Age Is Just A Number

"I wonder" how "old" this waterfall is, how long has it been running day after day. Does it matter? Where does it come from, how did it end up here? Does it really matter? Age is only a number. Age brings with it experience and wisdom, and an improved way of looking at the world. Revel in it. Seize the day, and live every moment. Your life is in your hands. And if there are certain things you had always wanted to do, but feel it is too late now, remember, better late than never, better now than later! I turned 63 last week, that one day did not make me change how i look, feel or act. But i guess to some it must have seemed as it did. An acquaintance of mine said, i don't believe you and your husband,(whom is four years my senior) were zipping around the Forrest like Tarzan and Jane at your age. I fell silent with disbelief. What has age got to do with it, it's only a number. It sounds old when i say it, but if you don't feel it, or are able to do it then again does it matter? "Age is just a number".

Rain Forrest

What a feeling of freedom as you take a zip line through the Forrest, there were eight in all, the last one being 1,000 ft. down. You can see below you, waterfalls, streams and the abundance of the trees and shrubs. The smell of a Rain forest is quite a mixture of wet earth, water and numerous plants, like ginger, coffee and the smell of fungus as it grows and depending on what kind of fungus may kill a tree. Water laden moss you can wring out like a sponge. These massive canopy trees were used to conceal the troops, weapons and vehicles in World War 2. When it would start to rain we would not get wet as we were under the thick canopy trees. A seed from a birds nest fern found it's way onto a branch and began to grow into the limb. The rain forest is such a beautiful place to surround yourself in. The sounds of quiet peaceful nature.

Nature takes care of it's own

There is a fish in Cooks Cove in Hawaii that the divers have named Molly. She is old and covered with warts, unable to fend for herself. The "cleaner shrimp" make sure she is cleaned everyday, in her mouth they go to get bacteria and dead skin. With one gulp she could have her meal, but they never concern themselves because of what we call "trust". Fish bring her food, she has "guards" that protect her from any predator that may come along. She doesn't move around much as she is not able. There is another "culture" under the sea that runs a system of normalcy. They have senses, smell, noise, fear. They overlook the well being of there kindred. In protection of themselves they can turn colors, or make themselves invisible to predators that are not of there kindred. A diver was curious to see what would happen if he visited Molly and her "groupies" everyday. Would they adapt to him? Not only did they adapt to him, they adopted him, cleaning him, enjoying his presence while he was filming there "culture" A normal day underwater.

Cleaner Shrimp

Cleaner shrimp, small crustaceans that have been known to remove dead skin cells from the hands of patient divers and even particles from inside the divers’ mouths. Such shrimp provide an invaluable service on the reef by keeping other inhabitants clean and healthy; they clean the teeth and gills of moray eels, sharks and other fish and also rid these animals of dead and diseased skin, bacteria and parasites. Although there are other cleaner shrimp in Hawaii, the scarlet shrimp is the most active and is rather easy to identify. These crustaceans have a red back with a white striped running from head to tail. Like many cleaner shrimp, they have long white antennae that they wave to advertise their services. Sometimes, the shrimp do a little dance- also a form of advertisement. Like other cleaners on the reef, the scarlet cleaner shrimp set up a cleaning station on the reef where the fish line up and wait to be cleaned. Because of the important service they provide, the cleaner shrimp aren’t eaten by animals which would otherwise consider them a tasty meal. Scarlet cleaner shrimp are most commonly found off the leeward shores in crevices or holes below 40 feet. They are often living in the same holes as moray eels. As adults, they can reach up to 2 ½ inches. While most invertebrates are well camouflaged for life on the reef, to avoid becoming easy prey, scarlet cleaner shrimp gain an easy meal by drawing attention to themselves. They are beautiful to look at, but watching the cleaner shrimp in action is truly the entertaining part.

Captain Cooks Cove

Snorkeling is one of my "passions" On the way to Caption Cooks Cove there were waves crashing along the shore and in the cove was a perfect place to snorkel. Lots of history in this cove. The monument is in memory of Captain Cook. The story is fascinating as to how there got there and met his death.

Nature on the way to Hilo

Kilauea Volcano

On the way to Hilo airport for a helicopter ride over the Kilauea Volcano. The volcano was not flowing very well on our flight, but the one after us was, volcano's are so unpredictable from moment to moment. Just that morning 3 acres of land fell into the ocean making it murky for a few hours. Most of the flow is underground in tubes, places you can't see, but bubble to the surface when ever it wants. The other pictures are taken on the way to Hilo. The "wet" side.

Modes of transportation

They come and go so fast you have to try and catch them, not much time for picture taking.

Untouchable

This is untouchable beauty. You can't get to the waters edge from here unless you want to take the chance of getting cut to shreds on the lava rock. the sunset is"ok" there have been better ones, but have not had the camera at that time to capture them,,I will though!

Somethings....

