#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Cloudy sunrise & morning today in Hilo but I still had coffee on my balcony with the Merlin app who in a happy coincidence, listed my bird of the day as Red Junglefowl then identified its crow (what I would have called an ordinary rooster!)🐓inspiring today‘s haiku.

Oh Red Junglefowl
Merlin sings your name at dawn—
I just hear rooster

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

A really long day Hilo full of meetings with more of the same tomorrow but I did get to sit on my hotel balcony & watch the day drift into night before dinner. It was very relaxing & now I must sleep.

View From My Hotel Balcony

Twilight, Hilo Bay
Cruise ship glides, the mynahs call
Meetings drift away

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Yesterday I was looking up at clouds from my skylight & they looked like they had tails or tentacles & that reminded me a bit of jellyfish & inspired today‘s daily haiku. (The photo doesn‘t capture it that well so use your imagination!)☁️🪼😉

Skylight glimpse of clouds
Wispy tendrils drift downward
Sky-borne jellyfish

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

My #HyggeHour tonight is spending time solving mysteries with Encyclopedia Brown for #EBBR & then reading more of The Small & the Mighty for #SheSaid. I‘m drinking this fun iced tea (white tea, honey, white grape & lavender) because it‘s so humid & snacking on this pineapple custard pastry.

Mood is quiet & sad that it‘s Monday tomorrow & another crazy work week with an overnight to Hilo.

I remain so behind on reviews for both June & July but I thought I‘d get my July recap up finally. I finished 15 books (including 3 I had in progress from June) which I think given work lately is good. I did read & love both #CampLitsy2025 selections but was not good about the discussions which has continued this month. I also finished books for #AuthorAMonth #SheSaid #SundayBuddyRead #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #EBBR #ThematicCozies ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last week for #NancyDrewBR I kinda, sorta remember this one from my childhood. This one involves a missing dancer & just a few weeks to go to find her & get the “castle” & money left to her by the business tycoon who loved her (which will help her sister & niece as well.) Without saying too much, this one has a little Cinderella vibe to it & some serious dangers for Nancy. Slight spoiler for the Nancy Noggin ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

My morning included running an errand & while I was out, I grabbed a takeout breakfast & sat at the nearby boat dock reading, sharing my scrambled eggs with a cattle egret, contemplating my life choices & writing today‘s haiku.

Sunday Boat Dock Sojourn

Small waves kiss the shore
Breakfast with a white egret
Sunday zen settles

My late #5JoysFriday post. July-August is filled with meetings, trips to Hilo & stress, but there are still small joys:💛

1. Pringles Mingles Dill Pickle & Ranch crisps are my newest pickle 🥒obsession. Lots of mouth joy!😋

2. The Blackened Ahi Cesar Salad I had for lunch at a meeting last week was so ono-super fresh & full of joyful flavor!🥗💚

3. Out of my 4 Hilo flight segments this week, I got upgrades on 3 ✈️🩵 plus extra reading time.
⬇️

It‘s been a long & crazy workweek (workweeks) & thus a while since I‘ve posted a #HaikuADay with #HaukuHive. Took a lunch break today to sit outside read & relax—the inspiration for my haiku.

Birds and voices weave
Fresh poke, warm sun, soft breeze
Peaceful reading lunch

Ah, friends, Friday is upon us again in another insanely busy week.😵‍💫I‘m headed to Hilo tomorrow for meetings for the second time this week.

I hope you join in & share a #5JoysFriday post with the 5 things (big or small) that brought you joy this week. Use the #5JoysFriday tag & tag me in your post-along with anyone else you‘d like to share the joy with. As usual, ALL are welcome! 🤗 #💛

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour with Nancy Drew for #NancyDrewBR & ice water & an apple-cinnamon turnover.🍎

Mood is tired, the weekend went by quickly & I‘m behind on so much. I‘m not ready for Monday & another busy week with 2 Hilo trips for meetings. 😵‍💫

Very late on my #5JoysFriday post & haven‘t been around the last couple of days. Catching up on sleep & went to a funeral & gathering for a friend‘s mom yesterday, then came home & slept, but better late than never.

