What an incredible growing and learning experience this has been!
I have felt so supported and held by the La'akea community and the greater puna community. this land is a place of synchroniticies, magic and raw life.
I have spent a couple of very charged and fun days with my friends from cascadia, Bleu and Xyoa who I had no idea would be on the island (we ran into each other at the ecstatic dance..!). I continue to meet people that know people I know and realize how much people on similar paths are drawn to one another, that tribal families are forming... how much I can trust in being loved for who I am, to see that my life is coming together just the way it needs to, feeling alive and inspired, surrounded by elders that are engaging, spontaneous, passionate and energized...
It is pouring, pouring, pouring. It's ten seconds till saturation rain. at least its 74 degrees F...
My brother comes tomorrow. He'll be flying into the near desert region, which receives 10-12 inches of annual rainful (literally less than 10 % of what we receive here... I've begun to think of this land of a home of sorts. perhaps a january february home...)
some tidbits of recent days...
I was supported in having my first chicken killing experience. It was good for me, to spend a few moments with the bird, a big, beautiful orange rooster, thank him. After catching him, I hung him upside down until he stopped panicking. He came to a peaceful state of abandon and died quickly. Then I plucked out his feathers, saved some of the soft down and long elaborate tails feathers. Gutted and cleaned him and made him into a soup with spices from the land: lemongrass, ginger, coconut milk, oranges...and peach palm, a starchy orange palm fruit with a hearty carotenoid flavor. Overall, it was the most involved I've been in the process of eating meat, and I felt thankful for the life given (although initially unwillingly), and that he had lived a totally free ranging life, foraging, eating delicious compost scraps, coconut and sprouted wheat berries. (At La'akea the 60+ poultry are fenced out of the vegetable gardens, rather than fencing them in a particular area...
I had a transcendent music experience, soaking in a jazz quartet last tuesday at an event they envision called Jazz dance freedom (similar intentions to the music and dance co-creation gatherings on the nut house lawn). I wrote a few notes afterwards... drums, elec.bass, plugged in classical guitar and trumpet, each with their own language of nuance and contour. intricate stories: chasable but not attainable, dreamable but not graspable, (capable and not culpable). Music of longing, of desire not ever satisfied, lingering into the thickening canopy of dusk-ing sky. It's a complex and dynamic improv, a sensual dance of sound: sound like sights, smells, like contact with skin, with wind, sunlight: this music evokes a dance of the mystery, of the great spirit....
Wonderful to have closeness and connection with a familiar friend, Bleu and her daughter who' s now 3 years old. We had some playful adventures at the seaview lawn, kahena beach (the site of weekly drum circles, where we drummed, danced, swam and I contributed some clarinet calls), a Hare Krishna community that has delicious pizza night every sunday. this time they had a theater performance about a krishna devotee maintaining purity of heart and intentions despite having the king of the demons as his father (in addition to the hare krishna (x2), krishna, krishna, hare hare, hare rama (x2), rama rama hare hare + dancing and exuberance)... also I visited the community where Bleu and Xyoa have been staying, where (co-incidentally?) my friend Morgan (the song circle seeder, currently of cascadia) will be co-stewarding. another beautiful land with beautiful people, this one on papaya farms road, a region on the lava covered old town of Kapoho, that has many homestead communities, including pangaia, evening rain, coco's... a place for me to visit more when I return (I'm currently thinking next winter for 1-2 months would be suberb, but... quien sabe?) ... it was a very seredipitious connection & I feel very grateful have gotten to spend time with them here, a bridging of lands, faraway homes...
(now its tomorrow), I moved out of La'akea in a bit of a whirlwind. now I sit at punatic cyber cafe... I've been working out the logistics of arranging to rent a car on gifted money, hitchhiking to the hilo airport to do so, then driving over to kona to pick up little bro. we'll be staying the first couple nights at spencer beach park in south kohala, just north of hapuna beach... then onwards clockwise around the island!
In just 2 weeks I will fly in a jet: to a one day stint on oahu, my birthplace, then return to cascadia on tuesday June 2nd.
blessings
I love you.
Jurmy
Monday, May 18, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
...intra/inter/infrapersonal bloggings
tossing many thoughts around in my head, as I, baffled by the lights of the computer screen and ambience of the coffee shop I sit in, try to remember what there is to 'blog' about. (now I don't mean to blog, but...)
yesterday I set an intention of moving with grace and ease through the day, not over exerting myself, using just the amount of energy necessary for each task, becoming one with the task. I was by and large very successful. ordinary tasks, accomplished with flow and heart and cooperation: weeding, fertilizing and mulching (working with a tractor and wheelbarrows) taro and yams; using a gas-powered weed whacker (becoming 1 with it)...
