Land-warming Party

Last weekend we hosted a big shindig on our new land, inviting good friends and our new neighbors to help us celebrate. My photos didn't turn out all that well, probably because I was having so much fun that I forgot to take pics until it was almost dusk! Fortunately, a couple others shared their photos and allowed me to use them here.

We spent most of the week ahead of time, doing massive party prep. Mike had just finished drilling and pounding the last of the perimeter fence posts in place so our full attention was turned to party preparations. The circle drive was mowed with the tractor, and all the smaller side roads, too, the better for hiking and exploring. More mowing to open up space for the pop-ups, tables, and chairs... and for parking... and the campfire...

Since there are no amenities on the land as yet, he built an outhouse, and then had to clear a path to access the rustic, but very appreciated, facilities. I left a marking pen inside and our guests had fun creating messages and graffiti. Acacia especially enjoyed having the freedom to draw on the walls. Fun for the child in all of us!

The day finally arrived. I tied surveyor's tape streamers to the front gate to help set the mood and guide folks in. The top end of the center field was party central. We set up horseshoe pits and a campfire circle in the house site clearing across the drive.

Of course, there was a plentiful potluck. Everyone brought something delicious to the table.

Both Spirit Horse, and Blackie-kitty made appearances. Blackie joined a few of us on a long hike, and afterwards she made herself right at home under the potluck table where she was fed bits of hotdog and cheesecake until she literally couldn't eat another bite. She was still right there the next morning when we went back up to gather up stray items! Spirit, on the other hand, is very shy, but he let himself be seen and accepted a few carrots offered at full arm's length.

(photo courtesy of Robin Bush)

Late in the afternoon, an almost vertical stretch of rainbow appeared, reaching up from a gap in the trees where the deep blue ocean can be seen in the distance. At the same time, an unexpected flock of pure white cattle egrets swooped and soared over the far end of the cleared land while King Kamehameha butterflies flitted about in the foreground. I'd say both our land and the gathering were blessed right then, if they weren't already.

(Photo courtesy of Robin Bush)

As dusk approached, people began to migrate toward the campfire.

It is such a calming and primal feeling, gazing into the flames as the dark draws in around us. Voices murmur, laughter bursts forth, faces glow. There were s'mores and stories and eventually the stars came out until the sky was dazzling despite the lack of moon. This was the first time Mike and I had been up on our land this late in the day - and it was deeply satisfying. So quiet, so dark and starry. It felt like being home again. Mike and I have spent the vast majority of our lives in the boonies, so it was indeed comforting to feel this once again.

 

(Acacia's first s'mores - photo courtesy of Lori Meeker)

(photo courtesy of Robin Bush)

I'm not likely to ever forget such a perfect evening spent with good friends on the special piece of the island that will become our new farm. 

Aloha Kerry - a hui hou!

Two years ago, our youngest came to live with us for a while. Two weeks ago, she left for the mainland and the next venture in her life.

I'm glad Kerry got to do some of her favorite things before she left, like getting all dolled up for parties...

... spending time with her sister...

... exploring the volcano, inside and out...

 ... and soaking in the atmosphere of the new land in Kaimu, one of her very favorite spots on the island. (Mine, too!)

She will be missed, but she was ready to move on. All fledglings need to fly some time and the time had come for her to spread her wings again.

So, for a change of pace and to fulfill a lifelong dream, she has headed off to work on a ranch in Colorado. From there, it's likely she'll do the seasonal circuit of ranches and resorts around the country. What a great way to see different regions of the US! And then... why, the whole world awaits!

We were lucky to be able to have her here for a while. And for us, it's Empty Nest - Part Two, much easier than the first round, for sure. For one thing, we're not all alone on this rock in the middle of the ocean. Now we have good friends and even family close by. What a huge difference that makes!

A hui hou, Kerry! And happy trails!

Happy To Be Here!

Our Alaska kids have moved to the island! We couldn't be more pleased to have more family around, and especially to have a grandchild close by! Sorry for not posting about this earlier but, well, I was living in the moment with that little grand-daughter of mine. Priorities, you know.

Kerry bundled up against a cool evening, compared to Lori and Acacia who had just recently arrived when this was taken.

