Loko Maika‘i — To Act with Generosity and Kindness
By Virginia Beck The holidays approach us so quickly, as shorter days lead us to our “winter,” with family gatherings and celebrations. Putting quilts on the beds and turning off fans, we snuggle into...
View ArticleHau‘oli Makahiki Hou — Every Day Starts a New Year!
By Virginia Beck After the feasts and fun of the holidays, it is always time to recover and reset for the New Year. It is our habit to do this. We desire new balance and routines, just as the holidays...
View ArticleThe Gift of the Heart
By Virginia Beck This fabulous artwork was created by Page Hodel in honor of her partner who died of ovarian cancer. Every Monday, when Madelene stepped out of her door, a gorgeous artwork lay at her...
View ArticleWomen’s Her Story Month
By Virginia Beck “Well behaved women rarely make history” — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Ever wondered why it is history instead of herstory? It is simple. Records of the past were created by the conquerors,...
View ArticleCelebrating Kaua‘i, Earth Day
By Virginia Beck Those who came to Kaua’i, came to find peace, beauty and a safe place for our families. Like all migrants, Polynesians came to find opportunities for land and growing communities. Many...
View ArticleThe Beauty and Joy of May
By Virginia Beck May is one of the most beautiful and joyful months of the year. So many things are blooming and flourishing after the spring rains. In Waimea, the Gold trees (Tabebuia aurea) splash...
View ArticleThe Beauty of Summer
By Virginia Beck Summer is in full swing. Night rains and day blossoms; and a south swell of magnificent power and force arrives. We love its thunderous crashing on the beach and the foamy shore break,...
View ArticleAnother Day in Paradise
By Virginia Beck Summer is all about escape! When we travel or leave, we are looking for a change. We want a rest, a break from the usual, the routines and repetitious chores. We want freedom for...
View ArticleChanging Seasons, Winds of Change
By Virginia Beck The winds of change are always unsettling, disturbing us and upsetting our plans. For us on Kaua‘i, we are used to having to adapt to the weather, and change our daily routines to...
View ArticleThe Dance of the Seasons — Makahiki and More Celebrations
By Virginia Beck Kaua‘i is always pulsating with the rhythms of life. Surf pounds and surges along the shoreline, children scurry off to meet the school bus, palm trees rock in the returning breezes;...
View ArticleKaua‘i Time is Quality Time.
By Virginia Beck Quality time brings us to our senses. Kaua‘i is so stunningly beautiful — we are awakened to our aliveness through every sense. We stop and smell the gardenias, the ginger, the pikake,...
View ArticleHo‘okupu — Bring a Gift of Respect
By Virginia Beck Hawaiians are some of the most generous people on Earth. Alone in small numbers on this tiny group of remote islands; they nurtured the Earth and each other, so that the people, the...
View ArticleA Place of Refuge
By Virginia Beck When life gets tough, where do we go for peace, for refuge? It could be home, beach, music, surfing, church or nature. Kaua‘i is an amazing place to get your values and your senses...
View ArticleCreation: Aloha is Just the Beginning
By Virginia Beck In the beginning there was the void. Then, the day and the night. Then, the land and the sea. Whether it is the Kumulipo (a Hawaiian creation chant) or the Bible or other sacred story,...
View ArticleSpring Is Another Flower in the Lei of Life
By Virginia Beck The North Star swings away and the days grow longer. We have circled our home star one more time, and the spring solstice has passed, giving us longer days. Soon, we will see the last...
View ArticleLiquid Sunshine Restores the ‘Aina
By Virginia Beck “I mohala no ka lehua i ke ke‘ekehi ‘ia e ka ua.” “The lehua blossom unfolds when the rains tread on it.” — ‘Olēlo No’eau, Mary Kawena Pukui The heavy rains of the past weeks are...
View ArticleSo Free and Sweet Music
By Virginia Beck Traditional slack key and contemporary compositions were the sound track of the times. Luaus, beach parties, sit-ins, demonstrations and marches were part of the new movement for young...
View ArticleNatureʻs Net Flings Beauty Across the Island
By Virginia Beck Nature flings its net wide, spreading beauty to capture eyes and hearts. The gift of showers in the early mornings gives way to rainbows and cascades of blossom everywhere. The late...
View ArticleA Virtual Eden of Flowers
By Virginia Beck A paradise of trees, a virtual Eden of flowers and rare plants, contributed by the winds and waves, followed by those who came by canoe, or ship, or airline. Kaua‘i is a mixed plate,...
View ArticleEat Good, Eat Local, Feel Great
By Virginia Beck The farmers market in front of the Historic County Building in Lihu‘e. The autumn brings the wheel of stars around to the shorter days and longer nights, and on Kaua‘i it means the...
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