CBB trap

Posted on by

We hung some traps for CBB (coffee borer beetles) on our farm border. I remember Terry hung some traps on the first day, a couple hours later, I walked around to check. Those traps already caught some beetles, some traps had about a hundred CBB. The trap seems working, even we know we can’t only depend on the trap to control CBB population, I’m glad somebody invented the CBB trap, every single bug  killed counts.

Every couple weeks we need to check and maintain the traps, changing or adding liquid of the trap.

 

About 2 weeks ago, a young tourist couple came to visit our farm, I showed them around our farm and had a nice chat. They bought some coffee and wanted buy some mac nuts from a small farm, ” small farm like you “, that’s what they said.  I sent them to our nearby friend, Mike & Debi’s farm. Later, I heard they had a good visit there too.

Monday I received a small bottle pure maple syrup, product of Vermont, from their town . So nice of them to do that, we’ll enjoy it a lot. It might become a spotlight, whenever I use maple syrup.

What a wonderful way to meet people in our life.

And I love the photo card they sent, share it with everyone.

 

 

 

Coffee blossom in Kona

Posted on by

After I posted coffee blossom buds picture last time, 3 days later, they started to open up. Not like a little girl, shy, always hiding behind something. They are more like well grown up young girl, ready to see the world, and show the world their pure clean beauty. All they need is touch of love of rain and sun.

These images were captured with my small camera, if I had better camera, I might be able to do a better job showing their beauty. Too bad, these pictures can’t send their fragrance to people who are looking at them. Their smell like jasmine, not very strong, accompanied with a light sweetness.

It was very a special time period  in Kona country, and I enjoyed those days of my walking exercise best. My eyes were filled with sea of white blossom, each of them like a different shape of smiling face. Wherever I’m looking, I only see one thing, a happy face. My heart was full of happiness, made me want to shout out loud ” I’m happy”. Instead of that wild expression, I kept it in silence, with a smile, walking between the sea of happy blossom.

Bees buzz around, they were very busy, didn’t mind I took pictures of them at all.

My usual half hour walking extend to an hour walk.

 

 

 

 

In a week / ten days, slowly these beautiful flowers vanished one by one. Can’t help to sigh over the short duration of their beauty. But I know, they are preparing and moving toward to the important and only purpose of their being.

 

Works after coffee season

Posted on by

 

Coffee harvesting season is over, but our daily life seems still very full; I couldn’t find much time for working on the computer, or when I had time in the evening, I was too tired to turn on the computer.

 

Pruning is the hardest job of coffee farming, at least, to us.

Every year, after harvesting coffee, we need to cut down some old branches and extra young shoots, leaving 3 or 4 nice branches to grow. Then, chop up those old branches one by one with machete.

Why don’t we use a chipper ? Well, some parts of our farm are very rocky, not flat, lots of branches have to be dragged a long way to reach the road where the chipper is. One year, Terry rented a chipper, and two friends helped him. At the end of work, they were too exhausted to eat any food, which one friend’s wife prepared. Ever since that experience, Terry doesn’t want to use a chipper for this particular job.

I saw Terry pruning with a hand saw many times, it’s doesn’t seems very hard. I tried, and gave it up right away when the saw stuck half way through a big branch. I stick to chop branches with machete, I’m pretty good with it. I still remember some moments, at that time, I was pregnant 4/5 months with Sonny, and chopping  coffee branches. That year, Terry’s university friend Bill was visiting, he helped  with the job too. He thought it’s a hard labor work, not a retirement for an old guy.

Terry was very busy with our project, so I managed to take care the farm work.

One of our coffee picker needed some work, and he knew how to prune coffee trees. I hired him and worked with him the first day, he seems like a fairly hard working guy; next day, I hired his friends too, another of my coffee pickers. They did the most pruning and chopping, I feel so grateful about their work, helped us get through this big job.

It’s my first year of pruning, I felt so good to cut down some old ugly branches, next picking will be much easy. I used hand saw, it’s not hard at all, I didn’t meet any of challenging branch. I told Terry ” I’m much stronger than before, thanks for 8 years training “.

Second day of my pruning, my spirits were very bright and high. I felt so happy to learn a new thing, and be able to work.

 

Right now, I’m in middle of stripping the coffee tree, picking all dried, or red, or green cherry off the tree. The picture shows my tools: clippers to snap extra young shoots, hook to bend some tall branches, machete and hand saw, bucket to pick cherry, one glove and small shoulder bag for picked cherry. Since I’m on the job alone, it will take me some time, but I’ll carry the job to the end.

We had some rain last week, and some cool cloudy time this week. It will do the coffee trees good, they need it. On my morning walk, I noticed lots of coffee flower buds.

 

Look at the picture. Can you imagine? An excited energetic fairy live inside each of those tight closed buds, waiting for the blooming moment to see the world, and sent forth their sweet delicate fragrance to the coffee country.

