please let us know)
AND...To read more about this story follow this link: Learn More

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.

SLOW DOWN

OUCH!

This past year we didn't just slow down, we came to an abrupt and rude STOP! For eight months, we lived in two temporary situations for which we remain grateful. Our attorneys Attorney won a case against Lloyd's of London and we got a settlement. And, a lot of other home owners got paid too! Luckily we found a lovely furnished lease to own rental Volcano town.More about Volcano Town

Then, on the last day of our move-in the stairs and Lunel's left knee got into a disagreement with the stairs, at the end of which she was unable to walk at all (torn meniscus being the likely result.) The next day neighbors converged with crutches, walker and a wheelchair!!  What an odd way to meet neighbors, but again, we were grateful they ambled up the driveway to meet us.

After such a traumatic 2018, we're excited to begin necessary improvements on our new home:  Phil needs a wood working shop so temporary plans are to enclose the carport where he can continue to make sawdust and keep his three galleries supplied with his popular Hawaiian reef fish made from koa wood. See Phil's ART

Lunel is at home in her hammock

It is all connected!

Lunel is due to begin physical therapy soon but for her this "slow down" runs against the grain -- she's is a hard person to follow that advice when there is a new undeveloped yard begging to be beautified -- flower beds to be created, and a greenhouse to be built!

For a distraction we took a short ride to Volcano National Park. (Despite the stupidity of a government shut down by this president, parts of the park are still open and accessible to visitors.)  Learn more about Volcano National Park

Visiting helped us make the emotional connection between the lava that WAS in Kilauea and the lava chamber below and where that lava actually came out -- down in lower Puna -- with Fissure 8 being across our front yard.

A wise friend sent us a quote last year Lunel incorporated into her art journal. Now we both just have to follow that good advice! (especially at 70 and 77)

"Who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far."

We're In The PINK!!

YES!  we are "in the pink" -- moved in yesterday with help from friends.
Living Coral Is Pantone’s 

2019 Color of the Year

The company announced today that Living Coral, a bright coral shade, is its 2019 Color of the Year. Although it may seem more pink in nature, Pantone describes Living Coral as “an animated, life-affirming shade of orange, with golden undertones.” 

The decision of what will be the next year’s Color of the Year is up to the Pantone Color Institute, Pantone’s consulting division that analyzes each year’s color trends. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.” 

(Of course the Haysmers’ new home in Volcano, Hawaii was central to the final decision. Additional complimentary colors were based largely on Haysmers' choices for their new living room rug, and colors for their landscaping plans.)

Pantone also cited Living Coral as a color of carefree happiness. A press release says it “symbolizes our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits”—a feeling that, perhaps, people might be craving in today’s landscape

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/living-coral-is-pantones-2019-color-of-the-year/