A Leap of Faith

As I stood on that platform and looked over the towering treetops of the 1800 foot long Zipline Trek Nui Loa on Kauai, the leaps of faith I had taken in my life flashed through my mind:

• running away from home one Sunday afternoon when I was 5 years old, dressed as a nun walking to The Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help (now a national shrine) to join the sisters
• returning 8 years later to live and attend high school there when it had become the Pre-Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Francis
• joining the Community of Franciscan Sisters at their Motherhouse in Bay Settlement after graduation
• deciding to leave the convent six years later and make a new start with a summer job, an apartment and a teaching postion in Green Bay
• recovering from the death of my infant daughter, Sarah, due to anencephaly
• finding salvation and hope again after my husband's tragic death
• surviving 6 years of being a widow with two little children
• venturing out alone for the first time one night, and meeting Roger, the love of my life, at the Top Shelf

And then I looked over at Roger, he gave me a nod from the tandem zipline, and we took the leap together! Soaring over the jungle treetops it was absolute exhilaration! Spectacular sights in flight for more than a quarter of a mile gave me the ultimate rush!

Nui Loa means "big," "long" and "a lot." It was all these things as I zipped above lush valleys and repelled slowly over tumbling waterfalls. A thrilling experience indeed!!

 

Who Rules the Roost?

Who rules the roost? Why these friendly feathered fowl that run wild and free on the lush island of Kauai! The 1992 hurricane destroyed domestic chicken farms and overturned underground cockfighting cages, unleashing hundreds of chickens to roost, roam, and multiply in the wild! They have learned how to survive and thrive and are the freest of the free range chickens anywhere!  
They flourish because there are no predators on the island like the dreaded mongoose. Wild chickens, roosters, and families of baby chicks run rampant through parking lots, backyards, roads, jungles, golf courses, and even in shops! Laying their eggs on the ground without a threat, these nesting birds are safe and sound!

The only drawback is their pre-dawn cock-a-doodle-doo- ing, rousing us from our peaceful slumber. And the crowing continues all day!
Some people get "ruffled feathers" about this annoying phenonemon! For me, it was like being back on the farm!!


 They do eat centipedes which is a plus, and the roosters are splendidly plumed with multi-colored spotted hens as their mates. Not only does the Garden Island have the most beautiful beaches, romantic sunsets, and spectacular scenery, it's the greatest place in the world to just be a chicken!!
Kauai Wild Chicken Recipe

1 Kauai wild chicken
1 large onion
1 bunch seasoning spices of    your choosing
1 large lava rock
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients into a large covered pot. Simmer over a low flame for several hours. Remove the lava rock. Discard the chicken! Eat the lava rock!

Only joking, but literally these birds are tough! People don't eat them, either! They are at the top of the food chain and they know it!  Islanders complain, yet the roosters have inspired numerous souvenirs -- pens with rooster heads, wooden rooster statues, and T-shirts proclaiming the rooster the "official bird of Kauai" or an "official unendangered species." Tourists complain, but then they buy everything that is ROOSTER!

Ahhhh Kauai...as you lie on her golden sands and the sun warms your face, the only sounds you hear are the lapping of the waves, the distant strumming of a ukulele and a

Cock-a-doodle-dooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Color My World

The exotic Hibiscus colored my world in Kauai. The tones and variations of brilliant hues dazzled my eyes. There are as many gorgeous multi-colored varieties as can be found in a box of 120 Crayola Crayons.

They are huge, spashy, and amazing...enough to make one swoon with delight! I was not only struck by their brilliance but also by their ornate shapes.

All of these fancy flowers, clothed in their finest array, embraced the day and  danced in the breeze. My senses awoke. Walking down the lane I saw a plethora of tropical splendor for all seasons.  

The Exotic Plumeria

Did your memory ever get ambushed by a smell? Our sense of smell is the most powerful of all our senses and can take us back to a place or event long forgotten. Visual memories can quickly fade. Being exposed to a certain smell can trigger a visualization in an unsuspecting instant. The exotic Plumeria with its stunning colors and sweet fragrance can tempt and charm us. Its alluring aroma eddies about and fascinates us with its delicate bouquet and like magic, a beautiful memory returns. A contemporary Lotus, it entices us to a place where we wish to stay forever. Not a mythical land, but Hawaii. 

Reflections on a Hawaiian Sunset



The tranquil setting sun upon the Kauai horizon uplifts my soul as night draws near. Beauty beyond measure, "for earth too dear."
The ever shifting nuances of light trigger feelings of awe and gratitude. The sound of the waves pounding the shore reverberate in stereo embracing me. I linger soaking in the wisps of gold as darkness falls, awaiting another day in paradise.