the Lone Coyote

The coyote runs, The same one who howled last night; Is a friend in sight? HAIKU MY HEART Haiku My Heart is the vision of Rebecca Brooks at "recuerda mi corazon". If you would like to participate, just post your Haiku on Fridays with an accompanying photo on your blog and link back to: recuerda mi corazon

Honu, a Turtle Tale

~Photo by Byron Kay Honu pulled himself from the sea and wriggled through the warm sands. As he climbed up the beach, he ran into a friendly human who said, "Aloha!" and offered him a generous array of the island's designated greeting beverage, the Mai Tai, in its different forms.

~Photo by Hawaiian Oasis B&B Honu tried one and fell in love with it. He decreed the Mai Tai to be the premier cocktail to greet all guests to Hawaii. The tradition henceforth would be to present the cocktail, saying "E komo mai" (welcome). Basic Mai Tai Recipe - 1 oz Dark Rum - 1 oz Light Rum - 1 1/2 oz Triple Sec - 1/2 oz Orange Juice - 1 oz Pineapple Juice - Splash Grenadine Put all Mai Tai ingredients into a shaker with plenty of ice and shake briskly. Pour the cocktail drink into a tall glass. If you wish, you can garnish with cherries or orange slices. ~by Danielle Capps

Honu then was destined to meet the island's spiritual leader. They each felt a deep rapport for one another. She gave Hona the following mantra to chant at night: "Eia no ka makuahine. No lailia, ua hanau ka po." Essentially, Uranus is the night sky (chaos), and Earth (Gaia) represents day time (order).

Photo by Jessica Wilson The lush foliage, especially the delicately-scented ginger shown here, represents new life and the garb of luxuriant leis to be worn at weddings.

Honu asked the conch blower to blow firmly and emphatically to each of the four directions: North, a time of contemplation and rest; East, the time to wake up and enjoy spring; South, summertime and abundance; and West, time to harvest in autumn.

~Illustration from The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks The baby turtles are part of the cycle of life, too. They instinctively know they need to reach the ocean. Mahalo, Honu, for your example of honoring the earth and sea, turtle-kind and mankind. Ho'oponopono.

the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome - discovered in Charleston, SC

Spending a week in Charleston, SC, gave me a glimpse into the treasure troves emulating European art and beauty, in turn antecedents to the antiquities borrowed from the ancient Romans and Greeks. The Aiken-Rhett house borrowed the Italianate idea of greeting guests on one’s piazza. It provides a music room with a square grand piano and a harp. One’s sensibility could also be piqued by the Art Gallery: objet’s d’art bought in Europe. This female sculpture is a Renaissance figure of the young, sensuous Mary Magdalene, her hand on a Bible.

Another Italian Renaissance man, Galileo, brought the astronomy of the spherical/elliptical galaxies into mainstream architecture. The Nathaniel Russell House, built in 1808, sports this elliptical three-story galaxy-staircase.

Although we think of stained glass as the discovery of Tiffany in New York, it actually appeared first in ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece. The Wentworth Mansion with its elegant stained glass windows throughout exemplifies the glamour of the Gilded Age.

This unmarked gothic cathedral could have been Notre Dame de Paris herself, but actually the closest church in Charleston to which I could compare it was the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in the historic district. Charleston holds a plethora of houses of worship, from the French Huguenot to the Scottish Presbyterian to the Gullah spiritual.

The gardens of Charleston are small yet intricate. There is often a little statue representing water. I remember seeing Poseidon carrying his trident. This photo shows a young boy being carried through the water on the back of a young girl. The photo that follows is a close-up of the fountain.

This young muscular Atlas carries the world on his shoulders.

And sweeps of trained foliage everywhere!