It has been interesting to be here in Hawaii in June. Our first time ever! Last year during this month we were in Bonners Ferry & Seattle, and prior to our moving here, our vacation times ranged from the end of winter to mud season. So it really is our first ever June on the islands.
And it has been hot! Well, not today - so far - but in general. Today we're getting a succession of quick rain showers, with bright, already-hot sunshine in between. The trend is generally clearing though, which will be good for the beach croquet potluck party we've been invited to attend this afternoon.
We've been having to skip our morning walks many days. If we don't get started early enough, it's way too hot for our usual 3 mile route. On the days we do get going early, it's a lovely way to get up and moving. Saying good morning to the neighbors and folk we meet along the way is a big part of what makes this so enjoyable.
Our crossing guard friend, Manny, is an elderly local fellow who mans the crosswalks in front of the Keonepoko elementary school down the street. We always wave or talk story with him when he's out there. Now that school's closed for summer break, he's not out there twice a day of course, but it turns out that his morning walking route and ours overlap, so we do get to see him now and then still!
A couple days ago, Joe, one of the maintenance workers for the water system at the top of our street, stopped his rig to hand us a bag of mountain apples, "for a snack while you walk." These are a popular tropical delicacy, very thin-skinned and juicy. The skin can range from bright apple red to pale pink, or even brownish-red. The aroma on first bite is of rose petals! Amazing! And the texture is like a crisp and juicy pear, with one very large brown seed inside. Very refreshing and delicious.
One thing we have really noticed is that the sun moves much further to the north than we thought possible at these low latitudes. Not like north Idaho of course, but still. As the day progresses, the sun will shine through the windows on each side of the house. Good thing we didn't further thin out the kukui tree protecting the northwest window. The setting sun filters through its big green leaves and makes the nicest patterns inside. After today, old Sol will slowly make its way back southward to set behind the flanks of Mauna Loa.
I hope you are enjoying this longest day of the year!
And happy Father's Day, too!
:-)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
I'm baaaaaaack!
Okay, okay, I'll try to get this going again. I cannot believe how many hits I got during my long absence!! Awesome and encouraging.
There's no way to fill in all the details of the past 3 months, but those of you who have kept in touch know what's been going on with us during that time anyway. Suffice it to say, winter is long gone, spring has passed too, and we are well into summertime weather. Whoo-hoo!
I love the days when the tradewinds are a-blowing, cooling us and refreshing both air and spirits. When the trades die down, the island simmers in the heat and humidity, and the vog (volcanic haze) rolls down the mountain to choke out Hilo Bay. Fortunately for us, we were led to this wonderful little spot on the east side of the island, where the sun rises first and the freshest air blows. It doesn't take much of a breeze to clear away the vog from here, but we do feel for the folks elsewhere on the island chain, especially when the Kona winds blow from the south-southwest. Then the vog is carried right up the chain. Intersting to be so dependant on the winds and which direction they're coming from.
The garden grows like a weed, like a jungle. And the jungle grows like mad, too! Our liliko'i (passion fruit) vine has been flowering for a while now but only recently began setting fruit. We are so looking forward to bucketsfull of the luscious, juicy, tangy, sweet-tart goodness that is liliko'i. Every couple days we get a owlful of cherry tomatoes, a handful of strawberries, several calamondons. There's plenty of greens each day: bok cho, mizuna, chard, kale, broccoli, Okinawan spinach, sweetpotato greens, and more. We eat pretty well from the garden. We got about a dozen figs in the spring, and are still awaiting any sign of banana flowering. Oh, and homegrown papayas - yummmmm.
The chickens are all laying so well that we have to keep lining up customers to buy the extra eggies. Not a problem. My friend, Devany, is a food writer and will be doing a feature on our hens and their pretty three colors of eggs. I'll let you know when she posts it.
We have a couple weeks in between guests right now, hoping to get some more projects done before Mom comes to visit, before hurricane season really gets going, and before we leave for 3 weeks on our own vacation. Towards that end, Mike is laying pipe out to the screenhouse & chickens so that when the rains stop for a week at a time (or longer) the birds will still have water. Extremely important! Other projects lined up & ready to go are making hinged windows for ventilating the studio better, finishing touches on Mike's shop, and maybe even getting some trimwork done inside... Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? ;-)
We have really settled in here. We do our 3 mile walks almost every day. I've just about figured out how to garden in this climate and with this (lack of) soil. We are finally getting some good friendships going. I feel very happy to be here now.
There's no way to fill in all the details of the past 3 months, but those of you who have kept in touch know what's been going on with us during that time anyway. Suffice it to say, winter is long gone, spring has passed too, and we are well into summertime weather. Whoo-hoo!
I love the days when the tradewinds are a-blowing, cooling us and refreshing both air and spirits. When the trades die down, the island simmers in the heat and humidity, and the vog (volcanic haze) rolls down the mountain to choke out Hilo Bay. Fortunately for us, we were led to this wonderful little spot on the east side of the island, where the sun rises first and the freshest air blows. It doesn't take much of a breeze to clear away the vog from here, but we do feel for the folks elsewhere on the island chain, especially when the Kona winds blow from the south-southwest. Then the vog is carried right up the chain. Intersting to be so dependant on the winds and which direction they're coming from.
The garden grows like a weed, like a jungle. And the jungle grows like mad, too! Our liliko'i (passion fruit) vine has been flowering for a while now but only recently began setting fruit. We are so looking forward to bucketsfull of the luscious, juicy, tangy, sweet-tart goodness that is liliko'i. Every couple days we get a owlful of cherry tomatoes, a handful of strawberries, several calamondons. There's plenty of greens each day: bok cho, mizuna, chard, kale, broccoli, Okinawan spinach, sweetpotato greens, and more. We eat pretty well from the garden. We got about a dozen figs in the spring, and are still awaiting any sign of banana flowering. Oh, and homegrown papayas - yummmmm.
The chickens are all laying so well that we have to keep lining up customers to buy the extra eggies. Not a problem. My friend, Devany, is a food writer and will be doing a feature on our hens and their pretty three colors of eggs. I'll let you know when she posts it.
We have a couple weeks in between guests right now, hoping to get some more projects done before Mom comes to visit, before hurricane season really gets going, and before we leave for 3 weeks on our own vacation. Towards that end, Mike is laying pipe out to the screenhouse & chickens so that when the rains stop for a week at a time (or longer) the birds will still have water. Extremely important! Other projects lined up & ready to go are making hinged windows for ventilating the studio better, finishing touches on Mike's shop, and maybe even getting some trimwork done inside... Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? ;-)
We have really settled in here. We do our 3 mile walks almost every day. I've just about figured out how to garden in this climate and with this (lack of) soil. We are finally getting some good friendships going. I feel very happy to be here now.
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