www.thegardenisland.com

Monk Seal and Me...

Search This Blog

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

"The good news, no hurricane this time..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Vintage Bettejo)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden
 Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.
Bettejo is a regular opinion writer in the Garden Island news
 and is the author of the famed novella, "The Scam." 
 Her latest fiction"Children of extinction"
 is now  released and available on Amazon!
Bettejo has a gift of mingling
 the present, the past, and the future. 
The good news, no hurricane this time

On Saturday, September 5, 1992, I heard about Iniki that morning. It was a hustle and a half  'battening down the hatches' and getting my zoo--three horses, one dog and four cats--to safe shelter.

Once again I stayed home with the animals. (I'd spent Ewa in the barn with two horses on property surrounding the house on the Alexander Dam Road.) "We'll all go together when we go," I said then. And now. We cuddled up in the barn as hurricane winds brought down branches and stripped every leaf off every tree as far as the eye could see.

A nude tree is a very strange sight to behold.
Faery tree on Kauai
courtesy of Jeannie Ruman


The next day was so beautiful--swept clean of dirt, dust and debris--it blossomed like an hibiscus  in the hearts of all survivors. Across the street cattle, that had gathered at the bottom of my green valley, rose to their feet and sauntered back up the hill to graze.

The rest of the island looked like a war had stormed through. Houses at the top of the hill appeared  perfectly normal, until you caught on their roofs were missing. A house without a roof is a strange sight, too.

We'd been hit, darkness dulled the light, and passed through the eye--sunny, cloudless and clear blue sky--and been hit again. I think everyone who went through that remembers the morning after. That glorious glorious day. The air smelled sweet. The sound of no traffic a welcome silence.

In front of my house hundred of birds had feathered down--an animal knows instinctively where to find haven--and they began singing at first light, their tweets and twitters and bird lyrics an ode to joy. A peahen in a bare tree screeched as only a peahen can screech and livened up the party.

I think most of us were unprepared for Iniki. We swallowed our fear, took a deep breath, and rode it through.

Times are different.

We watched Kilo form south of us. We know that El Nino has gone berserk and may continue its berserkness until April. I've heard that because of climate confusion--global warming, whatever you want to call it--to follow the path of our storms is unpredictable. They can go anywhere.
Honolulu looked much different
back in 2005.


I'm happy we were forewarned. Those of us who had computers watched Kilo--a strange critter--strengthen and weaken and lolligag around like winds on LSD. It couldn't make up its mind. Did it have a mind? A destination? Or was it just on a spree?

What I do think is: if this is the way it'll go until April, we'll all be nervous wrecks.

I hope we get honest reporting. Not headlines to sell papers or religion. Please Editors--newsmen, talking heads--don't become little boys who cry wolf. We need to be prepared. You need to be prepared. But we don't need Tom Foolery.

I think Kauai can show the world how well we can handle reason, truth and disaster.
Bettejo has a gift of mingling
 the present, the past, and the future.
For further reading on hurricanes~ Check out;
Hurricanes and the weatherman who cried wolf"
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2014/10/hurricanes-and-weatherman-that-cried.html

Bettejo a few years back playing checkers
with her nephew...

Bettejo provided the quote on 
the enclosed Kauai sunrise meme!




Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...
Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---


Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...




Tuesday, August 25, 2015

"E hoʻomaha me ka maluhia Dr. Scott Sims..." (Rest in peace--Aloha Barefoot Vet)~Kimo's world #86~

Scott's close friends, mother and daughter
Ashley Litwak and Samantha Wise embrace 

awaiting the helicopter flower shower drop...

Kimo's world #86~ special memorial edition~     
     E hoʻomaha me ka maluhia ~Rest in Peace Dr. Scott Sims
Samantha Wise looking on as
Kaua'i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.
presents the proclamation
of August 23rd as Scott Sims day!