Lori and Dave and Acacia stayed with us for their first three months while looking for their own little piece of paradise. We opened up the dividing door between the guest house side and our own living area, all the easier to combine households somewhat. Lori and I took alternating nights for cooking dinner which we then ate all together. Acacia could come and go between us as she pleased which was totally fun for all involved. This gave Mama a break now and then, and made for some fantastic bonding time with Grammy.

Acacia has adapted well to the tropics, not bothering at all with clothes most of the time, and who can blame her after Alaska all her life? She's taken to the water like it was her long lost element, no matter whether pool or warm pond or ocean. She's even learning to swim just by being in the water so often!

As each new fruit comes into season, it is declared her favorite: banana, lychee, mango, guava...

We've had Easter egg hunts, beach days, several hikes and picnics, shopping days, and just hanging out at home... It's been a real treat for me to see this little girl develop and adapt and learn new things.

 

One of her absolute favorite pastimes is hunting for lizards and geckos, and we've spent many an hour wandering around the yard to see if we could find any of those elusive critters (elusive when a three-year-old is looking for them, anyway). Other often-requested activities include blowing bubbles, kicking balls, playing with blocks and animals. A rousing game of chase or hide and seek are perennial options to pass the time, and, once in a while, she'll even settle down for a book, or three, or six.

 

The kids are now settled into their own lovely home at a slightly higher elevation (think noticeably cooler temperatures). I think they have adapted well to island living. We still get together at least a couple times a week, and I get to babysit as often as I like. Some of you might be a little envious of that, but I definitely put in my time apart and I'm making the most of it!

(The first photo on this post and the one of me reading to Acacia are courtesy of Lori Hubbell Meeker. All others are mine.)

Banana Hunting

Yes, we have some bananas! Lots and lots of them, in fact!

Part of our new land was once a banana plantation. There are still remnants of that era: the old building where they used to do the cleaning and packing, for one. And, large banana patches dot the middle section of the land. These are quite overgrown yet still produce an abundance of fruit. We're slowly getting these areas cleaned up a bit. Meanwhile, we enjoy banana hunting now and then.

Bananas must be picked while they are still green but just starting to show some yellow. If you wait until they are all the way ripe, you will likely notice that the fruit rats have had a field day and the bananas will have been eaten away. Green bunches hide among the large green leaves so it's kind of like an Easter egg hunt with the "eggs" hiding overhead.

Banana plants take up loads of water and are super juicy. Although the sap runs clear--and profusely!--one must be careful to not get any on one's clothing lest it become permanently stained with a dark brown blotch wherever the sap has touched. Ask me how I know. We now have certain items that have been designated as banana-picking clothes.

It's a jungle out there! Mosquitoes abound in the dampness under the canopy. I don't even want to think about what other critters live in the rich understory, but I'll either spray liberally with bug juice or cover up with long sleeves and pants. Ready? Machete in hand, we enter the banana jungle in search of yummy deliciousness to bring home.

Score! We found some ready to harvest. To reach the bananas, we have to chop down the stalk. People are often surprised to learn that this is how bananas are harvested, but that stalk will die and need to be removed anyway. Bananas grow in clumps called mats. They are like a humongous corm that sends up multiple shoots forming the mat. The plant is more like a grass than a tree. Chop, chop, and stand back! These logs are saturated with that watery sap I mentioned earlier and therefor are super heavy. The bunches can get pretty heavy, too, especially the larger ones with many "hands" of bananas on them.

Since we have chopped down the stalk, it's now easy to reach the banana bunch. Then we can either chop the stalk into smaller logs to bring home for the pigs (they love chewing on them!) or just leave them there to decompose and feed the rest of the mat.

Now we can bring them home. We hang them by heavy wire (to avoid bruising and ants) and wait for them to fully ripen so we can enjoy the fruits of our labors! The trick is to get them at staggered stages of ripeness for a more steady supply. Looks like there will be plenty for us to indulge...

... and to share with the neighbors... and the pigs... and the chickens...

 

Banana in Hawaiian is mai'a. It was one of the canoe plants brought to the islands by the ancient Polynesians. All parts of the plant can be used, either as food or for various other things, and even that watery sap that stains has its uses. There are many varieties growing on this land. The fruits make it easy to tell them apart--taste, texture, even color, are clues--but when they're growing plants, your guess is as good as mine. I'm still learning!