La'au kukolu (today)

The temperature is warming, a little. We left the la'i (ti plants) out overnight. In the background is the Rose of Sharon (Purple Hibiscus) that I bought for my brother David's memorial last May. It's slowly sprouting new growth.

We woke to a foggy morning. This shot mid-morning Ka La (the sun) is breaking through the remnant fog. The lucky fish wind sock is still; no breeze this morning.



Wana au ... the shaft of light

BIRD SOUNDS: While I park here at the keys, I hear the work of the woodpecker, Flicker or Red-Head? Raven is also very close (they usually are) making galumping sounds in the trees. Sparrows and Towhees are busy in the huckleberry and wild blueberries. They have been feasting on Pete's sprouting winter wheat berries. The birds think the berries are for them, never mind the humans who think the tender greens Pete will juice is for them:/

Mahealani Moon (March 5, 2015)

From our vardo in the woods it was easy to believe the hazy cloud cover would cloak Mahealani. We lingered, hesitant to leave the warm futon. According to the chart the moon would rise at around 6:20. The cellphone read 6:05. "Let's go," Pete finally said still holding his favorite deck of cards. He had quietly wanted, and waited all day long for this rising; "Mahealani is the most beautiful name."

Mahealani rises just after the sun sets. We couldn't see any sign of ka la's set from our wooden canopy of a home. But we climbed into the Subaru dressed for cool temperatures and hoped that the sky would be clear.

Mahealani rewarded us with this ...

Our friend Prescott and Pete. The temperature was cool, probably high 30's or 40 degrees. There was lots of kehau (moisture) in the grass, my sandaled and sock-covered feet were chilled before the watching was over. 

In the sky along with the Mahealani moon we spied the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Mars and Uranus in the sign of Aries. Orion's belt appeared quickly western sky as well. Makali'i (The Pleiades) was with us as well; I waved to my Ancestors there.

A great dark and open sky opens above the land here at The Tilth. This is our ma uka (upland) moon spot. The Sunlight Beach shore, our ma kai (at the beach) spot.

Through our farmer friend Jody Crane's farm stand the glazy halo of light around Mahealani framed the common magic of a moon rising ma uka (up mountain) at the South Whidbey Tilth grounds