Hilina Pali & The Myrtle

We decided to head to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park along the Chain of Craters Road last weekend.  I hadn't visited this area of the island for some time. It's a little over 8 miles, along the East Rift Zone- elevation is 4,000 ft. to sea level.

Hilina Pali comprises the network of faults which downdrop the flank of Kilauea seaward. Offshore, the submarine Hilina Slump accommodates movement of Kilauea's south flank as it moves seaward at rates of about 10 cm/year (4 inches/year) under magmatic pressure and gravitational forces. Literally, "struck (as by wind)."

The terrain is peppered with Ohia trees (as is the forest surrounding our home) which happens to be in the Myrtle family ..also in the same family as the guava, rose apple and passion fruit- incidentally was the reason bio control, (intended to destroy the strawberry guava) was prevented-

Interestingly how history repeats itself "An Iranian minister admits his country is under cyber attack as new clues suggest reference to biblical Queen Esther in malware coding"

There's only one person named Hadassah in the Bible. It's the Hebrew name of Esther (incredible read). This name occurs only once, in Esther 2:7: "...and he [Mordecai] was bringing up Haddasah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter..." 
Furthermore, "Two file directory names, “myrtus” and “guava,” could be an allusion to the biblical Queen Esther, who intervened to save the Jewish people from destruction at the hands of a Persian king. Persia is now known as Iran." (more here)

Scholars agree that the name Hadassah is a feminized form of the word Hadas (Hebrew: הדס, pl. hadassim - הדסים) is a bough of the myrtle tree – Hadassim prefer the colder mountainous regions - Symbol of Immortality and Success. The Hadas reminds the forest thickets that the Israelites found covering the hill country when they entered the land in the days of Joshua. 

The Hadas, myrtle is characterized by its leafy branches that also cover the trunk of the tree. Its branches remain upright and fresh long after cutting.

The Myrtle withstands drought, even after fire; pushes out new leaves. To the renaissance, since it was forever green, it symbolized everlasting love ~

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