Land Metaphor

 

I needed some pineapple for my oatmeal this morning. So I walked out the front door and picked this little guy. Not huge but over the past 1.5-2 years he has been using what he has to grow with little to no care or attention. When I think about where I was two years ago, when he started growing, it is hard to believe I was in Pennsylvania packing up my car with all that I owned preparing for a road trip before moving to an island in the middle of the Pacific. The inside of this pineapple, in all of its juicy sweetness, had some bad spots just as my journey has had amazing times and some very hard moments. But I have been learning to be more attentive to my needs to take better care of myself through those times. My hope is that the next metaphorical pineapple I harvest in 2 years will be bigger, healthier, and even sweeter. #day92 #giftfromtheland #landmetaphor #nocaneforthisadventure #bigislandbliss #alohaaina

Botanical Gardens

 

Walking through places like this I somehow instinctively begin to whisper. 

So thankful for 

1. Nature 

2. Color 

3. Warm breezes 

4. Fresh air and 

5. Peaceful moments when all you hear are birds chirping and the rustling of the trees  

#day78 #hawaiianjungle #bigislandbliss #basicallymybackyard #iheartnature

I think I have found my spot.

It makes me wonder what Eden was like?

Hilo Gems

A glimpse of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on a clear day

An early morning oasis from behind bamboo

The smell of plumeria

The sound of water falling on my walk home

The beauty of a trees roots as they do the best they can  in the toughest of soils. 

What beauty would we miss if the ground did not give them trouble?

The gems of Hilo.

Just Keep Creating

As I still unable to go back to work, I have been trying to keep myself busy in other ways. Sitting is still a little tricky as I don't really last very long without my pain levels increasing. So I am pushing my creativity in the normal daily functions of life as well as the ways I am choosing to create. Crochet, I discovered, can be done laying down. And so the palm tree bunting took shape. With watercolor as another option, I keep pushing myself to just keep creating.

Feel the Shake

Woke up this morning at my usual time - just before 7am. Then, as if the earth was my alarm clock, my bed started shaking and things started rattling. The shaking lasted for about 10 seconds.

I have felt a couple of earthquakes in my life. One was actually in North Carolina, believe it or not. However, this was the longest and the most powerful of my experiences to date.

Just a friendly reminder that there can be trouble in paradise.

Big Island Brawl

After living on the Island for over 2 years now, I finally made it to my first Roller Derby! I have had this on my Hawaii Hit List for an age. I am so thankful I am able to move around enough to be out and about a little more. This was quite the introduction into the sport as this brawl was an international competition. Teams from Japan, New Zealand, the mainland and different Hawaiian Islands came to jam. I was so grateful for the run down on the rules of the game in my program. So many moving pieces and whistles. If you wanted to watch a game where there is constant movement,  people slamming into each other, and both teams are earning point simultaneously where you don't have to also keep track of a ball or a puck, then I would highly recommend Roller Derby.

One Step at a Time

Today I am thankful for 1. Proof of progress as my walking stamina increases a little more every day 2. Bridges allowing beautiful views 3. Blooming plumeria 4. Outings to hidden places that spark creativity #day50 #proudofmy40minutemile #putonefootinfrontoftheother #drinkinginblossoms #iheartnature #bigislandbliss #thanksannette

The Much Needed Outing

I am oh so grateful for 1. Drives down old highways that lead to hidden markets 2. Shaved ice and 3. Accidental photos reminding me of surfaces my feet haven't been able to walk on in weeks. #day39 #oldmamalahoahighway #hakalaumarket #eatingshavedicetakesskill #bigislandbliss #iheartoutings #smallstepsforward #fresheyes #thanksannette

Back to the Drawing Board

I am happy to report that I am no longer confined to my back. Now have the ability to lay on my sides which opens up the possibilities for other forms of entertainment during the day. With mother's day and two birthdays around the corner, I decided to give watercolor pencils a try. 

And here are the results:

The Days Start to Blend

As the days start to blend together shining moments of gratitude appear as I fill in the spaces of coloring pages 2. Open the door to a surprise guest with treats and perfect timing and 3. Blend the old with the new as an app aides in my goal to learn Morse code. #day31 #adultcoloringbooks #thanksannette #morsecodemaycomeinhandysomeday #exercisethebrain

The Healing Power of Nature

I am grateful for an invitation from friends allowing a little self administered aqua-therapy in a pool while looking at the ocean. Magic. 2. Mint cookies (mint anything really) 3. Naps in nature #day28 #thehealingpowerofnature #gomintorgohome #iheartwater #thanksruth

