FEBRUARY -- FOR THE BIRDS!! (ignore the typos please)

 

Life and Death on the Big Island

 
                                                                                                                               SEE LAVA

The Little Things

 

January in Volcano Hawaii

 

Radical Orchid Root Therapy

 

A January Visit with the Haysmers

 

Practicing Normality

Our healing view of ocean from yesterday's outting

In the midst of the obvious chaos of our lives, the last couple of days we have tried to focus on "practicing normality." Attending to the business of medical tests, making doctors appointments for Lunel's health and well being, getting insurance forms completed, working with inspectors, adjusters and -- buying underwear and a toaster oven...life has been a bit crazy.

Our new Hawaiian host family have been unbelievable gracious in letting us share their kitchen for group meals and we have been taking turns with prep and clean up. Phil bought a dog pooper-scooper and walks the 3/4 acre property doing doggy-duty -- for a total of seven furry family members. They have nearly completed an additional 300 sf of screened in space that allows us to have some fresh air in our tiny room -- so we six (us and corgyn) are not all so tightly packed.

Yesterday, our Exercise In Normality was to drive down to the ocean -- NOT an area where lava is involved and set up chairs and just b-r-e-a-t-h-e in the fresh sea breeze. The dogs are used to a full one acre area to romp in, but here, we are taking them out every couple hours for a walk around the grounds which include a small hydroponic garden, small orchard and surprising sprays of orchids.

Lunel in bottom left -- surrounded by all her girlfriends

If you are visiting our BLOG for the first time -- the latest images of the corner of Leilani and Luana (where our house was - scroll down a few entries...) is now a 20 foot deep lake of lava. (we are not putting those on this blog entry again) In the last few days 200' foot high fountains of molten lava have been shooting up right at what was our corner of Luana and Leilani. Lava continues to follow its own course covering acres and homes on the way to the ocean.
Link #1 to our corner of Luana and Leilani 
Link.  #2 what was our corner Luana & Leilani.

FOR NOW: Although we are homeless, living out of a few bags and boxes, we have been the recipients of amazing generosity -- clothes, gift cards to Home Depot and Amazon and the Go-Fund-Me account that was set up for us by Astra (present owner of Many Hands in Eureka.) Lunel was gifted with a small box of jewelry which she wore on Tuesday night to her "Girlie Girl" night -- a tremendous support network for her.

Pua in Pots & Plates

PUA means flower in Hawaiian -- over a dozen are blooming right now.

Our new dishes have a LEI of PUA around the edge

We made a recent trip into Hilo Town to tackle a long list of stops including our dentist where we each had appointment.  After several hours, hungry, we stopped at one of our favorite Thai restaurants.  As we passed by we notice a sign in a pawn shop that said 50% of everything.  Since we didn't even know a pawn shop was there, we sauntered after lunch to have a look-see.

The building itself was a little mysterious, and each room seemed to open out into yet another space which lead to another room, etc.  It was a little like visiting one of our favorite antique stores in Old Town Eureka.  After poking around for a while, I found a set of dishes that was very pretty.  Of course we already have an adequate (if boring) set for eight (which we got at a garage sale. ) There was no price on the box -- and it was a FULL set of 12!!   I figured it would probably be a few hundred dollars -- BUT one thing I have learned -- ASK.

So, I did, and was shocked to find out they only wanted $50.00 for the whole set.  My response was easy ...."SOLD"    Today, as I was cleaning them all, and packing up the old boring dishes, I noticed what a profusion of orchids were blooming -- and how beautifully they went with our new dishes.  The remaining problem is -- just what does one DO with 12 small matching cups and saucers -- since we all use BIG mugs for our beverages nowadays.

Booming With Blooms

Island boy at Wailoa Center

When we retired and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii a couple years ago, we left an beautiful well-established Victorian garden we had lovingly tended for over 20 years.  The loss we felt over leaving has been replaced by the delight of our new land and landscape as we work to terraform forest and jungle into garden.

