Drive-by happiness
It has been remarkably stormy this May and June: frequent thunderstorms, snow on both mountains, and tons of rain. (Apparently it was really dry just until I showed up... this is pretty typical for me and rainy weather. ^_^) But it cleared up a few days ago, and I saw Mauna Kea over the weekend for the first time since I got back, which is really kind of sad.
Yesterday evening was freaking glorious. As I left the house for folk dancing at around 6:45, the sun had dropped behind Mauna Kea and it was seriously one of the most beautiful Hilo sunsets I have ever seen. The sky was powder blue; the mountain in silhouette was pigeon gray with just the slightest flavor of purple. Its feet nestled in thin layer of soft cotton, and the summit was crowned by golden rays of light. The whole thing was framed by high clouds, burnished by the sun and delicate, lacy, like gold flakes. Just- GUH.
I spent the whole drive over staring at it and trying not to crash into anyone. When I got there we all stood on the upstairs porch, enjoying the view from Haili Hill of idyllic Hilo on this soft, perfect evening, Haili Street sweeping downward through old Hilo houses to Hilo Bay, Coconut Island and coconut trees, a lone sailboat anchored on the blue-gray water. We watched the sunset clouds turn from gold to tangerine sherbet and wished to vanish the power poles disturbing our view, agreeing that Mauna Kea is the most beautiful mountain in the entire freaking world.
Coming home at 9:15 it was still so clear, and the moon had set and all the stars were out, Scorpio dominating the sky to one side, the Big Dipper to the other, and so many stars in between. I turned off the carport light to look. Gods but I love living in an astronomy town; Hilo's got a population of 43,000 plus and I can see the Milky Way from my driveway. In the space of a minute I saw two shooting stars.
The amount of my happiness is immeasurable.
Speaking of happiness, I haven't told you about my job. I AM LOVING IT. I spend every day outside, in the forest or down on the coast, where it's hot and windy and there's no shade, but the sky is blue and the ocean is blue and the difference between that and a cubicle is broader than the slopes of Mauna Loa. I am doing actual honest-to-god science, and I am learning every day, and I love the people I'm working with, we all get along swimmingly. Stacey's a Waiakea grad and my neighbor; Laureen is from Réunion, France; Chico is a tough chick from Pepe‘ekeo; Susan Dale is the mother of Sarah Dale, my friend and Stacey's; and Mark is as cheerful and friendly and helpful and energetic as he sounded on the phone, and he smiles all the time and he looks a little bit like Val Kilmer. XD
Everything's been brilliant aside from the Unfortunate Saga of Mark, which a couple of you know a little about. We were supposed to go camping last week, but Mark got sick. Then he slept for 16 hours. Then he went to the hospital. Then he stayed in a hospital bed for days on an IV with antibiotics and no food. We saw him on Monday, on his feet again but pale and skinny, the poor thing. Turns out he had an inflamed appendix or something of the sort. He should be out in the field again on Friday.
So, all that and dancing half the nights of the week as well, and sometimes more hiking on the weekends. I am sore and tired and I never get enough sleep and I am SO. FREAKING. HAPPY.
Love you all. ♥
Yesterday evening was freaking glorious. As I left the house for folk dancing at around 6:45, the sun had dropped behind Mauna Kea and it was seriously one of the most beautiful Hilo sunsets I have ever seen. The sky was powder blue; the mountain in silhouette was pigeon gray with just the slightest flavor of purple. Its feet nestled in thin layer of soft cotton, and the summit was crowned by golden rays of light. The whole thing was framed by high clouds, burnished by the sun and delicate, lacy, like gold flakes. Just- GUH.
I spent the whole drive over staring at it and trying not to crash into anyone. When I got there we all stood on the upstairs porch, enjoying the view from Haili Hill of idyllic Hilo on this soft, perfect evening, Haili Street sweeping downward through old Hilo houses to Hilo Bay, Coconut Island and coconut trees, a lone sailboat anchored on the blue-gray water. We watched the sunset clouds turn from gold to tangerine sherbet and wished to vanish the power poles disturbing our view, agreeing that Mauna Kea is the most beautiful mountain in the entire freaking world.
Coming home at 9:15 it was still so clear, and the moon had set and all the stars were out, Scorpio dominating the sky to one side, the Big Dipper to the other, and so many stars in between. I turned off the carport light to look. Gods but I love living in an astronomy town; Hilo's got a population of 43,000 plus and I can see the Milky Way from my driveway. In the space of a minute I saw two shooting stars.
The amount of my happiness is immeasurable.
Speaking of happiness, I haven't told you about my job. I AM LOVING IT. I spend every day outside, in the forest or down on the coast, where it's hot and windy and there's no shade, but the sky is blue and the ocean is blue and the difference between that and a cubicle is broader than the slopes of Mauna Loa. I am doing actual honest-to-god science, and I am learning every day, and I love the people I'm working with, we all get along swimmingly. Stacey's a Waiakea grad and my neighbor; Laureen is from Réunion, France; Chico is a tough chick from Pepe‘ekeo; Susan Dale is the mother of Sarah Dale, my friend and Stacey's; and Mark is as cheerful and friendly and helpful and energetic as he sounded on the phone, and he smiles all the time and he looks a little bit like Val Kilmer. XD
Everything's been brilliant aside from the Unfortunate Saga of Mark, which a couple of you know a little about. We were supposed to go camping last week, but Mark got sick. Then he slept for 16 hours. Then he went to the hospital. Then he stayed in a hospital bed for days on an IV with antibiotics and no food. We saw him on Monday, on his feet again but pale and skinny, the poor thing. Turns out he had an inflamed appendix or something of the sort. He should be out in the field again on Friday.
So, all that and dancing half the nights of the week as well, and sometimes more hiking on the weekends. I am sore and tired and I never get enough sleep and I am SO. FREAKING. HAPPY.
Love you all. ♥