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Tag Archives: Hawaii

October 2014…

… has been a month of family visits and adventures, from Atlanta to Los Angeles to Hawai’i Big Island, thence to Maui and back to Atlanta taking in art galleries and street art, cityscapes and suburbs, volcanoes and waterfalls, rain-forests and beaches, sunsets and a sunrise, excellent eating from picnics and eating out American breakfasts to a special early Thanksgiving dinner and, the best of all, all this in the company of much loved family who live so far away from us.
Join us on our journey through the following galleries, click on any photo for detail and enjoy the trip! There was so much in the way of glorious flora and fauna that they deserve a post of their own.

Cityscapes and suburbs

There will have to be another post to cover everything but here is a glimpse of an American Hallowe’en where almost every house and garden is decorated, some really elaborately.

More tomorrow……

 

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An Elemental Day in Hawaii

What a magnificent day with my sister on The Big Island of Hawaii seeing splendiferous waterfalls to and then sunset at the volcano, Kilauea, as the lava lake showed its true colours lighting up as night fell.

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Rainbow Falls where at sunrise rainbows form

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Akaka Falls, with a drop higher than Niagara Falls.

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We were standing on the edge of the crater here and it was so exhilarating to watch as the orange glow of the lava lake lit up the plume of vog coming out of Halema’uma’u.

 

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Kumu Raylene Kawaiaea

My sister, Daisy Priya Lucas, who lives in Hawaii, is an artist.She has recently completed this beautiful pastel of a beautiful and much loved elder of Hawaii, Kumu Raylene Kawaiaea. Daisy has given me permission to use her work as one of my beautiful things today. You can see another of her pieces in this post.

kumu Raylene, painting 1 Mahalo 2 mahalo3

Finished

“Kumu Raylene Kawaiaea, also known as Raylene Lancaster, was a beloved elder, revered kumu hula (traditional dance teacher) and a cultural consultant and preserver who lived in North Kohala, Hawaii. She was a teacher at Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center and a practitioner of the ancient Hawaiian art of reaching agreement or “making things right” called Ho’oponopono. She took part in numerous community events and her presence was sought after for blessings and dedications to new buildings and organizations. Kumu Raylene Kawaiaea died at age 61 from a car accident. She is remembered as a beautiful individual whose love and wisdom touched many on the island of Hawaii and beyond. It is said that any person who stood before her felt worthy and loved – the true meaning of “Aloha.”

Do have a look at this video about this beautiful woman. http://occupylove.org/kumu-raylene-kawaiaea/

Thank you so much, Daisy, for sharing your work and for the link to the videos. Kumu  Raylene sounds like a remarkable and wonderful woman. I wish I could have met her. You capture her essence in this beautiful portrait.

PS 24 February 2015  I have removed the pictures on the request of Chyenne, the Granddaughter of Kumu Raylene whose comment you can read below. I fully respect her wishes and am very sorry for any offence caused.

PS  16th July 2015   My sister has gained the family’s permission for her beautiful paintings to be shown here.

 
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Posted by on March 24, 2014 in art, Beauty, Postaday 2014

 

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Shepherds’ Warning, Namaste Sculpture and Lava at Dawn on Hawaii

1   We awoke to the most beautiful dawn sky, red and deep orange becoming  violet, mauve and amber and eventually blue with pinky-peachy clouds. Sadly the old words were right and that beautiful red sky was indeed a warning for the rest of the day.

Dawn over the back garden

Dawn over our back garden

Dawn and our Headless Ghost

Dawn and our Headless Ghost

2   In the lovely Lemon Street Gallery in Truro was a fabulous sculpture looking not unlike a Grandfather clock but full of intrigue. I was encouraged to open the doors, ring the bells, swing the pendulum, discover the secrets behind the doors. If only I could afford to buy this most beautiful and imaginative piece by Baz Roscoe and Sans Robinson. Do read the information too – such thought and love have gone into this remarkable structure. I love it!   Here you can see the artists talking about their piece.

In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream

In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream

Sculpture

Sculpture

'In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream' information

‘In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream’ information

3   I came home to find some photos in my dropbox from my Dear Sister in Hawaii. I give you two of her photos and invite you to read her lyrical words that follow. Beautiful indeed.