What an excited moment they are living in!

What a lucky life we have! Be able to slow down our pace and pay a close attention to the things around us, observe their amazing transformation.

Yes, I feel very lucky already.

 

 

Special moments

Posted on by

 

On Valentine’s day, Sonny came back from school; first thing he told me was that they wrote poems for Valentine’s day, and asked ” Do you want to hear my poem?” .

I said :” Yes” .

Sonny :” If you want to be my Valentine, kiss me “.

I loved it and kissed him.

 

Sonny just finished practicing piano 10 minutes ago. The last piece music name is ” The Rose “, it’s a slow, beautiful, easy song. He has practiced this song for two weeks, he can play it very well along with the CD. We both like it a lot, we played it over 20 times.

When he played, I sang the song along.

” Some say love, it is the river that drowns the tender reed. I say love, it is the flower, and you are the only seed.”

When I played, he sang along. I tried to sang with him, he asked me to stop singing, because he has a beautiful voice. Even I claimed I have a beautiful voice too, he won his way.

This was the most special moment for us ever since he started taking piano lesson. I can imagine we will have more times playing music and singing together like tonight, if he gets too good for me to catch up with his pace, I will just enjoy listening his playing. It’s one of my dreams, some day when I’m old, my son can play music for me.

We say ” I love you ” to each other in our family every day, not once or twice, many times. Still, sometime these three words are not quite good enough. To me, the best way to express your love is to play and spend some time with the one you care and love. You can feel the love is flowing among you, and the love is touching your heart. This special moment doesn’t happen all the time, but when it happen to you, it will stay alive inside of you. And you sure know, what is love.

Wish everyone find these special moments in your life. Don’t look too far, look around you, you might find it right beside you all the time.

 

 

 

 

 

Beach wedding in Hawai’i

Posted on by

We went to a beach wedding on Saturday,the bride is Terry’s goddaughter, she is gorgeous. This was the first beach wedding I have been to, I thought it’s the best way to get married on the island. Clear blue sky, mountains, ocean with non-stop waves, they witness the special moment of their life. Magic power of the nature, along with family and friends’ blessing, the new couple’s love and happiness will continue to grow and get stronger.

Wish them with many many years happy life together.

 

 

Last round coffee picking

Posted on by

The week before Terry was sick, he was down for the whole week. Without normal Terry around, I felt a little low too even though I tried to keep myself busy. Sonny missed dad being his morning chauffeur, wished dad getting better soon. Now we are so happy daddy came out from his sickness; silly, funny and playful normal dad is back to our life.

In 2010, we had a bad drought, coffee borer affected some farms badly, but our farm was doing fine and hardly noticed any coffee borers. This year, we have less than half crop compared with our normal year, coffee borer is not easy to deal with. We will try our best to keep borer’s number down, hope next year will be better.

This week we have some coffee pickers picking the last round coffee, I asked them to pick everything off from the tree, black, green, red cherry; then I put the coffee into black garbage bags on the drying deck and tie it up. Hope it will kill the bugs living inside, if not, we can burn them. In this way, at least we destroy some food and places in which the bugs are living .

From the picture, you can tell there are some ripe cherry too. I was hoping to process this round ripe cherry, then couldn’t find pickers since there were not much ripe cherry to pick. That’s how we end up with these mixed coffee. I even thought to pick the ripe ones out by myself, Terry stopped me. He said that it take as much time to separate them as to pick them from the tree, since three guys are out in the field picking, it will take me longer time than I expect to finish the job.

 

 

Hanging a trap for the bugs on the tree is another solution too, we will get more traps after pruning.

With the coffee borer problem, farming the land seems harder than before. But we love the life the land provide to us, we don’t have other option, except facing the problem. I’m pretty optimistic about it, we will make it if we try our best.

Yesterday Sonny had his piano lesson, he got a Chinese fortune cookie as a prize from his teacher. He ate the cookie and handed to me the piece of paper, I asked him to read it. It says ” You love life very much “. I amazed the words matching with my Big little boy so much. AND we bought a toy riffle with one dollar at a garage sale on our way to home, he was super happy.

 

 

 

 

 

My late new year wishes

To friends and family and people who we haven’t met

Happy

Healthy

Love and be loved

Enjoy the life you are living in, (if not, be able to find it)

In the year of dragon.

 

 

Our morning walk

Posted on by

 

Sonny had two weeks of winter break, even no school, we still got up at our regular time in the morning. He had morning walk with me, and he had lots to say on the way.

We had to carry weapons to protect ourselves. He likes his rifle, which is hockey stick, he got it when he was 1 year old from Uncle Rodney; on the stick has a maple leave and word ” CANADA” . I took one of his toy gun, a small one.

