Words

Fire and Ice – Kona to Chicago

We left Kona with temperatures in the low 80s, arrived at SeaTac that evening to a difference of 50 degrees. Two days later Annie was off to Chicago where temperatures were lower yet. Ice at the beach is something I’m just not used to. When she returned to the PacNW the temperature was warmer but still cold enough for a light dusting of snow on Christmas Eve.

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Posted by Thomas Alix Johnston in Blog, Words, 1 comment
Hilo to Honoka’a – Hāmākua Coast

Hilo to Honoka’a – Hāmākua Coast

In my previous installment we had just finished a delicious lunch at the Ohelo Cafe in Volcano City and were heading toward Hilo where there had been serious flooding the day before. Because of the rains we only got to see some of Hilo, and the place we  decided to stay was just north of the city about ten miles- a dramatic old plantation, repurposed as a bed and breakfast. Soon after we arrived the wind and rain were picking up; from our balcony we watched the storm blow in. Breakfast on the veranda the next morning was refreshing as we watched the winds continue to bring clouds toward the island; there was plenty of evidence, broken palm fronds and debris around the property, from the storm that had just blown through during the night.

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Black Sand White Spray Gray Sky Molten Red on Big Island

The island shuttle, Mokulele Airline, was a good experience all around, and as one never knows what to expect with travel institutions these days, we knew we had made the right decision at the counter; “oh, the weight of your suitcase is close enough. a couple pounds over… no big deal.” Too much wind/rain prevented the plane from landing at Hilo which delayed our flight since they had to return and would be using the same plane for the flight to our destination, Kona. They said we’d probably be the only 2 on it, but then at boarding, the plane was full, all nine seats. It was a windy and at times bumpy flight and as we were seated in the rear of the aircraft I could see couples reaching across the isle to hold hands during the turbulent bumps. But it was a good flight, and no  sooner had we left the lush, moist, green of Maui that we found ourselves flying over the dry, desert like, lava covered landscape as we approached the Kona airport. Continue reading →

Posted by Thomas Alix Johnston in Blog, Words, 1 comment

Maui: Light, Color, Space- November 2017

Maui, as always, was and is beautiful, from the moment you get off the plane and walk into the moist, fragrant air, combined with the quality of light, color, and space. As a visual artist, it is almost too easy to see beauty everywhere you turn, but of course easy is deceptive and there are many challenges to making art that is more than pretty pictures. Continue reading →

Posted by Thomas Alix Johnston in Blog, Words, 0 comments