Earth Moving!

Earth Move Under My Feet!               

http://earthquaketrack.com/r/hawaii-hawaii/recent

Here on the "Island of Puna" our lives just now are impacted daily by what is happening across the surface of the land. While lava is still flowing (with fits and starts) it IS flowing and while our focus is on what’s happening above ground, there’s also a lot of action happening just below ground too.  Earthquakes happen in Hawaii all the time, and rather than being deeply submerged at the base of tectonic plates, most of them are related to Pele’s constant movement. (Most are only 2-4 km below the surface.) 

Lilikoi Fruit and Red Potatoes

Yesterday, we had another kind of below-ground experience as we dug up our first potatoes!!  It was an experiment that my grandmother would have approved of; as a mid-west farmer in the early 1900’s the land supplied all their needs from cows to chickens, from fruits to vegetables and her daily life began at 4am and re-defines our notion of a 24/7 work week!

So I think of her as we begin to harvest from our own garden.  Yesterday we also picked another batch of lilikoi fruit from our fast-growing vine, and pulled up a small but handsome batch of potatoes.  Oddly enough, they were the same blush of color.  Yesterday I also trimmed the branches of our maple-leaf hibiscus – a deep crimson color, so our table is blessed with these beautiful hues for our fall harvest.  Malalo!  Malama ka ‘Aina!

"Kokei" - Hawaiian Style

Forget what you thought you knew!

If you’re familiar with lawn croquet you, are in for a real surprise when you try it Hawaii-style on a typical lava lawn in Puna on the Big Island.  Before discussing the game itself, however, we must define the word “lawn.”  First, understand that there is “real” lava just a couple inches under your feet – new raw land less than 1000 years young.  And, what your eye may identify as “green” is usually not any lawn you may be familiar with on the continent. 

Kokei Queens: Gemma, Kate, Lunel, Judith, Lucina & Linda

A typical lava lawn is comprised of a variety of creeping short blade grasses, an assortment of wild grasses, a mix of weeds (for which you are actually thankful) and a colorful assortment of delicate ground hugging vines that produce tiny yellow, blue, pink and white flowers in profusion – just before you have to mow it. There is very little “soil” per se, but there is usually a layer of rough medium grade cinder that results in unevenness footing.  Over a period of years, of course, the grass clippings slowly become a growing medium and at one point it may even visually resemble a typical lawn.

Wait a minute!  How'd that ball get over there!! Really!

The fact that the balls rarely actually travel in the direction they are struck can be both a source of hilarity and frustration as we discovered at a party recently when six girlfriends decided to play.  Balls bounced over rough spots, leaped over pickets, ambled past fruit tree roots, and fell into divots that nearly envelop them.  

Midway through the game, after examining the mallet, I noticed that the rubber ends had been warped over time by the tropic heat; they looked exactly like uneven innie and outie belly buttons.  Choosing between the better of two butt ends, I began to develop my swing strategy, and tightened my grip.  In doing so, I recognized it was similar to using the pick axe to break up and clear out lava for planting.  We had a blast ambling around the course juggling wine glasses and melted mallets.  However, my pick axe strategy did eventually pay off when I came in first place! 

USGS Fluid Calculations

While we would love to have a crystal ball to know what will happen and when, the truth of the matter is that any view that we might see today could easily change tomorrow.  For several days Madame Pele's activity seemed to slow some, lava moving only feet per day instead of yards.  So, we wait and watch. This week she is moving faster, again, closer to 100 yards/day.

The link below is as close to a crystal ball as we are likely to get, trying to outguess the next move in this dynamic situation:  This link also provides a day-by-day photo journal with some great images including maps and web-cams.


http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/26716611/usgs-releases-updated-puna-lava-flow-arrival-time-forecast

It is interesting to talk with our neighbors and learn from each other as we attempt to deal with these unknowns -- emotionally, psychologically or spiritually.  We are all dealing with it on one level or another.  Add to that the issue of extended family members, jobs and/or animals, and the reality takes on new dimension.  Whatever lessons we are each learning, we can offer kindness, support and humor in liberal doses.

A few weeks ago, between hurricanes, and without power, we had a party at our house -- an opportunity to gather and support each other with food, wine and a sigh of relief.  Other "Punatics" are gathering now to have a "Mahalo Pele" party with food, hula, music and dancing.  Great response from us local "Punatics."

Once in a Blue Moon Bus Stop

It probably looked like this before being bulldozed.

After we bought our house in Leilani Estates, just south of Pahoa Village on the Big Island, and began to meet our neighbors, some colorful history began to emerge.

Sculpture of Rusty Objections

Apparently many years ago there had been squatters on the property, living in an old blue VW van.  But when we moved in there was no evidence of it, so we assumed it must have been pushed over onto the next acre when the land was cleared.  So much of the property was overgrown it was a year or more before we began to find --- parts of an old blue van!

As we have cleared the land and whacked back the edges of the jungle, we found more bus parts!  At first we found springs, door parts, and rusted fenders.  Some we took to the dump, but being an assemblage artist I could not throw all the pieces away and I began a small pile of interesting parts and other rusted things we found.

When we began to build the shed for the generator, and it looked a little like an outhouse, I got the idea to use the old bus parts to decorate it.  Taking a break from all the things that had to be done, I spent the last couple days, cutting, and assembling.  I used old bike gears around the "blue moon" for stars, and created a free standing sculpture on a 4x4" post just to the side.

Puna Weather

Most of us have heard the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes.”  But nowhere we’ve lived has this been truer than in Puna on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Your plans for the day are determined by the weather.  Despite the apparent contradictory logic, we try to plan our long list of Hilo errands when it IS raining – that way we don’t have to do them when the weather is perfect to be outside.

