Ahhhh...Sunday morning; our only day of rest. Dan likes to sleep in but I am ready for the day! I make my way down to my new yoga room/studio/space - I haven't found a name for it yet. It's outside, a gazebo/tent type thing. It's where I do yoga, read, write and go to when it's too hot up in the treehouse - if I'm not feeling like going to the beach. The sun is rising, the birds are chirping, it's cool and humid. Just me, my yoga, the dogs, nature and all the time I need. Bliss! Baxter is outside the gazebo chasing the chickens away and Lucy is inside with me. She wishes she were outside but she wanders; Dan found her in the street the other day! As I lay in savasana rain starts to fall and Baxter joins me inside. On my back safe and dry with the rain cascading down, I think about the other day.
My girlfriend Lori celebrated 40 years of life last Friday. She invited her girlfriends to join her on a hike to Rainbow Falls and then for an evening of dancing. Saturday morning is farmers market day so there was no way I was going out! I can't handle staying up all night partying and working early the next day, I used to, but that was many years ago!
We all met at a bakery in town; piled ourselves, 3 teenagers and 4 dogs into cars and made the bumpy trek down the red, one lane dirt road until we got to a gate. The walk down to the falls is on private property and this hike isn't advertised. I felt grateful that I have a friend who knows of such beautiful, secret places and that she had invited me along. We broke into groups of 2 or 3 and walked along the sun dappled dirt road and got to know one another; the camaraderie of sisterhood was one of many special moments that day. About a mile in we emerge into a clearing; trees framed the tumultuous falls and I hurried to get in the water.
Baxter, Lucy and I swam across the basin and through the falls. We made our way over slippery, moss covered rocks and boulders until we were behind the waterfall; in a stone hollow looking past the sheet of water falling from about 50 feet above. Personally, I don't like to stand right under the falls, there is a lot of force and something as simple as a fish coming down and landing on your head could give you a concussion. The teenagers did it, and they lived through it just fine! The energy of the water created vibrations in that little shelter so intense that I could feel it coming up my body. Baxter and Lucy, having throughly sniffed the area out, were ready to head back. Unsure of their footing on the slippery rocks, I had to place them in the water before I got in. Baxter was swimming in circles around me and then disappeared. I didn't notice because about half way across Lucy decided she wanted to hitch a ride. She scrambled onto my back, her weight pushing me further into the water, and we swam for shore. We almost made it when I heard Baxter crying out. I turned around to see that he had made it back onto the rocks and he was not sure how to get off them. Luckily, Lori was there and being a dog person herself she helped Baxter into the water where he swam faster than I'd ever seen him to reach us.
We rested, ate, dried off in the sun and acquainted ourselves a little more; reveling in the power and beauty of nature and friendship.
Rainbow Falls; the center is where we made our way in. Rena is in the foreground on the far right. Small world; we learned that we both work for the bakery!
Thunderous!
The beautiful day began with rain.
On the way back we stopped to get the girls, having tired of the falls
they came here and spent their time jumping off a rope into the river.
We all waited for the girls to join us.
Refreshed and invigorated, we made our way back.
Dan takes a water break while setting up the gazebo.
Taa daa!
Lucy chillin out while Baxter sees a light reflection. Eventually we are going to put pallets down and cover them with plywood and linoleum to make a nice floor.
My yoga stuff =)
Once we find a cabinet for upstairs we'll replace these chairs with
these. And put the cabinet here.
Lucy hangs out with me
while I do yoga and watch the moon set
and the sun rise.
Our little compound; shed, garage, yoga tent!
This week we harvested carrots,
Greek oregano, Mexican oregano, squash blossoms, mint
and corn!
We had some white pineapple and mango from the farmers market
so I made a huge salad with fruits and vegetables.
My new favorite is Golden Frill Mustard greens, they taste like horseradish. I toss them in a vinaigrette, add some bacon and top with poached eggs, yuuuum!!
Amy and I set up at the Kauai Community College (KCC) farmers market in Lihue.
Aloha family and friends! We miss you!! Really, we do!