I wrote in my journal in the morning in a treehouse made of strawberry guava and bamboo rounds lashed together to some standing str. guava trees, the sunlight twinkling on the leaves, up above the high point on the land...
I remember that expressing my feelings, my process, to others & being supported and heard by them is so important... that all communities need hold this type of space for intimacy to deepen.
I have been largely focused on observation, inspiration, and going with the flow on this trip. I see the times of initiating projects, being proactive in networking, actively manifesting up ahead in the pnw. I have not felt the need to deeply root myself here, to make a few more substantial connections, with people, community and land, than to become slightly integrated for this short period of time in the greater Puna cosmos.
I am reminded of the importance of vision:
(from my journal entry; read if you dare/choose)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was asked about my vision last the other night at the heart share, and spoke of each human filling a niche, with areas of special expertise as well as a committment to the labor, interpersonal work, co-envisioning and manifesting, parenting, reponsiveness/responsibility... and that there is a fractal pattern to this communal existence with each (urban/rural) 'household'/'property'/community filling a niche in within the community of the city block/acreage/town and each town in the bioregion, each bioregion within the island/continent (with trade of the surplus from the abundance of that biome's particular gifts (blueberries/avocadoes/deer/wool, wood? )...the surplus only, so that the ability of the people, animals, plants and other organisms of the bioregion to sustain themselves is not undermined by the externally placed 'demand'/'need' of bananas, coffee, sugar or whatever. only the surplus offered up by the locals, after their needs are met fit into this balanced vision of a trade web. This may include at each level of the fractal network not only food, but crafts, fabric, fuels, fodder/animal feed and music, dances, stories, spiritual and interrelational prcatices, ideas, information, techniques of design, healing & medical techniques & technology, machines, appropriate & low embodied energy technologies, skills, etc. ... all that are media within the micro to macro continuum of the ecos.
I intend to maintain, remember, feed and grow this vision, expand with it, allow it to integrate with the fine details of life & practice in the day to day (& breath to breath), season to season, cycle to cycle...
from my work and play in this vision, I hope to spawn songs, writing, plays, facilitation and teaching. these powers mostly lie dormant in me at this time and I can see that a major reason I left the arts for now is that I was in a 'bubble' (and still allow myself to be/choose to be sometimes)... and that my powers of creation and expression will achieve the confidence and humility, the presense and the potency that they need to be both beautiful and functional through allowing them to unfold from within the vision, from my experiences, observations and learnings exploring and practicing the details of following the vision, of uncovering and creating it, of learning to see in relation to the vision, to hear and feel in relation to my values and vision, the process of learning to be, to live the vision.
("You can only write what you know" has been often said, and if all I've known is writing or theater making, then the people in these circles are the ones who will relate to the art and be affected by it--hence, the artistic bubble/vaccuum)
I can see the days coming in which I am more outspoken, utilizing my skill base, grounded within my vision/values.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I accompanied Biko, Tracy and their daughter, Ai'ala, La'akean community members, in a coconut gathering mission. I was 'ground crew' lowering bunches of cocos down on a with a simple pulley system (Biko climbed up the trees, got up into the canopy (where one sometimes encounters bees, centipedes a/o rats), attached the rope to one 'rack' of cocos after another, then sawed off their connecting stem, as I lowered them down. We got plenty of 'drinkers' (young ones full of delicious nutrient rich water and scant to moderate jelly-like flesh; 'shakers' which give a slush sound upon shaking because they have aged and lost some of their water (normally the water is still great, maybe slightly fermented and the flesh is thicker and rubbery; and 'grounders', brown-gray hulled cocos taken off the ground: the flesh is solid and fibrous/fatty, the water is mostly gone a/o not so tasty, the flesh ranges from great to munch or make coconut milk to good chicken /duck feed (they love it); and also 'sprouters' that have begun to sprout leaves and in which the water has turned into a custardy cupcake like substance that some people love but I normally think tastes like soap.
This was a great initiation for me into team coco foraging. maybe I'll get a chance to climb some short ones next week.
I had an amazing time at the community 'ecstatic' dance last sunday. I really allowed myself to abandon my ego and enter the energy of the room: probably like 120 people flowing both individually and together. live drum set and electric bass accompanied the dj'ed music. after wards I received a free sample of watsu massage, which was perhaps the most relaxing 15 minutes of the decade for me... being totally supported in the water (with ankle and knee floats) and releasing my head and neck into the practictioner, Lilia. I guess I use a substantial amount of energy keeping myself up when I'm in the water... I was inspired to take classes in this gentle partner massage/dance in the future.
