I moved here on November 8th with just my bike, a couple bags and my guitar, to heal from an unexpected total hip replacement, attend the Sustainability program at Maui College, learn about Hawaiian music, and continue guitar lessons. It has been an epic journey and my love of the natural world has increased tenfold. Swimming in clear teal water beside sea turtles, rainbows almost daily, foraging fruit and finding bananas, oranges, pomelos, mangoes, guava and more on my bike rides, these fallen snacks from the Gods have sustained me many days as I have been unemployed and waiting for jobs and unemployment checks to pay my bills.
I have so much more to share, and have two writing pieces planned (to publish on Medium) on restaurants, businesses and sustainable transportation, but for now, I wanted to share a mini acrylic painting I did this past week.
This is a view of the West Maui Mountains from the Northshore. You can watch the airplanes take off 6 miles away from Kahalui airport here as they rise up over the mountains and into the clouds. There is red lava rock and soft clay that sticks to your shoes and colors your feet red. Fisherman occasionally net fishing, traditional Hawaiian style. Sea turtles resting on the beach. Athletes swimming laps with fins and running up the dunes as the waves break over a natural coral reef.
I quickly fell in love with this beach and the turtles, and I am feeling stronger than when I arrived. Not perfect yet, but cycling, walking and swimming are improving my hip and I have less pain than when I arrived.
If you would like to purchase this mini painting as a print, please click here:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/maui-where-the-mountains-dance-with-the-sea-colleen-proppe.html
More stories, music and art to come...
Thank you!