There is some of the nature that you can't help but love, even though it is in an "unreal" setting.I snorkled with this sea turtle, we both got tired, and he went to sleep. There were eels and some fish in this lagoon, but nothing outstanding. The dolphins are kept in a "dolphin pool" for folks to swim with,not in natures format.

Grounds

Beauty, yes, but in my eyes "fake" beauty.

First Day

When we were on our way the our hotel i was shocked to see all the desert and lava rock. The first thing out of my mouth was this is so ugly, i know this side "Kona side" is arid but i live in the desert and this was beyond arid. When we got to the hotel my first reaction was "this is magnificent" but i was wrong on both counts. After you get a ways towards the Hilo side it is beautiful and when you realize that beauty can also be the way the lava comes from the mountains to the sea and see the paths they took, how can that be ugly, nature takes it's course. The hotel is magnificent, "but" it is so large and inconvenient to come and go anywhere. It has a "Disneyland" affect. After walking, or i should say hiking to get anywhere, you take to the futuristic tram or by boat. Going to breakfast is a feat in it's self. The grounds are perfectly groomed, the lagoons and saltwater pools are again to perfect. This is the Hilton Waikoloa Village ,,,,yes it is a "village" in every sense.Grand, yes "me" no.

Aloha I'm in my element,,,nature. Got on the big island of Hawaii this late this afternoon. Sitting here on the Lanai with the stars so bright and seemingly so close you could reach up and touch them. It is magical the way this looks. I am on the seventh floor but the palm trees that are swaying gently in the warm breeze are taller than this Lanai. So quiet, so peaceful,,,, such a shame my body is still on PST, and with a long day i must with sadness go to sleep my weary body won't allow me to sit out here and just muse a little longer.

Friend

A friend is like a flower, a rose to be exact, Or maybe like a brand new gate that never comes unlatched. A friend is like an owl, both beautiful and wise. Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost, whose spirit never dies. A friend is like a heart that goes strong until the end. Where would we be in this world if we didn't have a friend. - By Emma Guest

So much in people i don't understand. I don't have DDS before my name, i cannot pull teeth! Should i remain silent,,,,,but that is not me. I reveal my feelings when asked. I guess i expect the same, unfortunately expectations are not always met. Thought 2. Mabey I'M just being unrealistic.

Understanding definable?

It is difficult to define understanding, the question then arises as to what is a concept? Is it an abstract thing? Is it a brain pattern or a rule? Whatever definition is proposed, we can still ask how it is that we understand the thing that is featured in the definition: we can never satisfactorily define a concept, still you can use it to explain understanding.It may be more convenient to use an operational or behavioral definition, that is, to say that somebody who reacts appropriately to X understands X. For example, one understands Spanish if one correctly obeys commands given in that language. This approach, however, may not provide an adequate definition. A computer can easily be programmed to react appropriately to commands, but there is a disagreement as to whether or not the computer understands the language.

Context

One gains knowledge through context (experiences) and understanding. When one has context, one can weave the various relationships of the experiences. The greater the context, the greater the variety of experiences that one is able to pull from. The greater one understands the subject matter, the more one is able to weave past experiences (context) into new knowledge by absorbing, doing, interacting, and reflecting.

Without

Without patients, a doctor has no one to heal. Without a composer, a singer has nothing to sing. Life without friendship is like the sky without a moon when the evening has begun. Love cannot exist without friendship. There can be no butterfly without a cocoon. Without rain there would be no life. My life without passion would not be me. We can do without a lot of things, they become just wants. There are numerous "without's" but one thing i know for certain is without GOD there would be NOTHING!

911

THE WORLD WATCHED IN TERROR _ THROUGH OUR TEARS WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

Sounds Of Nature

St Thomas I muse about nature often, and write about it often as well, it fascinates me, one of my "passions", There are some things that are silent nature, for instance, flowers, grass and trees grow in silence. See the stars, moon and sun move in silence. Clouds that move above not making a sound. Snow falls in a beautiful silence. There are soothing sounds of nature, like a stream of water running, birds chirping and the rustle of a slight breeze on the leaves of trees, the roll of ocean waves. The sound of rain on a spring day and the smell is natures perfume. The harsh noise of nature, like the sound of a tornado, hurricane or wind untamed. Lightning and thunder, a volcano that belches from the earth. The sound of an earthquake rumbling, the crashing of a tree that has been uplifted from harsh weather. There is a amusing side too, humming birds that come up to your face to say hello, or to tell you there feeder is empty,a tiny lizard runs ever so fast playing it seems. He will come to me in the mornings just say hello the scurry off, only to come back later to make sure i notice him again. I have gotten used to the rustling in the bushes as he makes him self known. If he gets wet when i haven't know he was there he runs off only to come back as to say, hey quit that. Yes the sounds of silence and noise of nature are good for the soul. Your heart can beat one with nature if you let it. Sometimes it seems as if God made these things just for me as a gift of his love.