In developing our new garden in the Puna district, we've had a ton of fun buying a whole new pallet of bright unusual plants.  Over a year ago we purchased some unique bromeliads and right now, they are sending up stocks of blooms which will open soon.

In the meantime for Mother's Day, I received this amazing orchid with long, long whiskery lips or lobs.  Many of the orchids we have purchased in the past two years have surprised us by blooming again.  In Humboldt County we never bothered with orchids; too much fuss.  Here, we keep a couple trays filled with them out under the ohia trees and do nothing to them except wait for them to bloom, them bring them into the house to enjoy.

We recently visited one of the local galleries in Hilo at Wailoa Center for their fiber art show.  Although there were a couple of quilts, the other entries utilized a wonderful variety of both man made and natural fibers.

TWO DAYS LATER...I went out to weed around some other 4 1/2 foot tall giant bromeliads (which must be done with care as their razor edges can leave you bloodied) I found yet ANOTHER hidden bloom (close-up artfully adapted.)  So, for our 29th Anniversary, we had to walk around the whole yard -- looking down into the intimacies of all our plants!

July Bloomers for Boomers

One of the first plants we purchased was a Queen Emma Lily, planting it in honor of our mid-90 year old friend Emma who lives in Ukiah, CA.  In her younger years, she made Hawaii a frequent vacation spot.  The blooms are explosions of pale pink and white blossoms.

Shortly after we moved to the Puna district of the Big Island, we also bought some orchids at the local Maku'u Market that were 10 for $10.00, most of which were not blooming, so as they do, it is always a surprise.  We didn't buy many because I've always felt orchids were to fussy for me to deal with.  At first, attempting to be a dutiful gardener, I faithfully watered and fed them, moving them around to try and find the perfect place for them, waiting for them to bloom, forgetting the words of the buyer who said, "the secret to orchids is simply patience."  (Who me?)

Rotating orchids from woods to house.

Wild "bamboo orchids" in the yard

Not having much "success" I relocated the lot of them -- over two dozen up to a woodsy area dappled with filtered light and always accessible to the rain.  And, guess what, one after another have bloomed, usually a couple each month.  And that after having ignored them solidly for about 5 months!

Then, there are the sweet, wild orchids growing on what looks like bamboo -- hence the common name of "bamboo orchids."  These volunteers grow everywhere -- this clump (one of many) in our yard is about 6' tall.

Blooming Orchids

Back in August I wrote a post about "surprise orchids" and about buying some unidentified orchids at Maku'u Market -- 10 for $10.00.  And, I mentioned the orchid grower's "secret of orchids" -- PATIENCE.  So, when the flower spikes started coming on some weeks ago, I promised photos of them.

Are these the most amazing orchids you will ever see? Surely not, but they are some of our first,  and that makes them special.  They look like tiny little hula dancers -- wearing traditional Kapa cloth, and they are only about as big as my thumb.

There are other things growing as well.  We have two hills of bromeliads, and many of the bromides have "pups" coming up along the main plant.  Several of our hibiscus, though small, have blooms, and the citrus trees have large sections of beautiful bright green leaves.

Here's a close-up of the orchid "faces" and a photo of hula dancers wearing traditional Polynesian Kapa cloth. 

"Secret to Orchids"

Some time in early spring we met an orchid vendor at the Maku'u Market where we get our fresh fruits, vegetables and plants every Sunday morning.  He was selling orchids 10 for $10.00 which seemed like a good deal -- except NONE of them were in bloom!  And, we have been waiting and waiting for them to bloom.  A few weeks ago, he asked us if we wanted to know the "secret to orchids" and of course we said yes.  He want on to explain that the "secret to orchids was patience!"  So, we returned home and promptly forgot about them as the construction for Phil's wood shop and the second story ohana was in full swing.  This week....after looking in the other direction for weeks, we discovered that THREE of them have shoots that will soon produce blossoms...and we have no idea what they will be.  They should be in bloom for the arrival of our ohana/friend, Cheryl and they will look beautiful in the newly completed unit.