All In Good Time (papamanawaa)

Elsewhere in a blog entry I mentioned my favorite sign along Mango Road on the way to the ocean, swimming pond at Ahalanui and boat ramp at Pohoiki. 

4 years ago -- felling dead tree & beginning excavation 

4 years later -- the root takes its place as garden art

Although the sign is no longer physically there, it read simply, "It is only a matter of time." Being a fan of (Science) Science Fiction, black holes, dark matter, and quantum cosmology**, the message continues to make me smile. 
 (**One of our many landscaping beds is called "Cosmic Dancer."


When one of our first grand ohia trees died, we excavated a particularly sculptural, twisted root, setting it aside for possible garden art; that was four years ago. Being fond of all things reptilian, I saw its u-shape to be snake-like. I leaned it up against some lava and it sat along the driveway for over a year. 


Eventually, Phil got the idea to turn it upside down and hang a wind chime off each end -- and, since I'd not done anything with it I said, 'go for it.' Since then that heavy root has been relocated numerous times as other tasks took priority. 

Just recently, I uncovered an area of thick moss that I pulled up and saved in the greenhouse -- not knowing for sure where it would go. This week, however, I realized that our beautiful root would look wonderful as a garden sculpture covered with moss. 

The two photos above represent a visual example of how art percolates over time and how time sometimes has its own independent structure so to speak. The first photo is what this 15x12' area looked like after we had begun to whack back the invasive trees, vines and bushes. The second is what it looks like now, with the new moss covered root mounted on where an ohia tree once lived.

Pictured is another example of "all in good time" -- one of the first things we bought was a unique hybrid hibiscus called "Gabriel" -- which promptly succumbed to a common plight here in Hawaii -- leaf mites. It has been severely pruned three times and treated for three years and FINALLY (given time) it is now healthy and blooming. (I almost tossed it out numerous times.)

Note: In Feb 2012, we bought a house in Puna on the Big Island -- while on vacation without really having a plan for the future as such, or even a time table -- more an abstract image of what could be, and a deep trust in our creative power. We discovered two ideas of time in Hawaiian cosmology. The word "papamanawa:" Papa is the Earth-Mother-Goddess -- so we chose to move into the that space, allowing things to flow (while we put in the hard prep-work admittedly.) Another Hawaiian concept is a notion of "vertical time" -- when time stops because we are living in the moment of Nowness. Interesting to see both the philosophical and practical applications 

Breakfast at the "Mango Table"

The east-facing window on lanai 

"MANGO TABLE" --highly recommended stop in Puna on the Big Island" -- Not only do you have a beautiful view, service is excellent and fare is yummy and includes fresh fruit, vegies and juices from the estate, mini cranberry scones with pecans, fresh coffee just to mention a few. Be sure to schedule a leisurely visit to the "Mango Table" at the Haysmer Estate just south of Pahoa. 

As we were enjoying breakfast the other morning out on the lanai, we were remembering what this view looked like when we moved in. So, it was fun to scrounge through the old photos from February 2012 when we first saw the property.

Whirling galaxies collide in the dense mango burl

First of all the lanai was something we decided to build onto the existing house and is complete with wicker furniture, lots of plants and art, and of course, our cedar hot tub at the other end.

The mango table, however, has its own interesting story: After Hurricane Iselle a few years ago, a dear friend had a fund raiser to help her repair her badly damaged roof. This five foot slab of mango was one left over from another friend (on our street) who had just finished building her new home. We bid on it -- and after taking it home, Phil worked his magic on it to bring out all the glorious details of the mango burl.

Pictured below with three composite photos are views of our east side property 2012 and now.

No grass, no landscaping, no lava beds -- just dry red cinder and a bucket for compost: What potential!!

This photo is exactly what we see out the window, taken four years later, after a lot of hard work.

**** - Just to clarify (for blog visitors who may not know) the "Mango Table" is a private residence, not open to the public, but generally a great meeting place for any and all of our friends and ohana.

Wood Art by Phil

Phil's love of wood goes back to his relationship with his grandfather, a superb wood craftsman and builder who owned the last steam driven sawmill in Michigan. That love of wood has followed him throughout his life, as a sculptor, art teacher, and wood artist.

During our 22 years living in Eureka, Phil was always creating art in wood where it sold at our gallery -- Many Hands (still) located in the heart of Old Town Eureka (Humboldt County.)

Now that we have retired to the Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii, Phil has had a lot of fun experimenting with many of the local woods like koa, kamani and mango -- just to name a few.

Hawaiian Reef Fish - This past year Phil has been making a series of Hawaiian Reef Fish out of local wood.  Here's a picture of some of Phil's fish. Phil's art is at a lovely gallery in Hilo called One Gallery which is located on Kamehameha Street, right on the bay front.

