Musings: Moonlight and Mist

Hawaii might have thought it was all about Obama and Clinton last night — Obama won in a landslide — but for me, it was all about the moon.

Saw it rising at Ka`aka`aniu Beach yesterday evening after swimming in crystal clear turquoise water and watching albatrosses flying overhead, landing on a grassy bluff and giggling madly to one another.

A friend and I shared a couple of hours of laughter, conversation and joy, before I headed south and she went north, the moon rising higher as I drove and creating a shining path on calm waters at Kealia.

All night, it was out and super bright as Democrats rallied around their “native son” candidate, helping to build his national lead over Sen. Clinton.

It was calling to me well before the crack of dawn, so Koko and I got up and went out to revel in its glow, moon shadows tagging along behind. Mist was thick in the pastures, where the cattle were lying down, but still watchful, dark hulks in the silvery light.

The moon slipped lower and lower, changing from white to dark yellow, until finally I paused and watched it disappear behind the southern end of Waialale.

I turned to head home, the eastern sky growing brighter behind Venus and Jupiter, the mist leaving the pasture and spreading out over the road, enveloping us in its cool dampness.

As the first streaks of pink lit up the sky, heralding the sun, a shama thrush burst into glorious, warbling, melodic song. Another day begins.