Kaua'i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. declares August 23rd, Scott Sims day in honor and memory of the Aloha barefoot vet that touched thousands of humans and animal friends worldwide.
Dinca and Coco came to pay
 respects to the 

Great doctor!


There was a  20 minute slide and video presentation of Scott's life. There was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone at the memorial felt sorrow at the loss of the beloved iconic mensch Dr. Scott, and the heavens, too, wept tears with a heavy downpour during the presentation.
Dr. Scott's assistants Ella and Dia
speaking  and holding  back tears
during the memorial



You would had thought the pope or some famous movie- rock star or President  was being put to rest. The energy was electrifying--Like a  great revival the spirit and positive energies were every where. Just attending this event was truly a spiritual experience that no words or blog can put forth in words.
Mike and Nani, friends and patients
of Dr. Scott's enjoy some of the
food catered by Kauai's famous
Chicken in a Barrel restaurant.


approximately 1,000 people RSVP'ed, for Kauai that's an amazing figure since traditionally nobody responds to RSVP's on Kauai.People coming to the memorial were asked to carpool since this was one of the biggest events ever for Kauai's North-shore.

Many thousands viewed the event worldwide via Hawaii live-stream, some of the comments from a photo posting I posted along with a link to the live-stream are included herein;
Signing into the memorial...
 


"I did miss the live stream. We were out of town. I am so grateful it is archived. So anxious to see it. I was truly there in spirit." ~Patty Brown Allen~

"What a beautiful tribute, watched it from Tucson, AZ."~Lourdes Leyva-O'Heir~


" Wasn't a dry in California either."~Shirley French~

 Solo artist Alan Thomas provided
beautiful and peaceful tunes..


"No dry eyes in Maui either. God wanted this angel."~Lynne Bear~
Jeannie Ruman and Bettejo Dux
reminiscing about Dr. Scott...


"It's raining so hard this morning it's accumulation of more tears me thinks..."~Su Haynes~

"I wish I could have been there, what a special human being he was!"~Tina Lufkin~

For those whom missed the event it is archived at;
http://livestream.com/hawaiistream/events/4286418
Samatha Wise with daughter
Ashley Litwak...


A Big Mahalo to Samantha Wise for organizing Scott's celebration of life along with Hawai'i live stream. Chicken in a Barrel catered the event keeping everyone content with full tummies. Live music was provided by solo artist Alan Thomas.There was a terrific helicopter shower drop of flowers on the runway celebrating Scott.
A flower shower dropping
 in celebration 
of a
 great man who touched so many...


Many dogs and birds also came to pay their final  respects to Dr. Scott.

Many whom only knew Scott from his reality TV show the Aloha vet had tears running down their cheeks.
Obama da Dog and Aja Middleton
gather flowers from the flower shower!


Dr. Scott  Sims  is a legend, he will forever be remembered. It doesn't matter how one dies what matters is how one lived.

~E hoʻomaha me ka maluhia~ (Rest in Peace) ~
(Rest in peace to the Aloha, Barefoot Vet)


Scott's dream was to create a pay as you can animal clinic on Kaua'i. If your interested in helping the cause please contact the Pegasus Foundation, please visit; http://www.pegasusfoundationkauai.org/
to find out ways to help the animals of Kaua'i and keep Dr. Scott's dream alive.
Photo of Scott on Pegasus
created by Maila Coleman


The Kauai Garden Island News
wrote a column about Scott's memorial
with most of the material coming from this blog,
Check it out;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/a-life-worth-celebrating/article_89b54812-3a49-5723-92dd-759c9c921d7a.html
For further reading on Dr. Scott check out;

"The Aloha Vet,Now Imagine an Aloha MD"
"Dr. Sims goes viral"
"Feather Ruffling and Special Memorial Tribute To Dr. Scott Sims, The Aloha Vet"
"Why not call it the Scott Sims humane society?"

For those whom missed the event it is archived and can be viewed free of charge at;
http://livestream.com/hawaiistream/events/4286418
Hana Hou, (Encore) A Hui Hou Dr. Scott!





