365 Inspirations—319: From the Top of Mauna Kea to the Depths of the Ocean at Kihena Beach

Full moon on top of Mauna Kea

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

— Rachel Carson

There's a full moon above me. Out here in the middle of the ocean, this moon glows like nothing I've ever seen. We were supposed to go to a night concert out at a sanctuary tonight, but we got lost on the winding roads. The moon was glistening over the ocean casting crystals everywhere. I had to pull over so we could stand up on a cliff and feel the roar of the waves smashing against the rocks. I can hear that roar from the room where I type this.

I swam in that ocean today at Kihena Beach, otherwise known as Black Sand Beach.

 The beach is black from volcanic rocks. The power of the ocean nearby can be felt even at a distance, but close up it shakes you. The undertow is strong. I braved it twice on this trip. I got hit by one big wave and then swam out as soon as the wave receded. I floated around out beyond where the waves were cresting and breaking. I was safe out there, the problem was coming back in. I had to swim fast as soon as there was a lull in the ginormous waves that were crashing the shore. I found my opportunity and took it. A wave was coming in just as I was running up the beach.

My husband was hit by a wave and lost his glasses. He struggled up out of the wave and made it to the beach and realized they were gone. He came over to me on the black sand and said,

"That wave took my glasses. I can't see."

Later a woman at lunch said she was happy that the wave only took Yoon's glasses. Apparently the waves out at this beach have claimed a number of lives. I swam out there with dolphins in March while we were on yoga retreat here, but the waves seemed quite tame at that time.

Yoon is now wearing my red retro glasses. Luckily we have a very similar prescription and I wear my contacts most of the time. People have noticed that he looks different and then he has to tell the story of what happened.

Not only is the ocean powerful here, but so are the mountains and the volcano, which is still very active. Lava is still spewing out and over the ocean cliffs here.

Yesterday, we decided to drive almost to the top of Mauna Kea, the highest peak in all of the Hawaiian Islands. There was a point when we had to stop because it required four-wheel drive. Instead of driving up to the tip top, we hiked up a small mountain which gave us a 360 view of the sunset, the full moon rise and the clouds below us. We were above the cloud line and could here a clap of thunder in the clouds below us. It was raining and storming down at sea level, but we were up above the clouds at  13,000 plus feet.

Here are some pictures from that day:

Do you prefer the mountains or the ocean? Have you been to both in one day?

365 Inspirations—228: Get Away

Coming home to Seattle after our getaway

"He who returns from a journey is not the same as he who left".—Chinese Proverb

It was raining when I pulled up to my friend's house yesterday. I parked near her house on a city street and dragged my bags to the foot of her cement steps and left them there. Then I walked up to her front door and rang the doorbell. I was greeted by her dog and twins.

We had a plan to get away. It would be me, my friend, her twins and the nanny.

That morning, we escaped from the city to my family lake house. The rain didn't hold us back...what's a little rain in Seattle anyway.

We arrived late in the afternoon and the everyone, except me actually, swam in the lake despite the clouds. I was late to join them–feeling the silence of my room at the lake and enjoying their sounds of laughter and fun from afar. My father was there too. He's in town from Florida and I'm sure our parade definitely broke his peaceful silence, but I have a feeling it was a welcome break.

That night we dined outside on the deck and the clouds had completely disappeared by this time and we even had a bit of a sunset.

The moon and stars came out and the next day we awoke to more sunshine.

More sun meant lots of swimming, dining on the dock, jumping in the lake, taking boats out, resting between swims, and just plain relaxing.

After we had all showered off the last traces of lake water from our sunburned bodies, we had time to reflect and relax on the ferry home. The sun was slowly sinking and it cast a magnificent light on the views all around us.

Since our car was parked in front of the ferry, we stood up on the bow of the boat and watched as the city got closer and closer. We stood up there right until the boat docked.

Now I'm home and sleepy from our wonderful two-day summer getaway. Time for sweet dreams....


Have you gone on any getaways recently?

365 Inspirations—207: Foraging Blackberries in Summer

"Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot."—Seamus Heaney

When I was young, there were certain things we always did in summer in Washington State. One of them was to always pick wild blackberries and make a cobbler or pie. Another thing I did quite often was to swim in Lake Washington and jump from the diving board or high dive at one of the various swimming holes along the lake. Finally, it was common to buy a popsicle from the popsicle man who frequents beaches and parks in the summer.

We did all three of those things today. My best friend from elementary school tipped us off on a great blackberry foraging spot in Seattle at Magnuson Park. We got a huge container of fresh berries there for free. Blackberries grow all over Washington State and are often considered an evasive plant that has to be cut back or it with take over. It's easy to find great blackberry picking spots in parking lots, parks, behind churches and in back alleys.

We used to have a bunch in our back yard when I was growing up.

This was my husband Yoon's first full container of blackberries,

his first jump off the high dive at Lake Washington,

 and his first fudgesicle from the popsicle man.

It was a day of firsts.

After he headed off to teach his last yoga class for the evening, I got to work and made a blackberry pie!

Mmmmmm....it's delicious and perfect warmed up with vanilla ice cream.

Blackberries go for an expensive price in the grocery store, but who would buy them here in Washington State when there's an abundance of them everywhere!

Are there wild berries or other fruits that you pick in the summer where you live? What are they?