Passing a mac nut farm, he picked up two mac nuts on the road or beside the road, gave me one, we stood on the same line and threw the nuts; together. Whose nut roll farther, who is the winner. I couldn’t win this game, because he was the one making rules, and he made the rules after we threw the nuts. Many times my nuts rolled farther than his, but I still wasn’t winning, because my nut didn’t reach the finish line.

When we saw a junk avocado or coconut on the road, he would roll them down the road, pretended he was dropping a bomb from fighter jet.

If we heard any vehicle coming from either way, we would hide inside the bush or behind tree by the road side. Sometimes, I didn’t hide good, our imagine enemy shot me. I told him, don’t point his gun to stranger, only to people he knows well, they would be the one to understand his game.

He is in his soldier faith right now, even we didn’t feed him any military storys. Now he can pick out books himself from library, those books are his interests. We only wish, that he will retire from this when he is 18.

Nobody know what kind of child you will get, you will find surprise on your child while they are growing up.

One morning, before we reached to our drive way from morning walk, we passed by vegetable raising beds. Somebody just harvested veges and left a pile of old leaves on the ground. I knew those leaves will dry out there, nobody will use it, I saw they abandoned old leaves like this before. So I picked them up and planed to give to our chickens. Sonny got excited about it, he insisted I should first  ask the lady, who is the worker. I explained to him, I’m sure they don’t use those old leaves. I knew I didn’t convince him, but I didn’t know this story has second chapter.

Four days later, we had our morning walk. We were about 100 yards away from the same veges beds, where a lady was working.

Sonny said :” Mom, you need talking to the lady. ‘

” Why ?”

” You need to tell her, you took the leaves from the ground last time. Remember?”

It took me a second to realize that he has been carrying this load in his head for several days, maybe unconscious. I said :” OK “.

I said ” good morning ” to the lady, and told her the story. From her, Sonny knew it’s OK to pick up veges they throw away. And the lady praised him ” it’s very honest “.

I’m very happy about what I learned from it. Children do not necessarily learn everything from parents, even they are very young, they have their own ability, to judge what is right and what is wrong. I’m glad, I listened to him and did what he asked; I didn’t confuse his judgment.

 

 

 

 

Our Christmas day

Posted on by

We had a beautiful day for Christmas, the weather couldn’t be any better than we got. We went to beach to celebrate our Christmas day in the morning, and whales were flipping their huge tails, shooting up water in the bay, it was the first time of this winter we have seen.

There were some good waves, I joined Sonny and other kids, had lots of fun doing body surf.

Water and kids are such a combination, kids can play in or with water for hours. But not me, I grew up to be afraid water and stayed away from water. In my village the grown ups told us all kind of tales about a dragon who lived in water, before anyone close to waterfall in the jungle could hear the dragon’s roars. It’s hard to understand why they tell such tale, maybe that’s how they grew up themselves and believe those tales. Or maybe that’s how mountain people think  about water, since they don’t have much knowledge about big lake, river, or ocean.

I didn’t get any access to find the simple joy of playing in water. For my confident in the ocean, I came from a long way.

Ever since I’ve met my water play mate Joni at beach, we will stay in the water as long as the kids. We, two middle aged women with a group of kids, like mothers of a school fish, play with them in the water for hours. I understand why kids can stay in water for so long, because I can do it too, very easily. And I can understand their joys, because I had the same simple joy in my heart, very truthful. When I’m playing in water, I’m totally relaxed; like a child, released from grown up world,  happy and wild to be a child.

I took lots of Sonny’s pictures at beach before, now we hardly have any, since I’m in water all the time.

We had parties with our local friends of several years on Christmas day. We spent  Christmas day in a very special way two years ago.

After breakfast we took a walk, half way down the hill with a half dozen bags of coffee. Clear blue sky over our heads, warm sunshine shone down on us, past vegetable farm, mac nut farm, flower farm; the trees and plants we are so familiar, and again so special in our joyful and appreciate eyes in that moment. We saw beauty of the place where we live, felt so lucky to be here.

We paid a visit to a famous Hawaii’ artist, Herb Kane, who lived on our country road. Traded our coffee for copies of his art book. When Terry told him those books would be sent to our relatives’ kids as a present, he wrote the kid’s name and his signature on each book; cut out thick paper and wrapped each one. He wrote on the book for Sonny ” Wishing you fair winds and following seas on all your life’s voyages.”, so beautiful and touching.

I was awed by this kind, gentle artist. While Terry and Mr. Kane talked in his studio, Sonny’s curiosity led him wondering into different rooms.I followed him, I saw his simple house and got a chance to look at his art hanging on the walls, those must be very special pieces to him.

His book ” Voyagers ” was the first book introduced to me by Terry, the first year I moved to here. The first time I came close to painting, fascinated by his arts and his story, and a dictionary to help me along the way. Through his art, I see a big strong Hawaii’ man in the river of Hawaii’ culture and history.

