Friday, December 14, 2018. A Report from HVO, etc.

Welina mai, greetings, all, from the chillblustery heights of Keaʻau.  Though the sun has not yet turned, we are in the throes of winter.  Not my favorite time of year.  Perhaps I have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Long shadows, shorter days, jacket temperatures, all make for the increased importance of endorphin-loading walks.  But what you going do?  No sense grumble.  

And that last sentiment seems particularly apropos now, after our (fill in your choice of adjectives) experiences of summer last.  As a reminder, here is a Hot-Off-The-Press report from the staff at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.  

My favorite sentence is:

"The initiation mechanism for the extraordinary 2018 LERZ eruption and summit collapse remains enigmatic."

Though many of us ask "Why?", the answer is "Weʻre not sure".  Similar to the "Because I said so" response to a whiny child...

HVO Summary Report, Science Magazine, 121018

We read, we learn, we mull, we share.  

And some of us track the arc of risingsettings, just in case we forget When are we???

I have a Post-It on my wall near the top of the stairs to the loft, so I know how long to Solstice.  Shadows cast on the wall by the rising sun are a good gauge.  And on my porch railing I drew lines indicating rising positions of our solar heater so I can keep track.

But in the end, itʻs always best to (in unison, now...)

be outside...pay attention    noho i waho...a maliu

When do I need to be at Keanakākoʻi so I might enjoy the view of earlymorning light pinking Maunaloa?  The M1 Cam in the tower at HVO provides a similar view as above.  Relying too much on notes, alarms, reminders serves only to diminish our connections with Nature.  And mayhaps reminds us that weʻre too busy.  After 30+ years in my home, I know what season weʻre in:  Complex angles of lightshadow throughout the day tell me;  The bloomings of favorite plants tell me;  The temperature of the air and the qualities of winds tell me.  

OK?  Headed down the hill again to errand.  The Report will make for good weekend browsing.  And Iʻll be here again, attempting to check off topics and notes in my Composition Book.

As always, with aloha,

BobbyC
maniniowali@gmail.com