Backyard Farming: Spring Crop 3 '15

Office Exercise Equipment has become a temporary plant stand

Backyard farmers ( like Bruce and I) are going to have to wait a while longer before the spring planting season gets under way in the area. We came home from Hawaii, certain that all the frosts and damaging rains would behind us, and we could set out our Spring herbs. Dream on! We are having a downpour with temps expected to be below freezing by tomorrow evening. All my tender perennials along with some  little annuals  are now tucked back in the office for the weekend ). They will keep BJ company while he works on our income taxes.

Backyard farming : Winter crop 3 '15

 

Our Curly Purple Kale

South Carolina is an agricultural state.   I feel badly for the neighboring farmer.m It's been a long, cold, wet winter.

Kale farm field

Many of their winter crops like kale and cabbage are struggling to survive in muddy fields.

Our  fennel, red mustard, and ornamental cabbage.

Virtually all of our winter ornamental are planted in raised pots so we have not had to worry about drainage, but the constant warming and cooling is a different matter.  The poor plants don't know how to respond.  Our Curly Kale had to be harvested as it was trying to bolt to seed.  The ornamental cabbages on the other hand don't know whether they should bud or not. And the fennel and Red Mustard thinks it is May.  At least they are all healthy.

Ready for Spring: 3 '15

 

 Of course there are always fresh flowers and birds 

and birdhouses.

But there are also bunnies:

 lots  

and lots

 of bunnies everywhere.

Time to say Goodbye 3'15

Our final day's breakfast in Hawaii at the Kona Inn

 I (CC)  feel sad.  It's Sunday and time to go home to South Carolina..I love the Bi Island and will truly miss this place.  Plus Neither one of us are looking forward to the trip; with layovers included it will take us almost 24 hours to get home.  I hear it is still quire cold there.   Cold or not, what we are looking forward to is  sleeping in our own bed and seeing our cat again.  I have missed hearing her purring  at night when I go to sleep. 

Big Island Art Gallery Hopping 3 '15

A visit to the Big Island would not be complete with out a tour of its Art Galleries .  Much of Friday was spent seeking out former artist friends and revisiting  those galleries that have survived the strains of years of economic downturn .  While the decline in tourism has had a huge impact on the entire economy, I am happy to report, that the art community is still very much alive.  Granted,  Big Island artists may be depending more on jewelry and (suitcase art, than museum size pieces), but most  of the artists I known for the past ten years  are still showing in galleries today, and quite a few new ones are now also on the scene.

Here's a few of the art places we have visited this week .

The Volcano Art Center Gallery

This rustic cabin was once the original Volcano House Lodge, and has been preserved as a gallery displaying the art-ware of over 250 of Hawaii's finest artists and craftsmen.

The Gallery of Great Things

The Gallery of Great things bookends  one end of  Parker Square in Waimea.  As it's name suggests, the clapboard bungalow is filled with handmade wonders from the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific Rim. Part art gallery, part upscale one of a kind resale store, the quality of everything from jewelry to home decor to fine art crafts is staggering. I walked out with a pair of antique black coral earrings and the distinct feeling that I would need another full day of browsing around just to be sure I had seen all the great things they had to offer.

The Isaacs Art Center,  is a combination of art museum and retail gallery  is also in Waimea, across the street from the Gallery of Great Things.  It is housed in a building that was once waimea's first public school.   IThe Center is a part of Hawai'i Preparatory Academy and provides a venue for people to donate appreciated art and receive the benefits of a charitable donation. The mission of the Isaacs Art Center is to raise money for the benefit of HPA students while giving the community access to art and sculpture and providing students and parents living on the island a cultural learning experience. . It contains a large permanent collection of paintings, furniture, rare books, and Hawaiiana. A section of the art center operates as an art gallery, and a variety of fine Hawaiian art work is offered for sale. The funds generated by these sales are used to support the HPA Scholarship Fund.

The Dolphin Gallery  at the Kings Shops in Waikoloa  has become well known for its unique collection of marine art, unique gifts, collectible glass and fine jewelry.

Lahaina Gallery interior

The Lahaina Gallery in the Shops at Mauna Lani represent major regional and international painters.  I was happy to see they were still carrying the remaining  artwork of my late friend, Darrel Hill.

Downtown Kona

Closer to our Home base we visited the Kailua Village Artists. This is one of the oldest and longest surviving artist run galleries on the island.  It features original art created exclusively by Big Island artists.We have purchased multiple pieces of fine art craft from this group on previous trips, but they have relocated since our last visit, and we had difficulty in locating them on this trip We finally found the gallery is in a small shopping mall set back from the main drag in  downtown Kona.  It was worth the search.

This colorful shop is the gallery of my friends Mary and Mat Lovin

We saved the best for last  by setting aside all of Friday afternoon for a visit to the Holualoa Artists  enclave in the heart of the coffee growing region. This is one of my favorite places in the whole world and I was truly afraid that the death of one of its more famous artist,s and the stagnant economy, might have damaged the quaint charm of this artists colony.  

