Mele Kalikimaka!

The only way we know it's nearly Christmas is that the Poinsettia are blooming.
Mele Kalikimaka!

Ripe coffee cherry on the neighbors' farms looks like Christmas too.

In September, Mark's Aunt Louise visited from Washington, DC.
Here we are enjoying the farm market in Hilo, on the other side of the island.

Django enjoyed a few days at Paws University while we traveled to Hilo.

October 23 was the first anniversary of Kate's knee replacements.
We hiked down the steep Pololu Valley trail. And back up!

Pololu Valley is lovely.

Django made new friends at the Pololu Valley black sand beach.

Swimming in November!
Mark demonstrates how NOT to go off the water slide.

We started a small business growing herbs.
Captain Cook Farm Fresh Island Rosemary on the local grocery shelf.

The garden is full of green things - bananas

And avocados

And bright green Jackson's Chameleons

To shining sea

And a black-crowned night heron

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Mostly August doings

 Welcome to the jungle/'scuse me while I kiss the sky--the clouds came down to meet us when tropical storm Flossie came through.

Flossie was thankfully overrated, but I realized the Weather Channel warnings are too--this palm looks like it's being lashed by gale force winds, when it probably 10-15 mph.

 One of our better sunsets

The typical Friday night picnic crowd...

...some have more important things to do

 Mom and Dad came for a great 10-day visit, here we took a tour boat down the coast...

 ...to Kealekekua Bay, famous for the Little Grass Shack song, and Captain Cook's swan song. Our house is 2/3 up  on the right.

Helicopter ride, mom's trying to tell us she can't hear the audio--too late!

 The pilot multitasked incredibly. Besides flying 6 passengers and giving a running commentary he answered questions and may have been running the onboard video they shoot of each flight--from multiple cameras

 Mauna Loa volcano--Mauna Kea is behind us as we fly between them

 After passing the active Kilauea volcano we saw new lava hitting the surf--some immediately falls apart into black sands while the rest creates new land. The whole island is less than a million years old!

Is this a guy in a bowler hat, or an out-take for an Absolut vodka ad? (Farmland near Hilo on the east side)

Much later back home--last Saturday--I spotted a flotilla of outrigger canoes paddling down at the coast--5 or 6 rowers per canoe. It was a race 5-6 miles down the coast to the Captain Cook monument and back to place of refuge!

Hokulea, green things and other travels

We went down to Hookena Beach for a swim, and were surprised to see Hokulea arriving. This traditional Polynesian double-hulled sailing canoe is traveling through the Islands this summer, and will embark on a sailing trip around the world the next four years. Here's the crew performing the Hokulea Ha'a (bent knee dance). After the welcoming ceremonies, we swam out to the boat for a close look.

Hokulea at Hookena Beach

This beautiful green fellow is a Jackson's chameleon in our avocado tree.

The new green roof is up, it's still rainy season, and we're dry!

More green stuff. Making pesto!

July 4 in Kailua-Kona, fireworks
reflecting on water and framed by palm trees.

Mark went back to Ohio for a few days, as his mother was ill.
I flew to Portland, Oregon, for my nephew's wedding on Mt Hood.

I got to see my new great-nephew, Grayson.

And all my sisters. Do we look like great-aunts and grandmother?

Thankfully, Mark's mother recovered quickly.
He joined me and my family in Oregon and Washington.
Here we are by the White Salmon River.

Back home, the garden is thriving. Tomatoes would like
to take over!

New bananas forming. So odd looking!
We have six more bunches of bananas coming.

Bok Choy and strawberries. The mulch is macadamia nut hulls.

Mango salsa and a recent harvest

Home sweet home

The Price of Paradise

Metal roofs require paint to prevent rust. Prior to painting, it is necessary to pressure wash. Unfortunately, pressure washing loosened the old dirt and rust, causing about 16 leaks. And rainy season kicked in. Buckets and towels everywhere. Mark cleaned and patched and cleaned and patched. Got it down to 2 or 3 leaks. Finally resorted to plastic sheeting and duct tape, and called in the professionals. Turns out capillary action where the roof sections overlap causes incessant moisture. The next roof won't have overlaps.

Notice the clean/dirty areas. The dark color is volcano ash.
The dark cloud is VOG - smog from the volcano.

It's a high roof, but relatively flat.

Perched up in the trees.

Help is on the way!

Here's a colorful and friendly fellow. Jackson's chameleon.

There are no rabbits in Hawaii. So I brought Grandma's rabbit.

My other Grandmother's rocking chair, outside on the lanai.
Much appreciated by the farm cat, Spook.

Paws University, where Django will stay when we travel.

Jungle kitty, Tigger.

We took a break from patching and mopping, to attend the Big Island Jazz 

and Blues Festival at Mauna Kea Resort. We got to hear Delfaeyo Marsalis 

on trombone. After the first set, a blessing was offered, with an a capella 

rendition of "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" sung in Hawaiian.