Volcano erupting into the sea

Volcano erupting into the sea

Dawn with the lava and ocean

Dawn with the lava and ocean

“I’ve been with the elemental nature of the Earth in such a dramatic, yet personal way.  The hike out is intense. For one, it is dark and two you are hiking over lava (not the hot, red stuff!)  for about three miles.  Lava comes in all shapes and forms and you have to be VERY careful. The lava can be fragile, or it can be very solid – you don’t know and so each step is taken with great care and respect for the land. Often there are large cracks, but I have learned that if you keep moving forward and step over them, the land will support you on the other side.  And then – after an hour and a half of preparation through this hike – it suddenly gets hot – blasts of heat rise up from the ground and as you look down – there are hot spots.  Not flowing lava yet, but you know it is flowing under where you are walking – and don’t forget, some of the lava is fragile, so you take each step with even greater care and connectivity to the land.

And then! – I cannot express the awe of watching the elements in their raw expression of power and beauty.  We spent about two hours out there, through the dark until after dawn, with the changing light and complete, awe-inspiring power.  The lava would continually find new paths, blasting out of the cliff face, creating new fiery rivers and pools as it made its way towards the ocean where it was greeted by a force we are all familiar with. The ensuing connection between the two elements of fire and water produced huge billowing clouds of steam which rose up the cliff face – being pushed by the wind – sometimes into your face where it stung your eyes and filled your lungs with an unfamiliar breath.  Leaning on a huge lava rock, I realized my back was getting warmer and warmer.  My support, though firm lava, still had the warmth of the running lava inside it.
The connection of fire and waves were creating new land, in the form of black sand  – a beach was instantly being formed at the base of the cliff through the combination of forces.  The elements fire, water, earth and air all in their most passionate expressions.

And then – the hike back – new land under foot.  How beautiful this lava is – bejeweled with gold, silver, platinum and electric blue.  In shapes and colors now visible in light of the new day.  Shaped in ropes and strings and flows  –  you can see how it flowed, how it formed this land which I am so blessed to call home.”

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures – A Year In Cornwall

These are the photographs that I have had made into a calendar for my family who all live away from Cornwall – in Munich, Germany; in Atlanta, Georgia; in Volcano, Hawaii; in Warsaw, Poland; in Exeter, Devon;  in North Finchley, London; in Barcelona, Spain; in Dakar, Senegal and in Chilla, Devon.

Please click on any photo to reach the enlargement and to read the full caption. I have used the rectangular gallery setting but it won’t put the photos in chronological so I’ve given you them not in a gallery as well. Which do you prefer?

January 2012 - Walsingham Place, Truro, a beautiful curved Georgian terrace in Truro.

January 2012 – Walsingham Place, Truro, a beautiful curved Georgian terrace in Truro.

 February  2012 - Godrevy Lighthouse from Hayle Towans

February 2012 – Godrevy Lighthouse from Hayle Towans

 March 2012 - Daffodils in Trelissick Gardens

March 2012 – Daffodils in Trelissick Gardens

April 2012 - thrift on the cliffs at Chapelporth on the North Coast

April 2012 – thrift on the cliffs at Chapelporth on the North Coast

May 2012 - Bluebells down the lane on the way to the Duchy Nurseries to buy a tree.

May 2012 – Bluebells down the lane on the way to the Duchy Nurseries to buy a tree.

June 2012 - St Michael's Mount from Mount's Bay. The best ice creams in the worls can be found in the tea-shop here!

June 2012 – St Michael’s Mount from Mount’s Bay. The best ice creams in the world can be found in the tea-shop here!

July  2012 - From St Mawes looking over the water to the St Anthony Lighthouse. The annual regatta was in full sail.

July 2012 – From St Mawes looking over the water to the St Anthony Lighthouse. The annual regatta was in full sail.

August 2012- Looking out to Restronguet Creek from the pontoon of The Pandora Inn.

August 2012- Looking out to Restronguet Creek from the pontoon of The Pandora Inn.

September 2012 - Kynance Cove, a favourite place for the family for many years.

September 2012 – Kynance Cove, a favourite place for the family for many years.

