Bamboo Babes

Artists: Lunel, Jane and Jennifer

We began the background  using the wall of our house

Our friend Jane had the brilliant idea of creating a free-hanging canvas/mural for Thanksgiving. She and her  partner Doug, are currently in the process of  building their house (The "Jungelo") just down the road from us here in Leilani Estates.

While they are building their house, they have small out buildings they use for a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping. Part of the house has a roof, parts are covered with canvas, so the entertainment area is open to the beautiful surrounding jungle and forest. Our April 26, 2017 blog talks about "two friends who live near a crater" - that's Jane and Doug!  Life on the Edge

Hanging from bamboo pole

Jane's inspiration was to enhance that outdoor experience with a mural to hang in the front open area of their structure. She wanted an impressionistic look -- of bamboo and foliage.

"Bamboo Babes" done painting

The first use was for Thanksgiving dinner. Jane and a local chef have developed -- a "Jungle to Table Supper Club" that will present monthly epicurean  feasts serving local produce. For this gathering the mural will hang in the entry way and serve as a "wall" for their house -- which currently does not have walls.

To learn more about the Supper Club: Info on Jungle-To-Table-Supper-Club  
You can also check them out on Facebook.   Facebook: Jungle-to-Table

Beautiful view from driveway after dinner

Our local ohana (family) for Thanksgiving

Save the Monarchs!

Brown and Green Anole

Butterfly atrium installation

Seems like these days everyone is trying to save something. Used to be endangered species, but lately, there are massive efforts to save the free press, environment, health even democracy.

This week I am choosing something small, immediate and in my control to focus on instead.

Our blog on February 3, 2017 About our Monarchs provided great photos of one Monarch emerging from a chrysalis. Since then we have witnessed lots of egg laying, many caterpillars, and fewer chrysalis. At first we thought birds, but never really saw any around the Monarchs' favorite Crown Flower plant.

Watching more closely, we have determined it was actually some of our typical Hawaii reptiles!!  The ANOLE -- which are not the more recognizable geckos. These are actually small lizards who emigrated from elsewhere, around the 1950's with thousands of non-native species introduced from around the world.

New hatch of eggs produces many caterpillars

Top hinges to add caterpillars, and allow butterflies to escape

In an effort to protect our Monarch population, we decided to build a screened in butterfly atrium.

Today after construction, we slid the unit down over rooted cuttings of Crown Flower -- the leaves being the food source for caterpillars. After sliding open the top, we carefully transferred close to two dozen caterpillars into the "nursery."  As they mature and eat the leaves, we can easily slide cut branches down into the cage.

Update: 3 days later the larger caterpillars are already creating chrysalis, and we are having to add new leaves as the two dozen caterpillars are eating so much so fast!

Update: week later -- LOTS of chrysalis forming -- enough to share with local classrooms. Thanks to monarchwatch.org I learned how to tie off the chrysalis and place them into jars to watch the emerging butterflies.

This week's HAPPY colors!

I am a color junkie. I suffer sensory overload in a fabric store and have been known to steal paint chips. I always thought I would like a job naming paint colors. Well, this week's colors are....

Pantone 585U, 381U, 386U, 345U... huh?
Don't you think they need appropriate NAMES!

Amazing bananas and avocados abound, and orchid cactus are blooming and even compliment the billowy fabric ceiling in the lanai.

A friend asked for help in painting a 9x12' fabric mural to hang up for Thanksgiving, and we also had fun painting tables and benches --- in some of the same colors.

Phil harvesting limes

We had a relatively dry summer and were considerably under normal rainfall, but in the last three weeks have had some flashy storms and good long rains -- the garden is loving it. And, there's every shade of GREEN imaginable n

Leilani Estates is a very quiet neighborhood, occasional dogs, lawn mower, or toot-toot of the UPS truck. I don't use music - just the birds. Working with the land I am able to just turn off my thoughts; it is so peaceful, rejuvenating and healing. Just this week I've planted trees, flowers, ground covers, dozens of colorful ti plants.


Politically, in contrast to this vibrancy, this year looks and feels like some kind of really awful, sickly unnameable color! Trying to read and understand current events in America and throughout the world has been difficult. It has been a challenge to not clinch up in anger, frustration or fear, and I have spent an extra number of hours beautifying nearly the whole acre. We are so THANKFUL for this blessed home; has become a sanctuary - a healing place for soul and spirit. This 'aina is truly a living land!

Wishing you and yours 
a whole WEEK of giving thanks!

A Rose is a Rose Except When It's Not

"Confederate Rose"

Here in the Puna District on the Big Island, some people do seem to have success with certain kinds of roses. I never did when we lived in Eureka (the green county of Humboldt) on the chilly, grey coastline of the Pacific, so I never got very attached to the idea of having roses. Here, where the average rainfall is 140 inches annually I’m not much inclined to even try.

Phil with last night's and this morning's "rose" 

That being said, who wouldn't want a flower like this? It is called a “Confederate Rose” and our first ones are blooming right now. Like my Bat Flower, I got small starts from a friend and cared for them tenderly in the greenhouse for over two years. This is the first time they have bloomed. 

Native to China, "Confederate Rose" obviously isn't a rose, but a species of hibiscus (Hibiscus mutabilis).

Confederate Rose Quilt, 1850. Made by Lucy Jane

 Fowlkes Nunnelee and daughters

According to legend, it gets its name from the flowers soaking up the blood spilled on Confederate battlefields. It is widely thought that ladies gave these flowers to Confederate soldiers returning home from the war.

Although there are many forms, with either single or double flowers, the classic version looks like this. Showy blooms, 4 to 6 inches wide, appear in fall. They open white, fade to pink during the day and finally end up bright pink or red. You'll often see all three colors on the same plant.

(Some info from southernliving.com)