Wordless Wednesday

Water Hyacinth

Just began to bloom in our pond. Perfectly timed, as my older daughter arrives for a visit tomorrow. 

Her visit is perfectly timed as well. These past few months have been lovely in ways I have never known. That said,  I miss my son and daughters and need to feel that sweet, safe familial bond again. 

Realizations and conclusions about extended family these last four months since my mainland trip have leveled me some. Amazing how different people and situations look with the blinders off.

When one lives a life of mostly-solitude, it's fascinating what bubbles up. Spooky, even. Even so, I am a very fortunate menopausal old broad, to have the luxury of just being. Especially these days.

Wordless Wednesday

Tacca chantrieri /Bat flower

'Round Here

Pua Kenekene 

Breadfruit/Ulu

Guadua Bamboo

Meyer Lemons

Avocado

Lychee 

Hilo Hibiscus

As seen in the auto parts store parking lot, of all places. I sure do love this town.

Wordless Wednesday

The Week in Review

In pictures. Happy Aloha Friday!

Malabar Chestnut, devoured. Tasty little buggers. Cashew-like, but crisper.

Almond milk, banana, fig, and macadamia nut smoothie. Before-water aerobics fortification.

Sandy girl...

Dawn from the lanai.  Best time of the day in East Hawaii.

And a few more orchid shots. Worked at the greenhouse a bit yesterday.

Aloha Friday

Big yawn from Kea... Such a tough life she leads.  Looking forward to the weekend, since the man has been working 10-hour days, Monday through Friday with some regularity.  My hero.

I have been up to my usual routine, planting, picking, and weeding around here.  A friend gave us 6 mountain apple starts, need to get them in the ground.  I've been going to the local pool twice a week for a water exercise class.  Mostly women my age and older, and a mere 10 minutes from home.  

Was relieved to learn that our Senator, Brian Schatz will vote against attacking Syria.  And gay marriage is extremely close to being a reality here in Hawaii.  About time!  Also, Ariana Huffington was in Hilo this week, hyping Huffpo Hawaii.  I've strayed from Huffpo somewhat, but will definitely stay tuned.  Plus, they're seeking Big Island bloggers to contribute.  (Intrigue!)

The air has been feeling cooler in the early mornings and evenings... Plenty warm the rest of the time, though!  Soon it will be tangerine and starfruit season again.

Flower Power

Hmmm, maybe whining publicly about the painful loss of family connection is  tedious and trite.  My specialty!

I could carry on about how shell shocked I feel about more war, and the bastards who lead us into endless conflicts because...???  I am quietly disgusted, since nobody cares what we the people want.  

Or maybe the fires that are burning up my poor, over-populated, former home state this year.  How careless our leaders have become, in terms of preparing for such things. For decades now, they've been neglecting the infrastructure and gutting resources that protect California's populous.  And really, was the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir ever a wise plan?

Or these latest depressing statistics about a new breed of drug addiction.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/8/29/painkiller-kill-morepeoplethanmarijuanause.html

Completely legal.  Shockingly prevailant   Just "ask your doctor..."  Meanwhile, people are still being incarcerated for cultivating cannabis.

Who cares about my tiresome rants?  I'm not nearly clever enough to make them interesting or engaging.  So I shall stick to flora and fauna photos, at least for today.

I've been helping my friend Sheryl tend to a greenhouse filled with orchids.  We are 

separating and repotting many varieties of  Oncidium sphacelatum

 http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/Oncidium_Orchids.htmand organizing the greenhouse for commercial use in the near future.  I'm learning so much, and it's a beautiful distraction from all the ugly out there.

The Week In Review

You Can Learn a Lot of Things

from the flowers...                                   

BFF 4-Ever

Everyone loves our bathroom.  So nice having her here. Friends  since 1977, when we met as ski lift operators at Squaw Valley.

Hoya

My San Francisco daughter has successfully made her move to a much-improved living situation. She's out of the vast wasteland that is the edge of the Tenderloin district. Her new place is in the Noe Valley/Mission area. Hordes of vapid hipsters, but less human excrement and crack heads. And no more bummer boyfriend. Extremely difficult to watch one's children repeat one's own missteps. Ouch.

Happy to report that she is good now and better every day. So many humans stay in unacceptable relationships. Especially women. I am proud of her courage to get the hell out. He was not a mean person, just a very lost soul that she couldn't fix. Lesson learned... When I left California, she inherited my houseplants. My former hoya plant began as a cutting I grabbed about 10 years back. The original plant belonged to the man's father and stepmother. It thrived at their place in Sea Ranch, and had SO many sweet pale pink waxy blooms. I was smitten. It took a decade, but the hoya is blooming again! Daughter sent some pics.

I need to grow them here, outside! Wondering if the jade flower vine we have is related?

Baby Avocados

Hibiscus and Trumpet Flower

Wordless...What Day is This?

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

That's the first place we lived when my little family landed here on the North Coast in July of 2001. One of the best features of this spot was the very old, giant palm tree, located just outside my older daughter's bedroom window. A gorgeous specimen... that was part of life on South Harbor Drive for countless decades. Until a wind storm this January, when the top snapped clean-off. We haven't lived in this house for almost seven years, but I just had to document this magnificent tree's demise.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday