On May 28, 2008 I wrote my first post for this blog. I started out writing only as a way to document my journey on this acre of lava for myself, family and a few friends. Over the past two years, my blog has evolved through cooking, traveling, gardening, and story-telling. No longer do I always regale you with my tales of woe in trying to make something grow on lava (only sometimes).
In the next year, I plan to do posts on a variety of topics, and may expand out of my “comfort zone.” Some of you are right here in Hawai`i and have seen the sights I write on, while others seem fascinated with reading of the culture we have here.
I’ve been considering my options. In the meantime, I hope each of you will tell me what areas you’d like to hear about that I haven’t touched yet.
It’s always time to plant here, but I haven’t had the chance to really concentrate on it lately. With the springs semester finished and graduation over, I’ve been enjoying my time with soil and seed.
The plastic containers that had contained Costco cherries, tomatoes, blueberries, and other berries had small holes to allow the water to seep through. I put a coffee filter in the bottom of each one, then filled them with potting soil.
Saved fudgesicle sticks made good markers. The lids of the containers protect the seeds and future seedlings from birds and other critters, while letting the sun get through. It’s easy to sprinkle them with water.
I’ll keep you posted on their growth (or non-growth)! I’m trying to keep an optimistic attitude.
My list: zucchini, yellow squash, patty pan squash, acorn squash, kabocha, tomatillos, fennel, thai peppers, cauliflower, artichokes, roma tomatoes, eggplant, kale
One of my ways of getting students out of their desk seats is to require a “gift to the community,” what we might call a service project. Some of them serve meals to the homeless, others help to clean up our beaches. Each team of students gets to choose what their project will be, then they share their photos of what they did with the class.
These two students helped one of our local schools by shoveling compost and working in the school garden. This collage shows only a few of their photos of the hard work they did that day.
It’s been a long week! I needed to get grades completed and posted. Then yesterday was graduation, and you’ll hear more about that later this week.
One spot where I love to sit with a cup of coffee or tea is this old ohia log my kids placed here a few years ago. It’s at a good height for a bench and there’s a little table nearby.
This next week will be spent in finally planting seeds and trying to get my vegetable gardening in some sort of repair.
Today, the ohio is in bloom, the bees are buzzing, my agapanthus is starting to open up, all the geraniums are in full brilliance. Do I really need an excuse to sit, relax and catch up with myself before the work begins?
Right away, I headed for the food booths. I know how delicious Pahala foods can be! The 4-H booth served beef plate lunches from home-grown beef.
Typical local-style plate lunch is a meat, “two scoop” rice, and macaroni salad.
Dane and Terri Shibuya are good friends. Dane is the Community Policeman for Ka’u District. They are also owners and operators of Masazo’s Pig Farm.
Their oldest daughter was missing in this Shibuya family photo, because she is on the mainland working on a graduate degree. Their daughter Brandi was First Princess of the Ka’u Coffee Festival.
After a huge plate lunch, it’s time for dessert!
Is that a “shave ice” he has?
Honu`apo, a local beach also known by some as Whittington Beach, had their own booth . . .
. . . and the women working the booth showed off their beautiful shirts. The profits go to return the beach to its original state.
New plans are underway to continue renovation of Honu`apo. For a previous post about Honu`apo, click here.
There will be a special ho`olaule`a (festival) on Labor Day Weekend, 2010 at Honu`apo to celebrate. Watch for more information.
The Coffee Festival brought out folks from all over the island, and probably elsewhere.
Inside the exhibit hall . . .
. . . various coffee growers had their coffees on display and available for tasting.
There were also displays of foods by local culinary students and chefs.
Be sure to look at the slideshow at the end to see each of these individually, and read the names of the dishes. It’s too bad they weren’t available for tasting! I’d love to have some of these recipes.
Other booths featured crafts, some decorated with traditional Hawai`ian designs . . .
. . . and various items made from coffee bags. Ka’u coffee is quickly taking over the Kona monopoly in flavor. If you get a chance, be sure to try some.
I had a chance to visit with my friend, Kazu, who caught me up on various other people who had been members of my church there in Pahala.
There were “choke” (plenty) food booths. You can tell the people of Ka’u love to eat!
Anywhere else, we might call it all “ethnic foods,” but here it’s just “local.”
Here is a luscious display of local Ka’u produce. The weekly farmers’ market is usually loaded with wonderful fruits and veggies, homemade breads and more.
No gathering in Hawai`i is quite complete without a good local band.
Pahala is a small sugar plantation village. When I moved there in early 1996, the plantation had been closed less than two years. They seem to have rallied over the years. If you are driving around the Big Island, be sure to stop and visit this historical spot.
To see individual pictures of all these photos, view this slideshow.
