Clouds

The clouds gallop around Waimea. I've never seen the likes of it. Perhaps because you can see their shadows on the hillsides you really appreciate how quickly they sprint across the sky. Because of their speed I am never too defeated by foul weather as we approach Morning Fire in the car enroute from the intense heat of the beach. It seems normal and okay because the worst storms could be gone in seconds. It is a wierd lack of investment in the local weather.

I took a little walk this morning hoping to find the trail in the forest that leads to the beach we will be going to this am. It is a 2 day hike and I had no intention of actually going, I just wanted to find it. Unfortunately all the trails are closed since the earthquake, deemed too dangerous. I couldn't have scaled the barbwire coated gate if I wanted to. It is a bit sad because some of the comments in the guest book at the ranch suggest that this trail was beyond any description of loveliness. It had access to the other side of the Waipi'o valley where we will descend this morning to access the lovely windswept beach on the east side of the island. This is not a beach for swimming, just one for observing the windswept power of the east side ocean. The top picture is where the gate was. Black dots on the hillside are the ubiquitous angus cattle that cover the landscape.

The lowest of the landscape photos is view down our driveway. Usually there are cattle grazing in the pasture. Every piece of property lining Whyte road this morning had at least 2 dogs, sometimes up to four. The lots are city sized so you can imagine the cacophony of barking. Add to this rooster crowing. Shockingly everyone has roosters. Just roosters. One lot had 8 cages and 6 free ranging roosters that perched on wooden teepees filling the yard. They are beautiful roosters just like my Cecil. Could they be for cock fighting? Isn't that illegal?

The newlyweds - that is what Joop calls Kyr and Mist because of their complete delight in eachother have been having a good time. The bottom shot is of their Dr. Pepper floats. Who would have thought the beverage was so fortified that it lead to shrieking and racing around the house all evening.