Mr. Herb Kane past away this year. For 2, 3 months, every time when we drove by his place, we couldn’t believe that he wasn’t there anymore.

For this Christmas, my memory brought back the special moment meeting this great man, and all my respects to him. He was the kind of gentleman, the only one I’ve ever met.

Mele Kalikimaka

Posted on by

 

Lately we were very busy, fixing our coffee room and extending the room at same time, we are going to have our own coffee roaster soon.

We hired a guy from the neighborhood, and Terry worked very hard too. Several days, Terry worked with the man in the morning,then he went to town to buy building materials after lunch. One day he came home after 7pm, it’s a long working day. Sometime I worried that he worked too hard, when I told him my concern, he said ” I’m OK, I’m happy what I’m doing”.

Christmas is here, but we don’t feel the holiday fever that much on the hill, we will have a quiet and busy holiday.

Terry is not a man who likes to celebrate thus holiday, and I had no experience; we have been getting away without celebrating it for 5 years since Sonny was born, but not this year.

One evening he said:” Mom, I wish we can have a Christmas tree.”

“Why?”

“Well, without a Christmas tree, how Santa are going to find our home, bring presents to me?”

I thought it’s time to have one this year, one for ever, so I bought one last week. He was so happy to see it, and couldn’t wait to decorate the tree. Practically he hanged most of the ornaments and his toys (air plane, helicopter,soldier , dinosaurs). Terry’s niece sent some decorations from Canada, for Sonny’ first tree. He spent many hours playing with the tree and his toy, it definitely worth more than the money I spent on the tree.

Three days ago Terry bought a table saw, as soon as the big box was empty, Sonny claim the box. He turned the box upside down, built his city on the box. He is a box boy.

 

We bought a composting toilet, it came from Canada. The box turned into Sonny’s play house, not only have door and window, but also have a chimney. Thanks for dad’s help.

 

Yesterday I was in grocery store, saw some yummy deserts, realized that we need a desert for Christmas eve meal. Back to home, gathered some passion fruits from front yard, I made a passion fruit cheese cake. I don’t have many tricks making desert, few good ones everybody love.

Lunch is our main meal, we eat very little or just snack for supper. Usually we eat rice and my cooking for lunch, so we need different food for the special occasion. Our Christmas eve lunch ended up with green pepper tamale, avocado(from our tree), ham, tofu salad, cooking banana (got from our neighbor), and cheese cake.

Nothing fancy, but a good meal.

 

Here is our first Christmas tree. Ever since we put the presents under the tree, Sonny has been begging to open his presents every day. He didn’t think he could wait for so long, but he did. He is going to be so happy, he might sing his happy song, learned from uncle Tom. Go like this with Wisconsin Badger football team song’s melody:

On Wisconsin,

On Wisconsin,

Good old USA,

We are the  winner,

We are the winner,

We have a good day,

Rah! rah! rah!

 

                                   Merry Christmas

 

                                   Mele Kalikimaka

 

The pilot boy

Posted on by

 

Once there was a little boy, who loved toys and loves to play with them all the time.

He met uncle Jim, who works for Boeing and sent a fighting jet pilot video to him. A dream seed started grow in him, he want to be a pilot, flying helicopter, fighter jets, or space ship, as long as the object can fly in the sky.

He called the family car “helicopter”,and the truck ” air plane”, and he was co-pilot when he was in the car or truck.

One day, he asked his mom” Mom, Can you find a mask for me please?”

Mom asked：” What are you going to do with a mask?”

The boy said:” Pilot always wear a mask when they fly a plane, without a mask I can’t be a pilot.”

His mom found a snorkel mask for him, and he was very happy and content. Every time, he would wear his snorkel mask in the car wherever they would go.

One day, the boy and his mom went to library, a librarian was going to read books for kids. Then they would go to beach with their play group friends.

As usual the boy wore his mask all the way to town. At library parking lot, he got out from car with the mask on his face.

His mom asked:” do you want to leave the mask in the car? ”

Very seriously, he said:” No, I’m still flying a plane.”

His mom laughed and confirmed again, ” Are you sure? There are going to be lots of kids and people, they might laugh at you.”

Determined, he said: ” Sure, I’m sure.”

Mom opened the door for him, he walked in very proudly, like he had the coolest costume ever with hundred percent confidence in his heart.

That’s how he appeared in library, and sat with other kids,and listened to the stories. Nobody laughed at him, no kids teased him, only his best friend Lily said:“You are silly.” and sat beside him with sweet smile on her face.

Half hours later, the reading program ended, they headed to beach. As soon as their car parked, the boy took off his snorkel mask.

His mom said: “You know, you can use the mask when you play in the water.”

He answered: ” No, pilot don’t wear their mask when they swim.”

 

That’s just one of many stories happen to this boy when he was little.