Fish patterns vary widely depending on available wood and sizes are 3-5" by 6-8" - Price $29 (plus $5 shipping)

Temple Gates -Recently has been creating "Temple Gates" which he made in redwood while we lived in Humboldt.  Now, of course he is using local woods like KOA, MILO, OHIA, KAMANI, and MANGO just to name a few.  Please read the text to learn a little more about them.  (Wood patterns will vary - Price $195 -- Shipping $12)

If you would like to make a purchase you can inquire by posting a "comment" (below) and we will get back to you right away.  (most of our local tribe know how to reach us) MAHALO

FISH ON!!

Great variety of fish to choose from -- Each fish is about $28 (Larger pieces by commission.)

Wood Shop Assistant, "Princess I'ilani"

Announcing a new line of wood creations by Phil.  Phil draws each fish by hand from reference material and cuts them using a band saw.  He uses a fine Japanese carving tool for the details.  Lunel helps by attaching hangers and applying their names on the backside.

Mango Table and Rainbow View

Big smile for a BIG six-foot mango slab

Well, of course there is a story about our new mango table.  And, it's a really good one to illustrate the aloha spirit as well.  During a recent storm (which was actually 1/2 a hurricane) a friend and neighbor had trees fall on her charming au-naturale tree house overlooking two acres of jungle garden.  The repairs to the structure were significant, so several friends decided to host a fund raising party for her with guests donating lovely things for an auction. 



A good friend who just completed her new hale on Luana (just a few doors away) had a remaining mango slab which she donated, and when Phil and I saw it, we knew right where it belonged -- as a bar-height table in our new lanai!  So of course we agreed to outbid anyone else, and were delighted to bring it home. 

A whole universe of swirling galaxies collide majestically on our mango table top!

Under Phil's artistry, the true beauty of the wood slowly emerged after sanding, filling holes, and killing the remaining termites (to be expected.)  He used several layers of spar varnish; the top layer was a matte finish.  We found charming wood bar stools on line that are a perfect match, and now we have yet another exceptional place to enjoy our coffee -- overlooking the northeast view of our yard.

A real photo from our yard of a real rainbow!

Historic Note:  The window behind Phil is one that used to be in his grandma's house and cast rainbows on his bed where he took a nap.

Oh!  And, the rest of the story?  The "roof raising" gala event managed to provide our friend with enough money to cover the cost of materials AND labor!   Mahalo to Karin for an opportunity to have a great party, and to Helena who donated the slab...and to Phil for his consummate skills.

Blue Heaven On The Skin

Yesterday I took myself down Pahoa-Pohoiki Road (better known by locals as Mango Road) to Ahalanui Park for a late afternoon  swim at the warm pond there on the edge of the ocean. 

The full moon was awesome last night, the water...ahh, just the temperature of my skin.  For this child-of-water, the experience is indescribable.  "Floating between" sky and earth, I cannot tell where my body ends and the water begins.  I am suspended and surrounded in a bliss of well-beingness.


At one time I might have said, "I have waited all my life to be here."  But the truth is that every single step along the way has brought me to this place of nurture, warmth and magic.  As curved waves break over the edge of the lava and pour into the pond, I am swept by unseen currents and my body rises and falls rhythmically.

I see tourists coming down with their cameras to take a picture of it, but they do not get in, and "click" they are gone.  This is "to experience."  Those who have had the privilege know; those who have not -- well, how can you even explain it.  So, after a year of satisfying "labor" (on house, ohana, yard, and garden) my muses are again calling to me to ??  somehow express and articulate (with my own artist's voice) the wonder I feel.

While it is certainly womb-like, all movement is completely unrestricted.  I feel both strongly connected to the earth, but suspended under the blue sky, I also feel my connection to the heavens and beyond.  At dusk, I float, arms extended, my right hand holds the sun, and the moon is cradled in my left hand.  I am an orb.  My dear Priestess of Poetry, Sherri Rose-Walker, once read me a new poem that contained the phrase "blue heaven on the skin" -- and I stopped breathing!  How aptly those five words captured how it feels to be in the living water.  While a photo or painting might capture the "image" I cannot stop there; I am driven to express how this experience FEELS.

It's AUGUST!!

Mango Road, Warm Ponds

We just finished our 12th week of construction on the really cute ohana, and are really seeing the end of the project, probably 95% done by Lunel's birthday on the 14th -- and this year she turns 65!!

Yesterday and today we did a primer coat of paint on all the dry wall surfaces in the entire apartment!  Phil was also busy painting trim for finishing up the windows inside AND painting our new front door.  (Watch for a picture of the new door soon.)

Lunel did most of the wall sanding and painting today, and then also went around and scraped up dried dry wall mud and vacuumed all the floors so next week the bamboo flooring can go in.

So by 4pm today the "reward" was a drive to the ocean!  And, it really is just a short one too.  In just 10 minutes we are at the ocean, and could swim right there, or we can drive 4 more minutes down to the warm ponds that are heated by steam vents below the surface.

To get their, we just make one right turn at the end of our block, and another left turn that takes us down "Mango Pohoiki Road" -- and this time of year YES, there are mangoes laying on the ground on either side for anyone to pick up and have a juicy treat on the way!