A view from the window during a recent downpour.
Abstracts: Rain
Tag Archives: Hawi
You can’t get there from here
It was nice to get out of work earlier than expected yesterday. What wasn’t nice was to be five minutes into my return home and finding this scene.
This is the northern end of the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway, the main coastal highway north of Kailua Kona. There aren’t a lot of alternative routes on the island, so this blocked road would have converted my 20 miles, 25-minute commute to three times the distance and at least a 90-minute drive over slower roads.
I was about to do just that, when I noticed the shipping container had already been moved off to the side of the road. I figured it must have been empty for them to be able to do that, which was probably the reason it blew over in the strong winds we had yesterday.
I’d been stopped for 10 minutes before a couple of police cars arrived. I watched for a while and then walked down to see how long they thought the road would be closed. As I approached, I saw the container’s trailer being bounced back onto its wheels. Typically, I got no useful information about how long the road would be blocked, but by the time I returned to my car, the trailer and two semi-trucks had driven off. All that remained was for the container to be removed. I decided to stick around.
The container retrieval truck, with its flashy green arms, was maneuvered into place and the rescue operation began. It took three tries before the container was successfully snagged and hauled aboard the truck, but once it was, traffic started to flow quickly and I was on my way again after a delay of not much longer than half an hour.
I was very glad I decided to wait it out, though my happiness was rattled when, about five miles farther on, I saw blue lights flashing and traffic slowed. Luckily, it was just a couple of trees blocking one lane and I didn’t even have to stop.
The high winds are supposed to diminish today and I’ll be happy to see them go!
This way and that
This rather puffed up Zebra Dove was perched on the cable line, looking this way and that, as birds do. I’m always amazed at how they maintain their balance.
That look
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Frosty.’ See more responses here.
Since there’s not a lot of frost on the ground around here, I thought I’d go with the frosty look I got when I pointed my camera at this green anole, which currently lives under the eaves.
Morning dew
Recently, I noticed that the neighbor’s grassy yard was sparkling with dew, so I hotfooted it over there and got these photos, getting my feet very wet in the process.
Turbines and clouds
This week’s Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge is ‘White and Gray.’ See more responses here. This photo of white-painted wind turbines under gray skies seemed to fit the bill.
When it rains…
A follow up to yesterday’s post, my commute yesterday was surprisingly good. Once I got to work though, things went downhill. Driving rain, rivers where they shouldn’t be, wading pools popping up everywhere. Oh, and thunder and lightning, a rare occurrence in these parts, in abundance.
The day was short and I left for home in another downpour, amid rumors of road closures and an overturned semi-truck on my route. Once I passed Kawaihae (where I did see the semi trailer conveniently off to one side of the road), the rain eased and getting home was a breeze. I even managed a trip to the gas station in blazing sunshine.
But later, the skies darkened, lightning flashed, and thunder cracked directly overhead. And rain lashed the house, driven sideways by gusts of wind. I think this was the hardest rain I’ve seen since I moved here. The photos don’t capture it, cowering as I was safely inside and taking photos through increasingly blurred windows.
According to the forecast, the system should pass overnight, and I will be very happy to wave it goodbye.
Hawi
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘In Your Town.’ See more responses here.
I’ve run a couple of Hawi scenes already this past week (here and here) and another earlier in this year (here). But here are a few more scenes from Hawi town.
Kohala Coffee Mill is a social meeting place with coffee, excellent local ice cream, and good food.
Across the street, the Bamboo Restaurant is a popular local restaurant which hosted farmers market stalls during the Covid times (I know, they’re still going on.).
The banyan trees are where the farmers market used to be held every Saturday, and is a popular rendezvous spot. Everyone knows where they are.
Across from the banyans is Nakahara Store, a small local grocery that’s been around a long time.
Hawi is an arty place and some arty types express themselves on their vehicles!
