Romance on the Ranch ***

"I am so lonely without Michael"

In our last blog entry, we posted a photo of the bright lime-green chameleon living in the olive tree just outside our back porch/lanai. At first we though it was an iguana, but found out she is a Jackson's chameleon - apparently the only one left because the barnyard cats seem to enjoy catching them.

Yesterday, however, our landlady invited me to "come see what the cat brought in." She'd rescued another chameleon from the cat (who thought it was a play-toy) by wrapping it up in a towel. She was planning to tuck him into the bromeliads and camellia bushes near our front door. I protested, offering to re-unite the three-horned colorful male with his  mate pining away in the olive tree.

Lunel taking Michael to the olive tree

"Mahalia - hang on, I'm coming home"

So, our family has just expanded! 
Meet the Jacksons -- Michael and Mahalia!  Of course we're reading up on their preferred habitat, food, habits, life-style and sex life.

Perhaps one of the reasons there are only two (that we have discovered) is that the babies are born as tiny creatures -- not in eggs and the offspring are often gobbled up by hungry parents. The adults can grow up to 15" and live over 10 years. They are chameleons, so spotting them up on the olive tree isn't easy, and when the local nesting hawks fly over, they quickly scurry under a branch and tuck their tails up in a tight spiral.

Phil introducing "Makenzi"

Since Lunel is fascinated with the local Hawaiian mythology concerning the Mo'o giant lizards and her six foot Mo'o sculpture is now part of the Pu'u of our property, we'll just call this a good omen.


*** HOLD THE PRESSES!!  

Just in from a trusted source The Village Voice (reporting from makai side Volcano Village)  This monogamous reptile family has turned out to be a  menage a trois! Meet the "other woman" newly arrived at the olive tree. Her name is Makenzi Jacksons. 

New Garden Art -- Mo'o

View is when you first come in the gate to our property.

"Stanley" has been protected with sprayed layers of FlexSeal

In mid June I posted the story about my wanting to create a Mo'o -- a lizard-dragon like the beings recorded in Hawaiian mythology. I included photos of the beginning process of making a mo'o sculpture.  Mo'o June Entry

CLICK  PHOtO to read about  "da silly slippa's"

Although I've never done this kind of thing before, I figured the best way to learn is to just do it!

"Stanley" (yes, he told me that was his name) now stands watch, perched high on an outcropping of lava -- visible just as you drive in the gate. This is an beautiful feature of lava that flowed (years ago) directly across what is now our driveway.

One of the issues that came up near the end of the construction was that his toes were a little vulnerable on such a rough surface. My friend in Honaunau suggested, giggling, that maybe he just needed some authentic Hawaiian "slippa's" -- so that part of the story is also included -- for giggles.

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Spirit of the Mo'o

Reptiles and serpents of all shapes and sizes have been my favorite beings since I was a little girl. I was enamored with snakes in rural Oregon; I found it delightfully devious to put them in my teachers’ desks.

As a kid, I remember reading about mythological flying creatures in my Child Craft Encyclopedia. China's flying serpents-dragons were in the oldest writings of that culture. India's "Ramayana" describes humans and their "serpent-god" ancestors, and African myths refer to dragon-like beings who brought civilization to humankind. Ancient texts from Sumer (3000 BC) describe sapient, fiery, flying serpents. There are numerous other examples from Japan, China, Australia, etc. My all time favorite has long been Quetzalcoatl of Meso-American literature. Reading Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey as a young adult was also influential.

Papermache (old phonebook) over chicken wire -- the beginning.

When we bought our retirement property in the Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii (2012), I drew out a possible design along our long driveway for landscaping -- that, not surprising, included an aptly descriptive (and prophetic?) title, "Path of the Serpent."

"So," he asked, "do I get wings?"

In Hawaiian mythology the Mo'o are the most mysterious creatures found in some of the oldest stories and are associated with a deep ancient magic. Citing from an article by Shannon Wianecki (Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine) Mo'o possess profound powers, are omniscient and are also shape-shifting beings who guard and protect fresh water pools. Most Mo'o are female, but a fierce Mo'o on Moloka'i is a male protector..

According to language experts, "the word mo'o" also refers to spine and a succession or lineage, and a mo'oleo is a story...a progression of words strung together like a vertebrae.

Recently while clearing a large section of overgrown jungle area of invasive shrubs, weeds and vines, we discovered a rather interesting deep hole (puka) in the lava that we are now shaping to become a fountain/pond feature -- and what could be more appropriate to guard it -- a six-foot long Mo'o, who now takes up residence in our spacious open-air art studio. A few days ago while I was sculpting his face, he asked if he was going to have wings which prompted a significant change in design -- but who is going to say "no" to a Mo'o...not me! (As the water feature and the Mo'o develop, we will post new pictures.)

"The Sacred Spine" - Shannon Wianecki; "Wise folks don't mess with Mo'o" - Bob Krauss; "Mo'o Dragons of Hawai'i" - Mike Limatoc, "Flying Serpents and Dragons" - R. A. Boulay

What's New?

"What's new?" OK, besides the obvious misalignment of the planets in the conjunction we call democracy....

In trying to recover from shock, we are digging, mowing, pruning, sawing, sanding and HARVESTING.

Top three photos are of our very FIRST bananas, our third harvest of limes, and the lovely blossom and fruit and flower of the Lilikoi vine (passion fruit.) We juice all our many citrus and Lilikoi to freeze in juice-cubes, keeping them in the freezer so we have our own juice nearly all year long. Look closely and you will see two pollinating bees which we treasure.

In Hawaiian culture. this is the season of LONO, beginning in October and lasting about four months. Lono is the god of agriculture and rain. Legends tell that Lono is responsible for bringing cultivated plants to Hawai'i. He is also associated with the makahiki -- a time to celebrate the hard work of farming and to enjoy the fruits of our labor -- a time of peace and recreation. (It obviously coincides with Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, and New Year.)

We thought we would share a few other things that are popping up in our yard right now -- some typical but always a few unexpected surprises.

First is one of our family of house gecko's on the front porch. Off and on we have seen 3-4 of these nocturnal efficient bug catchers. Gecko's in Hawai'i are very special because they are all related to the mythic character, the Mo'o.

Here is a LINK to some information about the Hawaiian Mo'o. Mo'o INFO. We have plans and drawings for a Mo'o sculpture Lunel wants to create to add to our landscaping.  The Mo'o will be placed where a huge outcropping of lava flowed across what is now our driveway. She plans to make it about 6-8' long.

Whatever they are called (dragons, lizards, or geckos, the Mo'o rank among Hawaii's most mysterious creatures, feature in the oldest stories and are a key to a deep and sacred magic. Locals are respectful of the variety of geckos.

The last "What's New" are some surprise mushrooms in the yard.