Monday, August 24, 2015

"Now you know the rest of the story~blogging, photography and opinion articles~ 'Kimo's world #85 ~'Kimo's world #85~

James "Kimo"Rosen is a retired Professional Photographer
 living on the Garden Island of Kaua'i
 with his best friend Obama Da Dog.

Kimo's World #85
Now you know the rest of the story,
blogging, photography and opinion articles

When I was in my prime-- in my youth I was a professional photographer.  I photographed everything from passports, weddings, family portraits,  commercial work for many hotels and restaurants.I led many photo workshops. I also served as a free lance journalist for the Anchorage daily news as their Homer, Alaska liaison.

Later I  became the publisher of Alaska people magazine. I did it all--story leads, sold advertising, shot photos and when the magazine came out would personally drive them to distribution points from the printers.
I photographed this cover of
Jewel for Alaska  People Magazine
Back in my prime, in 199 .I was publisher
and owner of this publication.


Fast forward to present day, although I do not work for various health problems... I  do manage to maintain a blog and every once in awhile submit photos for publication to the local newspaper along with many opinion columns as a hobby and to keep my mind occupied. This is basically what I did for a living but in a much  more stressed and unhealthy  environment.

The thing that I enjoy doing more than anything is taking photos with my  point and shoot digital camera and having them published in the Garden Island news The quality is just as good as when I toted around 5 lenses, a tripod and various other equipment.  I get a kick out of photographing the sunrise, breaking news and people with  my  point and shoot Panasonic Lumix camera that I bought used on eBay for $40.00. 

I always told my  photography students when I led various workshops over the years, "It's not the tool, it's the carpenter." Nobody ever asks a master carpenter, "what kind of hammer did you use to build that house?"
I take photos with a point a shoot
camera that I purchased
 for $40.00 of eBay.


I really get a kick out of not using film, no darkroom  necessary to develop images and being able to digitally transmit images around the world in seconds.

This is why I enjoy blogging, taking photos and writing opinion articles. This old dog learned a few new tricks.

The best part, the camera fits in my t-shirt pocket!  

"Now you know the rest of the story..." ;-)


James "Kimo" Rosen back in 1976
with purebred Old English
Sheep dog,"Kamala."
P.S. 
Check out this beautiful one minute short YouTube,"Best Friends - a kid, a dog and a puddle..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN-MjUC4f9k


Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...




Saturday, August 22, 2015

"California here I come..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York
( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)
 and has worked in the ophthalmology
 field of medicine for over 30 years


California here I come

  I am about to board a Southwest plane to the West Coast as I say a little prayer that we have an uneventful flight. 

Many times we have flown the budget flight and have had delays, mechanical, missed connections, bulbs that needed replacing and a bevy of other southwest excuses.  

I have gone to taking the earliest flights out in the A.M. to allow for mess ups along the way. I have taken afternoon flights and because of the delays, arrive the next A.M.


Why do I keep torturing myself with this airline? One word, 'COST.' You can't beat the prices and since we collect rewards, they keep giving me free flights.  Cross your fingers that I am not stuck on a runway somewhere, and we arrive close to the time we expect. One more chance for Southwest....


Judy, Judy, Judy!  ;-)

P.S.
There’s nothing quite like a heartfelt handwritten letter, especially during the times when we need it the most. Even when it’s from a stranger.
Check out this Facebook video--special letter on depression;

Kauai sunrise memes can be seen daily on James Kimo Rosen's Facebook Timeline.






Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...




Thursday, August 20, 2015

"A guy takes his girlfriend to a football game..." 'Robert Bitos Gandia' (Source)

Guest-blogger,Robert Bitos Gandia
.Robert is an avid cook (ono gandule rice) and always laughing!!
Robert lives in Kekaha on Kauai's west-side and loves football!!
Bitos is an avid Cheeseburger connoisseur!


