The air is still; alternately, the winds gust a bit. Then it pours or does not. Most of the island, if the papers can be believed, is in drought. This is unbelievable to those of us living in North Kohala. We’ve had little but rain most of the year, albeit interspersed with brilliantly clear skies and sunshine. The gardens thrive, and what cannot abide too much water dies. Though that is very little, all in all. I can live with it, not that I have a choice in the matter.
Hawaii is a group of islands considered the most remote inhabited masses of land on the planet. For those of us who love this magical place, that does not faze us in the least. Yet we live in rapidly changing environmental times. Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest can now almost be counted on this time of year. Floods on the east coast continue, as do wild temperature swings. And that’s just the United States. Still, hurricanes are now as they have always been – unpredictable. A few days ago, Hurricane Lane seemed only remotely close to Hawaii Island. Today is a different story. Category 4 (as I wrote this, now a Five) coming our way. And here come torrential rains, though the winds have not picked up too much. And just as suddenly, it’s gone.
We don’t panic. We don’t, heaven help us, even prepare. We’ve lived 15 years of our lives on these islands, witnessed earthquakes (a magnitude Six found its epicenter in our town in ’06 – the furthest from the volcano, or from anyone’s expectations. Yet there you have it.) Leveled a massively tall concrete smokestack from sugar mill days. Slid houses right off their concrete foundations. We’ve watched from Molokai’s west shore as hurricane Iniki hurled destruction at our sister island Kauai. Several hurricanes have come close, but none has made landfall except peripherally with flooding, last time in Kapoho, much of which was only recently inundated with lava.
And so, at least for now, what else to do but wait?
A surreal beauty around you… yet so many threats from Mother Nature…all her mesmerising moods bewilder and calm. Isn’t it astonishing? Breathtaking pictures Bela! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Balroop! Absolutely. I think there’s always a trade-off, at least that’s what we’ve noticed, in that some of the most beautiful places on earth can also be the most treacherous. For us the trade-off is worth it. Glad you enjoyed the views of our backyard 😉 – all within walking distance from our house. ❤️
Wow! Love those views from your backyard. Lets look at the positive aspects. 🙂
😘
I hope all remains well for you Bela and thank you for sharing both story and photos. Aloha!
Thanks, Renee! Aloha to you! 💕
Awesome photos, Bela. Weather’s unpredictability bewilders one and all. Or does it really? With tangible signs of global warming? Kerala in South India – god’s own country – is facing its worst flooding in nearly a century. Who had thought? Thanks for this post – timely from an Indian perspective too.
‘Or does it, really?’ About sums it up, for us too, for sure. I am sorry to hear that your beloved Kerala is experiencing flooding; never a good portent, though these events have been foretold by climate scientists since the 1970’s, that I can remember. I am stunned the world has ignored the warnings, though I can more easily forgive less developed nations. The US has no excuse with its wealth and technology. It’s been Greed of a few writ large that causes us all to pay the price.
But we are One, collectively speaking, which becomes more complex when some consider the implications. Solutions of the future are going to depend far more on cooperation than previously thought. The one-upmanship of the past will likely go out kicking. Yet it is the only way successive generations will survive.
And so we wait, largely upon what Ralph Blum’s Book of Runes terms the Will of Heaven. Aloha, dear one. Thanks for taking time to weigh in. 🤗🙏🏽💗
Well said, dear Bela. Loved it!
Be safe, my friend. ❤️
Mahalo, Sue. 🙏🏽💕
The weather around the globe is unpredictable Bela.. And my thoughts are with you all, and as you say, all you can do is wait… Floods hit India, in Kerala near a blogging friend, and we are still not getting the rain we are used to… Only dribs and drabs hitting the middle of our country,
We both sense what is to come.. Yet never have I felt so calm… So at peace… inwardly diving as we do.. I am just enjoying BE-ing to the best I can be… And enjoying the Now of the Moment.
Such beautiful photos Bela.. Such a beautiful part of our world…
Sending Huge hugs your way..
Blessings Sue <3
You speak truth, dear one. Yes, Kerala as well, who would have thought? We get hurricanes passing through every year, but usually between Mauna Kea and Maui’s Haleakala – the mountains that make Alenuihaha Channel one of the most dangerous in the world to navigate – they are pushed far enough offshore so as not to wreak any damage. This time the hurricane Warning is different, but the impending time, the same. For who can predict the results of a storm beforehand? I think humans are going to learn some respect for Mother Nature ‘s awesome power, one way or another. And yes, that strange inner calm is in me as well. We stand in the eye of the hurricane, I suppose. And we wait.