1. That the tsunami warning ended with minimal issues or damages to the islands. We got lucky again.💙

2. Was almost too busy & stressed to go to an HR Director roundtable Thursday but ended up glad I did both for the discussion ⬇️

Tomorrow is Friday & August. Where did the time go?! Insane day at work & sadly, still finishing slides to present tomorrow at a business review in Hilo.😵‍💫 But, I thought I‘d get the #5JoysFriday festivities started. All are welcome to join in!💛

To take part, make a post with 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. Tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to share joy with. Use the background if & how you like.🤗

#Read2025

Finished for June‘s #AuthorAMonth & #FictionalTraveler #Water
Thanks to @Soubhiville I read it on SerialReader which I think helped me with its short sections. It has some beautiful writing but not enough plot & too much stream-of-consciousness for me & was hard to keep track of. I got behind in A Room of One‘s Own on SerialReader & I may try to finish it tonight but I don‘t know that I will read more Woolf unless pushed to do so. 😉

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the Tsunami Warning yesterday (see previous post) which was downgraded to Advisory last night & that Advisory was just canceled this morning. We got lucky. It‘s already back to business as usual & work is crazy, so…

The morning after
The sea has mostly settled
Work is still storming…

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by a tsunami warning which unlike last weekend‘s watch, means evacuations for coastal areas. I‘m on the cusp of the evacuation zone & after checking in with neighbors, I‘m staying put. First wave was supposed to hit Kauai at 7:10 pm, then Oahu at 7:17 pm. It‘s now 7:45 pm & they say it‘s still coming so we have some time to wait.😳

Tsunami redux
Just beyond the warning line
Calm, but not at peace

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished Sunday for July‘s #BobWhiteBuddies this one (#15) & Trixie & the gang are visiting Mark Twain country—St. Louis & the Mississippi River when mysterious papers left in her hotel room by the previous occupant soon have her & the Bob-Whites mixed up in some very dangerous dealings. This one I remembered a lot of—probably because Trixie gets in over her head. Also I get very frustrated when the group splits up ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Since I‘m way behind on June reviews, I‘m posting June‘s book review of book 14 before I post this. month‘s for #BobWhiteBuddies
While I thought this was a fine book in the series & liked the Williamsburg, Virginia setting this wasn‘t one I reread much growing up for some reason.🤷🏻‍♀️ Trixie finds a letter alluding to an emerald necklace while cleaning her attic & the Bob-Whites are off to find the treasure.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Had to drive across the island this morning to go to one of our branches for work & meetings. I was struck by the weather from rain to sun, then rinse & repeat. I also saw 2 rainbows. That & my audiobook made for a good commute & inspired this haiku. (Although it‘s where I was commuting, it‘s not my photo because I was driving… on the freeway.)😉

Island morning hums
Rain and sun take turns to dance
Rainbows grace the road

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour finishing up this Trixie Belden book I started last week for #BobWhiteBuddies along with a lilikoi bar & sparkling water (it‘s warm & humid tonight). Also watching Legally Blonde because I need something fluffy to watch.

Mood is fine. Not really looking forward to Monday & another crazy week. (How is it almost August?)

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I‘m trying to catch up on my reviews for June 🤦🏻‍♀️ & this book (the 21st in the Bakeshop Mystery series) was my June pick for #FictionalTraveler #APlaceYoudLikeToVisit (it‘s set in Costa Rico) & it was also a June #Roll100 pick: Any Mystery & an #ARC from the publisher.

An enjoyable entry into the series with Jules & Carlos going to Costa Rica to visit a former colleague‘s family coffee plantation & taking Andy ⬇️

#Read2025

I am so very behind on my reviews for June & now July 😩 but I finished this one last night for #SundayBuddyRead & as expected, I loved it. Stacey Lee is probably my favorite author of historical YA & this is the 4th book we‘ve read with her. She creates characters that I love & root for & teaches me about history from underrepresented perspectives, all while telling an exciting & engrossing story. Do things usually work out at least ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Ending my week-long daily haiku theme about the days of my week with Sunday which I am making as low effort as possible. Pajamas all day & no “have tos” in sight. Gathering peace & strength for a busy week ahead.

Sunday in p.j.s
Leftovers, low effort day
Laziness, well done

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive
Saturday was planned to be a mix of errands & relaxing. I wrote the before haiku sat at a quiet table in the mall waiting for a craft fair to start. A spontaneous stop by the Apple Store to look at upgrading my old iPhone took a few hours & led to the after. #2fer

Before:
Errands and delight
Tangled in one easy day
Joy in the stillness

After:
Plans lost to the void
Apple Store, my holding cell
At least she's a beaut

⬇️

It‘s still Friday & I actually finished work by 5 PM tonight which is much better than last Friday. Anyway it was a week & I mostly worked, but here‘s my #5JoysFriday list:

1. That it‘s FINALLY Friday gives me much joy!💛

2. I had my favorite poke bowl today as a reward for a hard week—instant joy! 💛

3. I ordered in a bowl of Zippy‘s chili & rice—joyful comfort food was needed.😋💛

4. I love fruity tea drinks & this one with butterfly pea ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Continuing this weeks series of days of the week for my daily haikus & finally… we are at Friday! Tried to tie in the joy, I‘ll be sharing my #5JoysFriday post later.😉 I still have work hours to get through but the promise of the weekend is there.

Friday‘s here at last!
Weekend‘s promise in the wind
Fills me with much joy

And it is finally Friday! Sorry, I feel asleep before posting this last night but I see several of you already have posted for #5JoysFriday! Thank you for getting the joy party started! 💛🥳💛

If you want to join in, make a post with the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. Tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to share the joy with. 🤗

All are welcome! 💛💛💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku continues my “days of the week theme.” Today was less crazy than yesterday which is good but it‘s still not Friday. I was thinking that since I was born on Thursday, I have far to go according to the poem & that inspired today‘s work.

Thursday‘s child I have
"Far to go," but still I wait
Friday‘s not quite here

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today was mellower & I treated myself to Zippy‘s chili & rice for lunch, & it‘s one day closer to Friday so there‘s that. Also, I really do say “Wed-nes-day” in my head when I write it so this meme made me giggle a bit.

Midweek exhale now,
Chaos faded just a bit
Still not Friday though

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

So my Tuesday was marginally better & slightly shorter than Monday, but not great & I crashed early—hence why the Tuesday daily haiku is being posted today. I‘ve decided to make my week by day the theme, because why not? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hopefully, I‘ll get Wednesday‘s written & posted soon.

Tuesday, resembled
Monday‘s exhausting pace but…
Friday is closer!

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s Monday was super-sized.😬 I started at 6:30 AM & just turned off my computer after 7 PM & wrote today‘s haiku:

This Monday seemed like
Several Mondays at once
I fear for Tuesday…

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour with Trixie & the gang for #BobWhiteBuddies Drinking iced green tea & my snack is a mini pecan pie from a craft fair vendor.

My mood is sad that it‘s Monday yet again. Why are weekends so short? I‘m not ready to go back to work. 🥺

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by a tsunami watch last night due to earthquakes in Russia. It‘s been a while since we had a nighttime alert & even though the watch duration was short, the possibility of going to higher ground at 2:45 AM (time it would hit here) makes me tense. Just a part of island or coastal life. Tsunami translates to “harbor wave(s).

Earthquake in Russia
Nighttime watch for “harbor wave”
Life on the island

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by needing to take a pause & take time to relax after a really long & stressful workweek. I‘ve got a long list of errands & to-dos but I need my coffee house time to reset first.

Saturday, reset
Calm. Quiet. Cold drink. Pause, reflect…
Break from the madness

It‘s still Friday which has been a bit unending & it wasn‘t the best of weeks, still there were joys for #5JoysFriday

1. I did manage to squeeze in my favorite poke bowl for lunch today & got enough points for the cute thermal bag you can barely see behind it. Both gave me joy.🐟💛

2. I don‘t know why it took me so long to watch the Gilded Age but it‘s giving me binge-joy.💛📺

3. When I was at my indie bookstore a couple weeks ago I bought ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I am not fond of working 12+ hours on a Friday when it‘s been a long week already, 😬😵‍💫😵That inspired today‘s haiku.

