EARTH DAY 2007

NANAIMO EARTH DAY 2007 A very loud clap of thunder and then the Pineapple Express hit us in Maffeo Sutton Park. A spectacular start to the day. My group of vlounteers did a splendid job and we all enjoyed the day. i was in charge of of the colouring contest. I handed out the picture to colour...damp but joyful entrants kept me busy. During the most powerful downpour i coloured too. Aw well, it is fun to be child-like, i make it a daily practise. The best part of the day was a swing music group. Everyone liked the music of that era. I have 3 festival tatoos that will not budge from my arms. A few haiku and tanka (free-form and childish) A loud clap Thor in the sky today the rush of wind and rain children cry as the paint face decorations run down in many colours Japanese exchange students volunteer for Earth Day they run in the rain giving out bottles of pure island water Earth Day rain drops on the Smart Car In the rain on Earth Day the government ministers cheerful in the rain many people running to their booth for free coffee and donuts On Earth Day we discuss how "green" we are proud of our efforts hey, i gave up my german tank and still miss it, but not the price of gas Earth Day at the end of the day tents dripping rain a man comes along with 2 dogs that look like mops

DON HO DIED YESTERDAY

Don Ho Donlad Ho Tai Loy, August 13, 1930- April 14, 2007. He die dof hear failure yesterday morning. He will be sadly missed by all and his show in Waikiki. I had th epleasure of meeting him and found him a wonderful, charming man. Well known for his song, "Tiny Bubbles". He was an icon who well represented the State of Hawaii. White flower lei the scent of rain in the air her tears flowing The heart of Waikiki will forever beat in song blue-great pacific In the wine those tiny bubbles she lifts a glass of Vevbe Clicquot to his memory

EASTER SUNDAY

A wonderful Easter service today. The sun was out for only a little while...nothing new about that here on this island of rain forests... I realised today that i have unconditional love from two men in my life. Jesus and Jeffrey!!! I have turned off Yahoo and MSN and am spening the day in contemplation. MY EASTER TANKA (FREE FORM) Angel sitting on the stone the women named Mary not believing the news that will bring joy for two thousand years first Easter

EASTER WEEK

FORGET-ME-NOTS I was carrying 10 pounds of groceries on each arm. I stopped to take a breathe. I looked down in to the flower bed and there almost hidden where forget-me-nots, small blue star-like flowers with a yellow center. My heart stopped for a moment. Flooding with memories, thought were long gone. I felt a great wave of sadness. Two wonderful, but also painful memories of two blue-irised ones. I later found that one of them is very ill...more sadness and un-ease. In church tonight i prayed. FREE-FORM TANKA FOR O The night you left i placed some forget-me-nots on the windshield of your bus knowing that we would never share special moments again In the store your music in the back ground i smile and remember years ago, the same music knowing you are happy FOR J Forget-me-nots i saw them suddenly on the path my thoughts turned to him with my heart filled with sadness Forget-me-nots my thoughts return to your eyes so many years ago then tears in mine wonderment and a deep sigh Forget-me-nots a tear starts to flow knight, poet and coffee lover your heart stop-go... i say a prayer

hawaiian105.com: News

hawaiian105.com: News

SPRING IS HERE

Happy Spring to all of you. I am still unclear about it being yesterday or today. Oh well.

The plum and cherry trees are in bloom and i was going to take some photos of them yesterday, but it was a cool, cloudy day. The wonderful scented blue hyacinth is now out also. It sents my whole house. It also fulfils my love of the many shades of blue with a touch of purple in them.

The first of many guests to the island will start to arrive latter this week. Who can blame them and i am happy they will be on this wonderful island and escape their cities jobs and stress. My Mother, son and i enjoy our role of hosts for our own private B&B. We serve a wonderful breakfast and leave our guests free to do whatever they wish during the day. Some are excellent cooks and the enjoy the fresh fish and produce here. I am looking forward to the meals and wines they conjour up daily. There goes my strict diet, again.

Well, Spring is also in the air in Finland. My Finnish cousin Kim was in the mood to sing a few songs for me first thing this moring. He has a deep voice, just the thing to help me wake up in a hurry.

Yesterday my Pakistani cousin, Muddy in Lahore felt like singing also. Must be in the air world-wide.

This island has deep voices we do not want though. We have an influx of unwanted voracious Americna bullfrogos, an invasive species that can grow to be the size of a dinner plate and even small house pets!!! They are hunted down and zapped with electricity. They

were brough onto the island in the 1930s by a man who wnated to breed them

for their legs!!

Speaking of coffee. I read that heavy caffeine users are almost twice as liklely to exhibit panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and major depression. Starbucks has no interest in supporting further research on this. I will not give up my Kona, which reminds me that Hawaiian cousin Sam needs to sen dme a few more pounds soon.

If anyone knows how i can merge my 4 blogs into one, please let me know.

A few Spring haiku and tanka (lazy style--free form)

Houseboat in Kashmir

his black eyes seem almost blue

she hides her feelings very well

the lake sill and silent

this Spring morning

The lake in Finland

finally free of ice now

his eyes just as blue

Spring morning

the first bird call

to awaken me

New green grass

many small black birds

this Spring day

Float planes land

ferries pass the island

she waits for him

LAST DAY OF SPRING

My church had a St. Pat's Day tea. It is so nice to have these traditions. The elderly ;ladies did a wonderful job of setting up the tea, baking and also had crafts for sale.

It is my friend from Rhode Islands" birthday. So my thought go to him and our time on Maui and the fun we had. Especially the Friday night Art Walk. All the art galleries on Front St. have open house with artists in attendance. Kerry and i were much impressed with some pieces of Arte we saw. It was close to Christmas and we were both missing our Northern European Christmas rituals. He is part Irish and very sentimental, so we were both a bit sad this our first Christmas without our families. He di not have his own guitar and would not use another person's, so i could not listen to him playing the music he played when he formed his group in Rhode island when he was younger. One regret i have is that the peg-legged old man at Pioneer Inn promised to send the photos he took of us....they never came. I had top leave the island for a family emergency and we did not even exchange last names. But we had a nice time and i am sure he thinks of us every December too. His last words to me were, " say yes to life."

Wonderful advice for all of us.

A few free-form tanka for Kerry

On this tropical island

we were both so far from home

on Christmas eve, feeling sad

about both of our Nordic rituals

tears from your Irish eyes

In the art gallery

the amazing works of Arte

that i was afraid to touch

you told me you would buy it for me

one day when you were flush again

Maui stars

so clear in the winter night

you so much younger than I

but knowing more of life

A man in jean shirt and jeans

a dark night on Maui

telling me about your music

and your love of guitar

Today is your birthday

i can still see a pair of emerald eyes

with black thick lashes

so many years ago

why do men have better lashes

than most girls

On this your birthday

i have no photo of you

pushing your dark hair

out of your emerald eyes

memories come one by one

New rice paper

i draw eyes of green with black lashes

Maui mountains and

light green sea

this Spring day