A Reminder

Today I am grateful for 1. Rice cookers because they make cooking rice way too easy. 2. Water in all of its forms. I wouldn't exist without it. 3. A t-shirt that was given to me with a graphic of a spine printed down the back. I feel I am gently reminding my body of how it is supposed to be every time I wear it. #day25 #iheartjasminerice #waterisamazing #icepackrotation #spinewear #thanksruth

Passing the Time

Am thankful for...
1. The game Mastermind 2. FaceTime/Skype 3. The ability to play said game with my niece via said technology while existing on two different islands in two different oceans on two different days (she is 11 hours ahead and therefore lives in the future). 4. Mini binders because they can hold a tangible, organized file of information that is jumbled in my brain. #day23 #thewondersoftechnology #classicgamesneverdie #organizationhelpsputthemindatease #iheartmyfamily #halfaworldaway

Added Bonus

So thankful for 1. notes and surprise goodies in the mail from dear friends 2. Late night target runs to restock the pantry (I think I am good for the next 6 months) 3. Pineapple in my first bowl of oatmeal in 2.75 weeks. (Was able to make it myself) And 4. (Added bonus) The SmartKart. I know why the seat has a weight sensitive safety feature but there were times when I wish it didn't. #day23 #smartKartlicense #crossthatoffthebucketlist #acandybarshomeisinthefreezer #snailmailsurprises #hantronisthebest #targetafter10

I Am No Michaelangelo

When I decided that Promise would be my word for the year I would never have imagined that by Mid-April I would be drawing the word on my ceiling with fine-tip markers rigged to the end of a hiking pole. Yet that is where I am at on my journey- flat on my back constantly staring at a word that has the power to draw up hope. No one has promised me anything concerning my recovery. Uncertainty reigns. I have promised myself that I will work as hard as I can to get to 100%, clearing a path for possibility. I still believe my life is full of promise, for I can look back and see how far I have come. I understand setbacks are inevitable, but the unpredictable moments of the future can also provide space for small victories that can build into something more. For me, that thought alone only stokes the fire of hope and promise. #day22 #arttherapyisreal #ruthlesstrust #holdingontothepromise #ceilingart #Iamnomichaelangelo

Mind-Body Connection

Top three for the day: a. informational charts that blow my mind and get the old synapses firing. B. words like kerfuffle. C. Ice cream therapy. We all need it every now and then. Today was a much needed session. #day20 #...,--- /-.-.,---,---,.-.. #mindbodyconnection #iheartdairy #marillacuthburttalk

Entertainment

So, so thankful for the Hawaii State Public Library System! It feeds the mind and connects all of the libraries on all of the islands for even greater access to the written word. 2. Phone conversations full of promise (Yes I still use a flip phone. They make me feel smart) 3. Mini office supplies in origami boxes. The practical possibilities are endless. #day18 #wereadtoknowwearenotalone #thankyoutaxdollars #thewordboreddoesnotcompute #flipphonegettingthejobdone #iheartorigami

Easter

When I think about Christmas and Easter, songs from my childhood instantly come to mind. Secret Ambition from the album I 2 (eye) is not typically thought of as an Easter song. However when I watched the video on YouTube I was instantly thankful for key 90s fashion pieces (vests in particular), songs with guitar solos, and all artists out there that record music videos through the decades fully knowing that a video might come back to haunt them. (The things I love about this video are just too numerous to list.) I am also thankful for the darkness the back of my eye lids provide as my hours of sleep have been slowly increasing. And breakfast for lunch. Thanks Auntie Lyn! #day17 #ihearthe90s #kenspancakehouse #gotosleepAuntieHeathercloseyourlittleeyes #cantbeatasundaynap #dramaticsongsmakemesohappy

Talk Story

 

Shout out to Talk Story hours with friends that have hilarious shirts (something didn't feel right during exercise), who bring nature's healing fragrance in a gardenia blossom (natural aromatherapy stress relief). Visitors are always welcome! I am also grateful for the human body. Although mine isn't in the greatest shape at the minute I am still blown away by everything that it does and how it is constructed. And of course that an image like this is even possible. #day16 #L5S1pancake #Talkstorytime #thankssomuchforcalling #drinkintheblossoms #moreofmethenyouwantedtosee

My Sister

Top 3 gratitudes today: 1. Engineering ideas that actually work better than imagined (hiking pole + electrical tape + pill bottle cap + markers = stylus for ceiling art project). 2. Sisters, older ones specifically are pretty great. They were chosen to pave the way in life and had no real say in the matter. Mine is the best and am so glad she was born today, 2.25 years before me. 3. Quotes that help put the hard days in perspective. #day15 #thesunwillcomeouttomorrow #artisfun #embracethemess #sisterssistertherewereneversuchdevotedsisters