Saturday, January 21, 2012

Kaela arrived on Thursday so now we have four of the children with us. She left Seattle just before they closed the airport because of snow and ice. I don't mean to rub it in Seattle, but it's sunny and 84 degrees here.
We started clearing the property last week. Here's the machine doing the work. It's exciting to move forward with our plans. We have an access road in and then a section 150 X 200 feet cleared. It's starting to look like something you could actually set a house on!

You can see the ohia trees in the background (click to enlarge the photo). Here's the story of how they came to be.
A long time ago, there was a handsome chief named Ohi'a. He was in love with a beautiful maiden, Lehua. Ohi'a and Lehua had promised to be true to each other always.
One day, Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, saw Ohi'a and wanted him for herself. Pele was know for her angry tantrums and jealousy. When she got angry, she would call forth burning lava to destroy everything around her.
Pele appeared to Ohi'a as a lovely woman. "I am the goddess, Pele," she said, "and I want you for my husband."
When Ohi'a heard her, he was afraid. Ohi'a knew if he refused to marry Pele, she might get angry, but if she was just testing his love for Lehua and he said yes, she'd still be angry. Either way Pele could destroy his land and kill his people. Ohi'a didn't know what to do.
"Before I answer, will you promise not to use your volcanic power no matter what I answer?"
"Yes, I promise," answered Pele. She didn't tell Ohi'a that she had many other powers that she could use.
"Then, I cannot marry you," Ohi'a said, "for I have already given my heart to Lehua and have promised to be true to her. Besides, I am a mortal and not worthy of marrying a goddess."
Pele was furious. "How dare you defy me!" she cried. She cast a spell and turned Ohia into a twisted tree with gray leaves.
When Lehua saw what Pele had done to Ohi'a, she begged the goddess to change him back, but Pele refused.
Lehua sat at the base of the tree that was Ohi'a and cried. When the other gods heard poor Lehua, they took pity on her. They each tried to change Ohi'a back, but Pele's magic was too powerful. At last, they came up with a plan that would unite the lovers forever. The gods cast a spell that changed Lehua into a beautiful red flower on the Ohi'a tree. Ohi'a and Lehua were together at last, and Pele could never separate them.

Monday, January 16, 2012

We visited Volcano National Park today.


This is Thurston Lava Tube, also called Nahuku.


It started raining in the afternoon so we'll go back another day to hike across the crater at Kiluea Iki.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday the 13th was a LUCKY day for Robert's mom. Her house in Tacoma sold. We went to Hilo this morning to sign papers.
We stopped at the farmer's market and got papaya to go with the avocados, tangerines, navel oranges, limes, lilikoi, chestnuts, starfruit, and squash that neighbors have given us. People here say that you can break off a branch of almost anything, stick it in the ground, and it will grow. Most recently I heard this from a neighbor who started with eight pineapple plants four years ago and now has over 100. I'm anxious to try it.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

A survey crew came out and marked our property corners yesterday. We've heard a few stories of people building on the wrong property. Either it's not uncommon or it's become an urban legend. Not that we're urban. Anyway, now we've got the location certified. We went exploring after it was marked. We're trying to figure out the topography, how far back the house will be from the road, and whether we're sitting in a hole that will flood in heavy rains. They prepare building sites here by "ripping" the lava -- basically running it over and over with a big excavator to grind it up. Many sites we've seen then truck in red cinder to help level and smooth the land. I'm not sure why red, not black. We planned to rip about one acre. We might need to rip more to get material to build up the area under the house and keep us out of the water.
We got an interesting piece of information from a neighbor: there is no internet service in Hawaiian Acres. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this. I'm counting on technology to advance at a quick enough rate that I won't have to live off-line for long. I know there's a way to create hot spots with a cell phone. Please email me (while I still have email!) if you have suggestions.

Monday, January 02

Happy New Year! New Year's is a bigger deal here than in Seattle. Lots of people set off fireworks -- although the county now requires permits to purchase them. New Year's Eve is also Kelsey's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KELSEY! She turned 23. Today we hiked with friends to Haena Beach. We were harassed by hungry mosquitoes and well fed fruit flies walking through the jungle. Most of this area is black lava cliffs, but Haena is a little protected inlet. We saw more sea turtles than people.

Solomon tried skimboarding, Abraham made sand weapons, and we all had fun!