Karen McBride's Island Views: Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!

A really sad thing happened at our "ohana" earlier this morning. I was up early getting ready for church. I get to go at 8:00 am, now. It is so much better than 2:00 pm. I heard all this commotion and racket out in the front yard. Then a hen started clucking with a mournful cluck. Yes! Mournful! You just have to imagine it. It was awful and she just wouldn't stop. Then the other hens started. It was like they were being warned against danger. I went to the front door in time to see a mongoose dash across the blacktop to the side of the house and the hen had flown to the roof and was making the most awful racket. I went outside to try to calm her down and realized it was the hen I had seen outside the house on Thursday prancing around like a queen hen with her 7 little chicks. By this time a couple of the neighbors came out just as the mongoose took off in another direction. I guess the mongoose had killed a few of her chicks and the rest had scattered every which way. She kept up the mournful clucking for at least an hour. I think she finally rounded up a couple of her chicks but this afternoon she was back in the frontward mourning again. It was just a sad thing. I didn't know hens could have mournful clucks and for sooooo long. I know some of you may be laughing at this but it really was awful to listen to. Enough said. I don't like that mongoose.

Had another interesting p-day, yesterday. I decided to just take off in the car and go to wherever it took me. I went to the southeast this time. It was kind of a blah day. Everyone was busy doing things and I didn't want to stay home. We were have a taco feast later in the day so I knew I had to be back for that. Off I went. Just the little explorer.
It has been windy for the past few days so I parked and watched the ocean. She was very tumultuous. She was really washing up and down the shores and over the rocks. She was very angry at something. I love watching the waves crash against the banks.

Next, I ended up at a park by Kaneohe. I found and ancient fishing pond. A gentleman that I was talking to said it has been there for about 800 years. When the tide is high the sea water and lots of fish get caught in it. Then they can't get out and it is a great fish pond and wolah they have dinner. It is also fed by the streams from the mountains so it is also a fresh water pond. A sign said not to walk on the wall and I looked over and there was a group of about 20 people walking on the wall. It was a tour group. Go figure. Anyway here is a picture. Next, I ended up at a park by Kaneohe. I found and ancient fishing pond. A gentleman that I was talking to said it has been there for about 800 years. When the tide is high the sea water and lots of fish get caught in it. Then they can't get out and it is a great fish pond and wolah they have dinner. It is also fed by the streams from the mountains so it is also a fresh water pond. A sign said not to walk on the wall and I looked over and there was a group of about 20 people walking on the wall. It was a tour group. Go figure. Anyway here is a picture.

I spent the next little while driving around and taking in the ocean views. It always takes my breath away when I think of being on this little island and just surrounded by all this water and beauty. The island is not really very big.
Then I was hungry and tried to decide where to eat. Next stop Burger King. My favorite hamburger stop and I've only had one in 10 months. I figured I deserved it. While at Burger King I saw a sign that said:

Off I went to explore the Botanical Gardens. I thought it would be just a small area to walk around. It was acres and acres of beautiful trees, flowers to drive through and then when I went for a walk I found a beautiful lake. The grounds were all groomed and beautiful. I don't know how I ever missed this.