Many thanks for your comments as always. Aloha. 😘
I like that analogy Bela as our calm is like standing in the eye of the hurricane.. We both know its coming but not to its making landfall.. Its still swirling in the ether .. But Mother Earth is beginning to shake.. and the increase in seismic activity has really started to take hold.. I keep up to date with Dutchsinse channel….. But the calm is deep … Enjoy your day Bela.. and hope your mountain ranges deflects the storms might. <3
Thanks, Sue. I have never heard of Dutchsinse. Will have to check it out, though in the end, we simply go about our lives in gratitude for each day as it comes, as I sense do you. Peace, sweetie. Love. ❤️
Yes making the most of Now.. <3 Always.. <3
🌷🌺🌳💕
Dear Bela…I saw the report this morning and immediately thought of you 💜 No stranger to hurricanes…and I recently saw the devastating impact Irma had on the Florida Keys 😔
I send you all my best wishes that this one takes a swift turn and does not impact you or your beloved Islands.
💜
Thanks, Lorrie! We wait to see what develops. Right now there’s rain and more rain …. and no wind to speak of. And on we go into the day! Aloha. 💕🌈
Will keep you in my prayers _/\_💜
Aww, thanks so much! 🤗
How does it look today, from where you are? (Such beautiful photos once again!)
Well, I corrected this post to a Cat 5, which it is now. But you know, we live in the sticks and people like us know how to find what we need, regardless. Thanks to Chris being a contractor, we have a generator as well. So if needs must… We shall see. Meanwhile, life goes on per usual, if a bit wetter (as though that is possible! It’s been a very wet year!) Just took the heeler for a run up the hill on an old estate, and it’s so wet, he was sliding in mud instead of grass. Which didn’t faze him much, though I’m doing a load of muddy laundry (blankets, towels, seat covers) as we speak. Aloha! 🤗❤️
Please take good care, Bela! I’ll be monitoring the weather channel and thinking of you. 💖💕
Will do, Betty. Rain’s a comin’ down now. 🌧 ☔️
Hope you are staying safe? Thinking of you as you deal with all that water and mud.
❤️❤️❤️😯
Yes, water, mud and safety, all in a not so neat bundle! Thanks for your kind regard. Aloha 🙏💕
Bela, I had no idea that this is home for you. You and Chris be safe!
Oh, yes Paul! We’ve been on Hawaii Island since ’05. Molokai 25 +years ago as well. Thanks for your well wishes for us both! Much appreciated. Hardest thing at this point is finding a place to run the little heeler! The mud’s a-flyin’ – which doesn’t faze him much at all. Just a mess to clean up after! Ah, well …🤗😘
We are with you in spirit! Tell your lovely heeler that he has six brothers and sisters here in Oregon who would run with him in the wag of a (muddy) dog tail! 🐶
Haha yes. Wish someone here with a farm would let him run with their pack. But any large property here is extremely expensive and usually a working property only. 😔
Just checking in on you Bela and see some of the comments you made recently.. Saw the storm on TV here in the UK it covered it briefly some of the flooding.. Stay safe all of you.. Aloha my friend.. Love and HUGS.. <3
Oh my goodness Sue, I just saw this! Sorry for the tardy response. The storm as it is has passed. The good news is, and it really is, we never got the hurricane, full force. But we did get a wicked tropical storm that dumped record inches of rainfall in our community and on the east end of the island. The highway in our community had landslides in two places and was closed for a while. But that mess has been cleaned up. Rains continue even into today, tho we have largely had a rain-free day. It is so so wet from a wet year in general and then this that yes, things have exploded in growth, but we’ve also lost some plants. Which fortunately, we can afford to do! We’ve got so many that a bit of attrition is not a problem. We do have some limbs down and lost a fruit tree, but it was never strong to begin with. Thanks so much for asking sweetie. All good, all in all. Love to you and yours! and we carry-on! 😘❤️💕
Glad to know alls well Bela… Trees and shrubs I know will recover given time.. I can’t help this internal feeling that something very catastrophic is about to unfold.. While trying to keep my calm and peace.. Yet at the same time also knowing its all unfolding as it should.. Just so pleased you are all ok and didn’t bare the brunt of the storm..
Take care and MUCH love <3
Right back atcha, dear Sue. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for posting! 🙂 http://www.cchomeschoolers.com
Thanks for stopping by! Aloha. 🌺