October - Coming back into Cornwall over the Brunel Bridge over the Tamar, after our holiday in India and Nepal

October – Coming back into Cornwall over the Brunel Bridge over the Tamar, after our holiday in India and Nepal

November 2012 -  Looking towards St Ives from Hayle Towans

November 2012 – Looking towards St Ives from Hayle Towans

December 2012 Pill Creek , where we first lived when we moved to Cornwall from Birmingham when I was 6 years old. Is it any wonder I fell in love with the County?

December 2012 Pill Creek , where we first lived when we moved to Cornwall from Birmingham when I was 6 years old. Is it any wonder I fell in love with the County?

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Sister-in-Law, Gardening Memories and a Cornish Snail

1     A lovely long email from my sister-in-law in Atlanta giving me all their news.

2    I love it how gardening makes me remember people. Today it’s the very small  crinodendron hookerianum, with so many amazing lanterns this year, only three last year (Mum and Dad and their good friend Eddie), planting Cosmos (Bill’s Dad who gave me plugs the year he died and they kept flowering until the first frosts), night scented stocks, just tiny seedlings at the moment, ( KJ as a very little girl of 3 or 4 who used to wake up at about 10pm night after night. We used to take her out into the garden on summer nights to smell ‘the night flowers’ and then she would happily go back to bed.) And now, seeing the uncurling fern, my lovely sister Daisy who emailed to say that she too loves to see the uncurling ferns but in Hawaii they are 30′ tall!

Crinodendron Hookerianum

3  A delightful little snail – I know they eat my plants but just look at him on the edge of the ice cream tub!

Small Cornish snail

 
 

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Hawaiian Turtle, Clematis and Fungus

1   My dear sister, Daisy aka Deborah, posted a picture of this beautiful painting, her first done since she moved from Arizona to Hawaii. I so admire her talent. You can see another of her paintings here http://wp.me/p1Ypl6-X

Daisy's Painting

2    We have successfully moved this clematis, Sweet Sensation, from the back garden to the new fence and trellis at the front.

Clematis Early Sensation

I love the pale green in the centre of the white.

3    Clearing off my planting table I found this beautiful fungus, like a flower petal, so delicate and colourful! Click on the photo to see the feathery detail.

Beautiful fungus

 
 

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My Dear Sister, Lakh and the Sailors’ Barometer

1   Found a phone message, left at about midnight last night, from my dear sister, Deborah aka Daisy in Hawaii, telling me she loves me and that she is loving seeing the joy in my postings about Senegal – a beautiful moment indeed. Thank you!

2   Researching Lakh on the net to help with my Senegal postings, I came across this blog which is just so evocative of all we experienced. You might like to have a look.  http://friendsfooddrinks.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/thieboudienne-lakh-mafe.html

Lakh is a bit like green rice pudding but made with millet and on top there is the most scrumptious creamy mixture, not unlike condensed milk which some readers will know I have a sweet tooth for!

Lakh - a fabulously sweet and delicious pudding

3   We’ve had very sudden and very heavy April showers today (lovely for the garden) and one of the things I like when the weather is going to be stormy is to watch the blue water in our Sailors’ Barometer rising. Today, at the peak of the heavy rain, it overflowed. I took the photo a bit later on when I realised that it would be one of today’s beautiful things!

Sailors' Barometer

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2012 in art, family, Food, Senegal, travel

 

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Tibetan Child, Porthtowan and Skype to Senegal

1 My lovely sister, Deborah, in Hawaii sent me this delightful photo of a Tibetan child laughing,designed to make anyone smile.

Laughing Tibetan child

2  Lucy walked for 6 hours today as part of her training for her trek in Nepal. We drove down to Porthtowan and walked a short way with her.

3  We Skyped with Ami, Daniel’s fiance, in Senegal this afternoon. Her English is getting better, I’m doing better with my French and Daniel, online from Barcelona, taught us a bit of Wolof! Since we haven’t met Ami yet, Skype is brilliant for helping us all get to know each other before we really meet in April. We are so looking forward to it and Ami is going to help Lucy and me buy appropriate outfits for the celebrations!

 
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Posted by on January 22, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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Hawaii, Tax and An Adventure

1  This photo from my dear sister in Hawaii:  “Sunrays coming through the steam vents in Hawaii. The steam vents are areas where the land opens and the rain pours down to reach the magma. The heat and water create steam.”

2  I’ve nearly finished my self assessment tax form!

3  Lucy is going to Nepal for an amazing adventure!

 
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Posted by on January 4, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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