 

Notice the WORDING in the following six-day projection.

• “Periods of sun with showers; mild”
• “Partly cloudy with spotty showers”
• “Variable cloudy with showers”
• “Variable clouds with showers; mild”
• “Clouds and sun with a shower or two”
• “Partly sunny with a shower or two”

In other words, there will always be some sun, some clouds and some rain.  Just imagine having a job as a weather forecaster – you can be wrong half the time, right half the time and still get paid!  Of course we love our charming Guy Hagi with Hawaii News Now – an avid surfer whose weather report ALWAYS include surf advisory, and who sometimes delivers da report in pidgin.  Just before hurricane Iselle hit, his classic pronouncement went viral, “dis one goin hit brah” was memorable simply because in 150 years the height of the volcanoes has saved us from any direct hit.

Ah….da rain just stopped!

Phil's Hawaii Inspired Art

"Royal Ancestor"

We are pleased to invite you to 

visit the wonderful gallery 

where Phil's art can be seen.

If you are unable to visit Hilo, Hawaii in person, just click on the colored link below and you will instantly be in Old Town Hilo.  Just follow the 3 steps to see Phil's new Hawaii-inspired art!


1.  http://www.onegalleryhawaii.com
2.  Once there scroll about 2/3 down the page.
3.  "Click" on the wood Polynesian sailing vessel and you will then see all Phil's current wood art.


Of course we would be happy to arrange shipment of a piece of your choice.  If you have any questions, leave a comment via this blog.  And while you are visiting ONE GALLERY, take a look at other inspiring artists.

PS  Phil's BIO that appears at the end of his art selection is quite nice -- of course I wrote it. :-)

"Return"

"Return" by Lunel Haysmer (C)

"Return"

In the beginning we are light.

Then we become solid and heavy.

Finally, we remember how to fly

and we return.

This year many of us have said farewell to members of our ohana, including Phil's mom, Margaret.

Down at MacKenzie Park on the ocean here in PUNA, there is a pohaku stone everyone knows -- moved by the power of the ocean waves to its resting place on the edge of a outflow of pahoehoe overlooking the ocean.  One day when I was meditating on it, I thought it moved!  Returning home I wanted to capture something of the transformation that my eye could not see, but that my heart felt. The meaning of the word "PO" includes Original Darkness.  However, like many cultures around the world, its meaning reflects a place of Infinite Potentiality, the birth place from which everything comes.  In physics it would be that space/moment just before the Big Bang. As we say goodbye to our loved ones, we are bidding them farewell on their return flight home.

Mountain of Wealth

20 yards of wealth

Here in PUNA on the Big Island of Hawaii, wealth is  measured in a variety of ways.  For native Hawaiians it is measured by their strong family relationships -- ohana.  Wealth is also measured by the relationship with the land and its gifts to us as we care for it -- aina.  Here, wealth is also measured by the rain water in our catchment basins and our garden produce.


In almost two years here, we have had numerous deliveries of soil and cinder to create rich beds for fruit trees, flowers and gardens.  And today, we received another load of rich dark cinder/soil.  The black crushed cinder is rich in nutrients.  As you may know, this land (particularly in PUNA) is so new sometimes there is less than 1/2 soil on top of lava, so building up beds, or breaking down through lava is the only way we can plant and grow.

POKO found the mountain of wealth too inviting  --- and who knows what might be on the other side!!

(Couple people inquired where we got it: Check out Sanfords website:  http://sanfordsinc.com

BLUE SKY!! Uli Lani

Doing art in grade school my favorite colors were BLUE.  I would always use PERIWINKLE wearing my crayon down to a nub.  That passion for rich deep blues has remained throughout my life.  Here in Puna where we have some of the cleanest air on the Big Island, I can watch the sky and cloud play for hours.  But, what color is the sky?  There are so many shades of blue!  I am reminded of the song lyrics we have all sung --

Mont Blanc -- Saussure's Blue Muse

Neil Young “Helpless Helpless”

Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes.
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless.

The measuring device he used -- I printed out and use.

To early science, the sky was a puzzle and a challenge.  But Swiss born Horace-Bénédict de Saussure was undaunted by the challenge and through his ingenuity, he was the first to create a means by which to measure blue.  He grew up a naturalist, encouraged by his family and he was inspired particularly by the grandeur of Mont Blanc - the highest peak in Western Europe. 

At the age of 22 (mid 1700’s) he was appointed professor of natural philosophy at the University of Geneva. Excited as he was by his appointment, he winced at the prospect of having to teach students little younger than himself. Yet his brilliant lectures in mathematics, physics, geology, natural history - even philosophy - and his experiments, won him their admiration.  

 

He loved the scientific methods of measurement – and when he couldn’t measure things, he designed new instruments to do so. The color/s of the sky intrigued him.  Armed with his tools and a small chemistry set, he trekked round the valleys and beyond. As his trips carried him ever higher, he puzzled about the color of the sky. Local legend had it that if one climbed high enough it turned black and one would see, or even fall into, the void - such terrors kept ordinary men away from the peaks.  An expedition to the top of Mont Blanc allowed him to conduct his experiments. It was a thrilling moment when he documented the deepest blue he'd ever seen at 39 degrees blue. 

What I love about this story is his passion to discover, his indomitable curiosity and his ingenious invention that allows ME – 250 years later to walk out of my house and “measure the blueness" of the Hawaiian sky.  ULI LANI.

(Paraphrased from Wikipedia)

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