Holualoa's original post office has been turned into an art gallery

To my relief  I found art studios and local coffee  shops still occupy over two dozen historic buildings from Hawai‘i’s past.

 and tourists were still filling the streets and  the colorful shops with business.  Way go go Holualoa.!  

20th Wedding Anniversary Celebration 3 '15

Today's our Twentieth Wedding Anniversary.

It's hard to believe so much time has passed.

I'm happy to report that we are still very much in love with one another, and would do it all over again without question.

Visiting our Wedding Garden 3 "15

 Today's is Wednesday.  It's the first clear day we've had this week, so we decided to visited the seaside garden in which we got married and say our renewal vows  while it is still sunny outside.

Only a small area around the chapel retains the lush tropical landscaped the garden had when we got married. The area is now under the protection of the  State of Hawaii Historical and being preserved as a a native peoples fishing village complete with archaeological  signs explaining how native peoples used the area..  The rest of the landscaping has been removed and the grounds restored to its appearance prior to  contact with the first European  explorers and settlers.

For my part, I think it was a prettier and more interesting place when we got married there, but knowing how valuable and vulnerable coastal property is, I am glad the area is still open to the public.

Kilauea Hawaii Volcanoes NP and Black Sand Beach 3 '15

It's Tuesday and Our Big Island Adventure continues with a visit to Mauna Kilauea  in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

BJ at the Kilauea Caldera Overlook in HI Volcanoes NP

On all of our numerous previous visits to the Big Island we have spent significant time exploring the many  facets of the Volcanoes National Park.  Not this time.  A huge blizzard on Mauna Loa  has decided to blanket the entire top of the Big Island with fridge temperatures.  Neither Bruce nor I had brought  adequate outer gear to protect us against the the icy blasts of freezing wind and sleet.  So after warming up in the shelter of the Volcano House and fortifying ourselves with a hot lunch, we headed back down the mountain to the relatively warm  coast.

BJ at Punalu'u  Black Sand Beach

We stopped on the way back at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach 

where we took pictures of the green sea turtles,

KJ at Black Sand Beach

  and created another chapter in  our grandchildren's the Flat Stanley adventure .

Delaney at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

Our Big Island Adventure Continues 3 ' 15

Keahou Farmers Market

It's Monday.  We had plans on walking up the hill to the farmers market at the Keahou Shopping Center to get some fresh fruit and veggies to snack on. It's been raining off on on so we decided to drive up the hill instead. Fresh from the farm produce is one of the great joys of our visits to Hawaii, and going to the Farmers Market is  always first on our list of things to do.  We aren't going to let a little thing like rain stop us from this outing.  Hawaiian tropical fruit is ambrosia.  Papaya, pineapple, strawberries and many other fruits taste better to me in Hawaii than any place on I've been on earth.

Hilo hula school dancers

In addition to going to the  Farmers Markets for the incredibly fresh produce, we enjoy spending an afternoon just watching all the free entertainment .  This year, a local hula schools two hour performance caught our attention.  These talented young girls ( ages 5 - 13) gave one of the most professional performances we have ever seen. We took advantage of the opportunity to create another chapter in the Flat Stanley Big Island adventure for our grandkids.

 Flat  Stanley Lena  at the hula school

Our Big Island Adventure Begins 3 '15

It's Sunday and Bruce and I are exhausted.  Our plane's arrival was delayed by almost two hours due to strong headwinds.  When we did finally touch down, there were three other aircraft full of late arrval passengers all vying for the poor rental car agents attention.  Not a pleasant start, but we are both very happy to be here, and very ready to begin our adventure.

Blow hole at Kona Coast Resort.

First things first...Time to go get a Mai Tai and wander down to the beach check out the spectacular coastline.

Flat Stanley in Balboa Park 3 '15

Macie, Lena, BJ

This morning, Bruce and I had a couple of free hours available to spend in San Diego before our flight departed for Hawaii.

KJ and CC
Before we left home, CC had created a  paper doll image of each of  our eight grandchildren. We decided to spend the time in Balboa Park learning how to use the dolls to create a Flat Stanley Story.  

Lena and BJ

Good thing we did; it turned out to be a lot harder than we had anticipated to get clear  photos of the doll  with a meaningful background that would help tell a story.  We learned a lot of valuable lessons in the short practice session. And we had a good time walking around the park.

Sushi with the family 3 '15

Dylan, CC, Ryan

We had a sushi dinner with CC's daughter, Laura, and our Grandsons, Dylan and Ryan, this evening.  Wish we all had had more time to spend together.

Paying respect 3 '15

It a beautiful Spring day in Southern California.  The hills are green from last weeks rain, and the wildflowers are in bloom

We spent a nostalgic morning paying a respectful visit to loved ones.

 And then checking on their former homesteads.

We are pleased to report that all seems to be in good shape.  

Mom, Dad And Grandma would be happy to see their homes looking so good.