May 21, May 22, May 23
Tuesday, May 21
got up 6 am
bushwacked for about 2 hours the area to the right of “Max” (aka Big Max, the 7×7 garden shed from Home Depot).
We went to talk to John Silverstrone to say hello. He shared 3 chyotes (sp?) that we ate, edible ginger sprouts, a chyote fruit to plant, cinnamon/purple basil, Okinawa spinach, and almost two hours. After so much time in the sun, we were ready to go back to Max and shed the hot work clothes and get hats and water. On our way back to Max, we met and chatted with Andrew, a native Hawaiian who lives in front of John and Lala. He and his family want to grow their own food and build their own home. They have lived here for two years. His wife is Ginger and daughter is Konalee. He has a son that lives/watches his other house in town. His 12 year old daughter goes to a charter school in Kapoho, near the warm pools, the place with beautiful sculptural gates, near Martin (who loaned us the truck).
We got a ride into Kurtistown with a Latin American couple. Got the mail (it was stamped May 22!, meaning it would have been sent back on that day), stamps and a PO Box application. We had lunch at the Kurtistown Cafe (rice noodles with eggplant and spring rolls, $8). Then we walked from Ktown to the top of Hawaiian Acres’ 8 road. A very nice lady gave us a ride to the community center, and even though it was only 1:45pm, the center was closed. Luna gave us a ride from the center to our place. We purchased a small bunch (7) apple bananas from her.
On our property, we decided to explore the third lot. We found several grassy places that are swamp like–more water there than any other place we know about. Rachel fell on the lava, in a swamp area, but recovered quickly. (Another testimony from the day before was that Mark pulled an orchid stem out of his gloved hand w/o any blood and was able to move on and keep working.) We kept on exploring and eventually found our way to Max from the Southeast side of Max. We decided to clear ferns around the Ohia Lui trees in front of Max. In just a few hours, maybe only hour, we cleared about a twenty foot circle, maybe more.
We put water in one of the showers and both had a cold shower. brrr! the day was warm enough, but the water was still cold. It was good to shower though, as we both really needed it!
Once inside Max, we had a dinner of walnuts and craisins, and water. Got to sleep around 8 or 9?
Wednesday, May 22
Up at 7. I said that I wanted to go to a place to plug in so we could hear the church service that started in one hour. We did make it to the Kurtistown Park/Wai Puna Water with 4 minutes to spare! We enjoyed the service and even submitted a testimony!
After the service, Mark left to hitch a ride to Keaau to get a water container from Ace. In the store, Ellen overheard Mark share about his need to get to Hawaiian Acres and she offered a ride from Ace to Ktown to get water to Hawaiian Acres–very generous! Thank you God! Ellen is a Hawaii community college librarian and a native/invasive tree expert. She got us to 6 and F, and we walked from there to our property. In the bushes, along the way, we spotted a children’s painting easel which will require a lot of cleaning, but eventually, it may make a good sandwich board.
After putting the 6 gallon water jug and the easel on our property a ways in, we turned around again to go to the community center to pay our dues and get the laptop so it can access the free wifi that is in and around the building.
Between being at the park and the hour afterwards and the short time in the community center, we charged the cellphone and computer completely. Yay! From the center, we got a ride to Kurtistown. We stopped into a solar store and Mark talked to Kawika for a while. Jerome called back and Rachel chatted with him. Next time we are available to visit him, plums are in season on his property.
We hitched a ride to Keaau to get some food supplies. First, we went to the natural foods store and bought a shampoo that Rachel wanted. Then food from the farmer’s market across the street that is there daily. The venders are all Asian women, maybe about 6 of them?, plus some cooked food and a thrift store (a purple tank for Rachel and a snorkeling mask).
We bought two bags of fruit, veggies (1 pineapple, 1 bunch of apple bananas, 5 strawberry papayas, tomatoes, sprouts, carrots, and two cucumbers). We also tried lychee from one stand and they pointed to a lychee tree just across the parking lot, so we got two more from the ground. There was another fruit that we sampled, about tennis ball size, very soft, very (green or brown) smooth skin, very sweet inside, but very gluey skin, not sure of it’s name.
Armed with our fruit and our computer backpack, we walked along the road again, thumbing our way home. 3 vehicles later, we were back home. Ralph (a cermisist and house painter) took us from the top of Hawaiian Acres to the end of the paved road, and Dennis (who owns a backhoe and hammer) took us from the 8 road to the 6 road. He charges $175 with no delivery charge.
Back on our property again, we carried the water and food on the 1/2 mile path to Max. We took two tubs out of the box that our bed is on and reorganized our clothes, and put the suitcases inside the box. We decided that we will cut the closet rod that we have to fit length wise so that it doesn’t have to be at an angle inside Max. Utilizing the whole rod to hang our clothes will make it easier to have access to our clothes. Right now, we have just been hanging somewhat damp work clothes. Soon, I will be ready to do my first load of handwashing! We still need to string up the tarp and funnel rainwater into the barrel we got and put up the line for drying.
Dinner was 1 1/2 sandwiches each! Tomato, cucumber, sprouts on bread from Al’s Market. They were soo good! We also had one of our papayas. Tomorrow’s breakfast will be more papayas. 4 of the 5 got soft very fast :)! Good night! Time to brush our teeth :)!
May 23
up at 6 am
Read the Christian Science Bible lesson (before breakfast!)
Ate the four remaining strawberry papayas–they were sooo good! Our second breakfast was the whole bunch of apple bananas. Lunch was a salad with carrots, cucumber, tomato, sprouts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.
From 7:15am – 4:00pm, we continued working on the “front yard” area in front of Max. We cleared most of the puna rose and ferns from the high area that Max is on. The few puna rose we kept are pruned specifically so we can use the trees to hang things on. The edge of the clearing is a beautiful semi circle in front of Max.
At 4 pm, I remembered that there was a meeting at the community center, but I couldn’t remember what the meeting/gathering was. We showered with warm water and Rachel washed her hair for the first time since Sunday (when we were in CA).
We learned that it takes four minutes to walk from our clearing along the path to the road. We made it to the meeting (it is a road meeting) and we brought our dinner (same ingredients as lunch with avocado mixed in). As I have been typing, Mark made the salad, and they have been having the meeting. Mark and I are in the kitchen. Educational for us.
Tomorrow’s breakfast: ripe pineapple!! We’ll be heading to Ace Hardware for their Memorial Day sale. We’ll be buying shovels, a rake, pitchfork, large wash basins, hangers, and a bunch of other things.
Much love to all!!
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