One of my team said
“This Friday feels like Monday!”
Sadly, I agree…

And we are heading into Friday once again, so you know what that means… time for #5JoysFriday While it wasn‘t the best of weeks for me, I‘ll still be finding the joys in it, so please join in. All are welcome! 🤗 💛

Just make a post with the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me in it. You can also tag anyone else you want to join in the joy! 💛

I look forward to seeing your joys!

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is on the more irreverent side, inspired by the fact that I have to drive to a meeting this afternoon which means putting on “real” pants & shoes which is not my favorite as working from home means my bottom half is usually pretty casual.🤷🏻‍♀️😉😂

Meeting calls my name,
Must leave my sweatpants behind
Big sigh. Real pants. Ugh.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the corpse flower about to bloom in Kauai. It‘s been growing for 6 years & will finally bloom this weekend. They named it Pua Pilo which is “stinky flower” in Hawaiian. Several years ago I got to see one blooming here on Oahu—they only bloom for a couple of days & yes, they are very stinky, but beautiful.

Pua Pilo stirs
a corpse flower sighs of death
sweet rot on the breeze

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by this photo I took on a work trip to Maine last year. I love finding heart shapes in nature—they give me peace & hope.🩶

Scattered coastal stones
A heart shaped by time and tide
Hope is everywhere

#MentalHealthMonday

Clouds, mountains, sunrises & sunsets always bring me joy.

Today was definitely a Monday & I‘m headed off to bed to start the whole day over tomorrow.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by a large banyan tree that fell into the road in Hilo this weekend. (Not the one pictured) Luckily, no one was injured but it makes me sad to see one of these revered trees fall. They are not native to Hawaii but they have become a part of the landscape & culture.

Under banyan shade
Stories ride the island breeze
Time grows from their limbs

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour with Encyclopedia Brown for #EBBR & since I‘ll finish early, spend the rest of the hour with my Kindle & one of my current reads.

Drinking ice water & my snack is part of this candy bar. Mood is a little tired & not looking forward to Monday morning & a busy week of work.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this one last month for #EBBR & didn‘t review it & since I‘m starting Book 6 tonight, I figured I should this one posted. It‘s been so long since I read it that I don‘t remember all the cases but I know I missed a few. Also, I did not like the case where a neighbor shots a dog. It seemed a tad violent for the grade level of the books. Otherwise I don‘t remember much. 🤷🏻‍♀️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

A June Roll100 pick that I just couldn‘t finish in time. I listened to the audiobook which I didn‘t realize until midway through was narrated by Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) & she does a great job. What to say about this series: it‘s dark & no character seems safe which is a bit hard to take at times. Book 2 picks up right at the end of the first & there are some major plot twists but it takes patience to get there. ⬇️

Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

OK, I am very behind on all reviews as I read this book in May but never reviewed it & just finished the second book in the series that I was reading for June‘s #Roll100

Overall, I liked this book although it could be shorter. I also for some reason thought it was lighter/more humorous (not sure why) & it‘s pretty dark. I didn‘t like the ending but it did make me read the next book. I did like the LGBTQ representation.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished this one last Sunday for #BobWhiteBuddies. I‘m so behind on all my review but wanted to get this one up before the discussion. I do remember this one from childhood, mainly due to the black widow🕷️angle. When I was growing up, my older sister was in the bathroom in the dark & felt something tickling her leg & when she turned on the light, it was a big black widow!😱 Trust me when I say that I was terrified & ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by watching the clouds on my flights to Hilo & how they change & bring me peace. This pic is from my morning flight this week & I love the soft fluffy peaks & layers of clouds glowing with light.☁️🤍⛅️

I never tire of
Looking at layers of clouds
Like mountains in flight

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the bowl of tonkatsu ramen that I ate for a late lunch. Not only delicious, but like all good soups, good for the soul.🥣💛🍜

Tonkatsu comfort
Pork, egg, noodles bathe in broth
Ramen soothes my soul

A day late with my #5JoysFriday post as it was a busy work week.

1. Had gorgeous morning views of Oahu we took off for Hilo from my upgraded window seat—also a joy. ⛅️💙

2. These 2 Saffron Finches chirping away at each other at the Hilo Starbucks drive-thru. Used the Merlin app to identify them before I saw them.🐦joys💛

3. Wanted to spark food joy in the office & found a little bakery cafe in Hilo that made these little filled puffs.😋💛
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