KAUAI SUNRISE

Kapa'a Sunrise Cumulus

The roosters began announcing the dawn at 4 AM.  I know this because I set my alarm for 5 to give me time to walk down to the beach and set up for the 5:50 sunrise.  The roosters beat me to it.  On Maui, I always had to sit in the sand to paint sunrise.   Here there is space under some ironwood trees, with scrubby, broad-bladed grass to keep the sand from leaping into my paint box.  (I have not yet acquired my obligatory three-dollar grass mat.) Some intrepid grains of sand still manage to make the leap into my paints (two feet, I make it), and a few even get onto the painting, which is a full three-foot leap.  How do they do it?  Maybe I should give up and stand.  Except that sitting by the beach to paint sunrise is tradition.  It's part of the peaceful experience.  I will sit, and risk the sand.