A guy takes his girlfriend to a football game

Nothing better than comfort
food while watching Football!
'Broke Da Mout!'

A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game. They had great seats right behind their team's bench. 

After the game, he asked her how she liked it.
"Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents."

Dumbfounded, her boyfriend asked, "What do you mean?"


This is what life is all about!  
"Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like...Helloooooo?
It's only 25 cents!"





P.S.
Send us your quotes if you want to see them on a beautiful Kaua'i sunrise.


Kaua'i sunrise memes can be seen daily on
 James Kimo Rosen's Facebook Timeline.
 Please send us your quote!
P.S.S.
  This is for real--a must watch for any true football fan...
Coach Kevin Kelley of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas, instructs his players to never punt, never field punts, and only do onside kicks, and he claims that math backs up his innovative philosophy. Grantland spent some time with Kelley and his players to learn more about the coach behind the team that once scored 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGDaOJAYHfo

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...




Wednesday, August 19, 2015

"Joy..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Vintage Bettejo)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden
 Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.
Bettejo is a regular opinion writer in the Garden Island news
 and is the author of the famed novella, "The Scam." 
 Her latest fiction"Children of extinction"
 is now  released and available on Amazon!
Bettejo has a gift of mingling
 the present, the past, and the future. 
Joy

Isn't that a beautiful word? So simple. Three letters--JOY-- They roll trippingly off the tongue.


Walt Whitman wrote: 'O the horseman's and the horsewoman's joy.' All of us who love horses and rides in the early morning cool, or late afternoon shadows, or under a full moon's power know joy. One is never alone on horseback. The greatest joy comes from the warm comfort of a horse's bareback. "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man." Or woman.


"Sweets with sweets war, joy delights with joy." That's Will. Neat!

"Have you found joy in your life? Have you brought joy to others?"

Kind of a sticky wicket, isn't it? I hope everyone in the world has found joy. I have. The best I can do on the second question is: did it balance? I hope so.

Then there's music. Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Listen to that and feel joy in every cell.  It captivates vitalizes the senses. The best piece of music ever written. Think of Beethoven's joy in creating this masterpiece. It'll never die. Imagine...

I think joy's the emotion most sought after.


A secret. You can be joyful at any moment of the day or night, if you're awake and breathing. You don't have to beg, borrow, or steal it. You don't need a mansion, a Rolls, a yacht, fame, or beauty. You don't need money in the bank. You can't buy it. It's the most priceless thing in the world, nobody can put a price on it. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstance, joy can be yours. You can be shoveling horse manure or digging a ditch.

What was the most delightful moment in your lifetime? I hope it's a difficult decision: you've had so many, you can pick and chose.

Think of that moment. Be there. Now. Go there. Now. Taste it, touch it, smell it, hear it, see it. Play it back in your mind like Beethoven played with sound.
Bettejo and her horse 'Aristotle' (Ari)


One of my favorite moments was on horseback. A country horse show. The class in the ring, at the bottom of an amphitheater, was a clown act. One cowboy rode a horse. Two cowboys played the front end and the back-end of a calf. They cavorted. They rumbled. They danced. I was on a dapple gray Arab at the top of the amphitheater when suddenly my horse--Joy Ride, that was his name-- had a horsey moment. His ears perked. His tail went up and his neck arched He snorted. He pranced his way down to the ring rattling spectators and folding chairs. No one seemed perturbed, except my mother. Who was hysterical.

Joy went nose to the ring. The cowboys loved it. Played along. When Joy caught on, he sneered and walked back  through the throng, who roared with laughter and applauded.The crowd loved us. Joy and I stole the show.


Thinking about it makes me happy. Joyful. You, too, I hope. Gotta share and make it balance. 


Bettejo has a gift of mingling
 the present, the past, and the future...



Bettejo a few years back playing checkers
with her nephew...

Bettejo provided the quote on 
the enclosed Kauai sunrise meme!




Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...
Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---


Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...