Page 2 - MIdWeek Kauai - Nov 17, 2021

2 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK NOVEMBER 17, 2021
Reclaiming A Gift From The Past
“My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.”
I— Claude Monet
A Great Many Things
remember a time when Honolulu homes were surrounded by fruit trees
er would say that the light drizzle had “only kissed the earth,” and she would send me to complete watering of the plants.
“‘T
nonsensical “Jabberwocky” poem from Through the Look- ing-Glass. It provides me some pre-holiday season liber- ties to jabber both nonsensically and seriously as we travel through our local looking glass.
and a profusion of flow- ers that could have rivaled Monet’s garden in Giverny. String beans, tomatoes and eggplants often grew in these yards as well, giving a rural feel right within the city.
was brillig and the slithy toves.” I’ve always wanted to lead my column with that mystifying start to Lewis Carroll’s
In our Mānoa Valley neighborhood, produce was proudly shared with friends all year long. Our yard was famous for Hayden man- goes, while others boasted alligator pears or lychee. I loved crossing the street to Mrs. Rosa’s, carrying a bag bursting with succulent mangoes from the tree my parents had planted with my umbilical cord shortly after my birth. Even now, the taste of mango summons visions of “my” tree.
brought family and friends together. Our COVID-19 re- strictions have given many the gift of time at home and have allowed us to again no- tice the season’s first garde- nia or the juicy limes nestled in thick foliage — to reclaim from the past the precious gift of connection.
Kilohana Silve is kumu of Hālau Hula O Mānoa and president of France-Ha- wai‘i Association.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
Three weeks ago, Hawai‘i Island firefighters roped and then hoisted a calf to safety, turning what seemed like a hopeless scenario into a happily-ever-after moment. The adept animal control division gurus calmly made sure not to cow the calf, fastened the fretting wanderer and pulled her up safely, telling passersby to relax, i.e. — don’t have a cow. The wayward calf returned to its lea, excised from an inaccessible beach location. With great help, it avoided becoming a “cache” cow ...
It was easy to feel connect- ed with nature in those days. Mother often reminded me that my daily weeding and raking fostered an abundant harvest, and she taught me to read the clouds and wind direction for signs of rain. On sunny Saturdays, most other yards displayed color- ful banners of drying laundry. But Mother’s weather instinct was never deceived by smil- ing skies, and an hour later when neighbors were fran-
Tending plants like a mango tree takes time, and reminds the author that there’s beauty in cultivating relationships.
tically rescuing towels and shirts from the Tuahine rain, we would be happily baking cookies. Afterward, Moth-
Following a transition, 36 states, including Hawai‘i, will require local callers to use 10 digits when making local calls, rather than the now-familiar seven numbers. That’s because on July 16, 2022, the prefix “988” will become the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Rather than someone be distraught having to remember the current 10-digit num- ber, “988” will become a simpler source for help seekers. Like “911” (emergency) and Aloha United Way’s “211” (statewide information and referral), this easier three-digit number might provide relief for those in real need. And that’s a good call ...
In those long-ago days, time tending plants put us in touch with the ‘āina, and distributing nature’s bounty
with Kilohana Silve
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Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 11
RATING: GOLD
Math and language arts scores took a big hit last year in our public schools, as they did elsewhere, with distance learning the rule, and bumps along the hybrid highway. With kids (vaccinated and) back in classrooms now, hope- fully, we can move forward. But focus needs to be placed on how best to help our kids catch up and also move forward in the coming years. “Our keiki are our future” shouldn’t be anyone’s 2022 campaign slogan. We’ve heard it far too often. It’s a given. Now’s the time to prove that our kids really do matter, as they’ve fallen further behind through no fault of their own. Anyone listening?
The next time (hopefully there won’t be one) family members aren’t able to attend UH sports events due to pandemic-related safety restrictions, a cohort offered me a tongue-in-cheek solution that just might work. Make the relatives all UH band members du jour! Give the vaccinated parents a kazoo, let ’em practice at rehearsals, and then let ’em toot, root and hoot with the already-authorized band at UH games.
Think about it...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com