Then, I went and swam in the wild waves of Kahena beach with a bunch of others hanging out there for the weekly drum circle gathering. beautiful and totally sunny for a change. I also played a couple of drums and danced some more. It felt so good to connect in this way, to play and feel so free and safe. It was great healing after a week of lots of physical labor and a couple doctor visits. ((I'm still having some heartburn like symptoms...I got hawaiian health insurance to kick in and am getting blood tests and x-rays and doctor visits at No cost... It feels to good to know I can have medical help without having to worry about how the hell am I going to pay for it and finding myself weighing the financial value of my health (priceless!).
Overall, I feel good and am not worried about my heart's health...my blood pressure is normal and I had another electrocardiograph done ("normal") just to be sure. If I find something out from these tests than I will have some more tools for healing, but I'm not relying on it. I've been working at simplifying my diet and working at being more conscious of how much & what I need to eat vs. how much (and what) I desire to eat.
I love you all and look forward to returning home for an integrating and reconnecting summer... and onwards.
yesterday I set an intention of moving with grace and ease through the day, not over exerting myself, using just the amount of energy necessary for each task, becoming one with the task. I was by and large very successful. ordinary tasks, accomplished with flow and heart and cooperation: weeding, fertilizing and mulching (working with a tractor and wheelbarrows) taro and yams; using a gas-powered weed whacker (becoming 1 with it)...
I wrote in my journal in the morning in a treehouse made of strawberry guava and bamboo rounds lashed together to some standing str. guava trees, the sunlight twinkling on the leaves, up above the high point on the land...
I remember that expressing my feelings, my process, to others & being supported and heard by them is so important... that all communities need hold this type of space for intimacy to deepen.
I have been largely focused on observation, inspiration, and going with the flow on this trip. I see the times of initiating projects, being proactive in networking, actively manifesting up ahead in the pnw. I have not felt the need to deeply root myself here, to make a few more substantial connections, with people, community and land, than to become slightly integrated for this short period of time in the greater Puna cosmos.
I am reminded of the importance of vision:
(from my journal entry; read if you dare/choose)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was asked about my vision last the other night at the heart share, and spoke of each human filling a niche, with areas of special expertise as well as a committment to the labor, interpersonal work, co-envisioning and manifesting, parenting, reponsiveness/responsibility... and that there is a fractal pattern to this communal existence with each (urban/rural) 'household'/'property'/community filling a niche in within the community of the city block/acreage/town and each town in the bioregion, each bioregion within the island/continent (with trade of the surplus from the abundance of that biome's particular gifts (blueberries/avocadoes/deer/wool, wood? )...the surplus only, so that the ability of the people, animals, plants and other organisms of the bioregion to sustain themselves is not undermined by the externally placed 'demand'/'need' of bananas, coffee, sugar or whatever. only the surplus offered up by the locals, after their needs are met fit into this balanced vision of a trade web. This may include at each level of the fractal network not only food, but crafts, fabric, fuels, fodder/animal feed and music, dances, stories, spiritual and interrelational prcatices, ideas, information, techniques of design, healing & medical techniques & technology, machines, appropriate & low embodied energy technologies, skills, etc. ... all that are media within the micro to macro continuum of the ecos.
I intend to maintain, remember, feed and grow this vision, expand with it, allow it to integrate with the fine details of life & practice in the day to day (& breath to breath), season to season, cycle to cycle...
from my work and play in this vision, I hope to spawn songs, writing, plays, facilitation and teaching. these powers mostly lie dormant in me at this time and I can see that a major reason I left the arts for now is that I was in a 'bubble' (and still allow myself to be/choose to be sometimes)... and that my powers of creation and expression will achieve the confidence and humility, the presense and the potency that they need to be both beautiful and functional through allowing them to unfold from within the vision, from my experiences, observations and learnings exploring and practicing the details of following the vision, of uncovering and creating it, of learning to see in relation to the vision, to hear and feel in relation to my values and vision, the process of learning to be, to live the vision.
("You can only write what you know" has been often said, and if all I've known is writing or theater making, then the people in these circles are the ones who will relate to the art and be affected by it--hence, the artistic bubble/vaccuum)
I can see the days coming in which I am more outspoken, utilizing my skill base, grounded within my vision/values.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I accompanied Biko, Tracy and their daughter, Ai'ala, La'akean community members, in a coconut gathering mission. I was 'ground crew' lowering bunches of cocos down on a with a simple pulley system (Biko climbed up the trees, got up into the canopy (where one sometimes encounters bees, centipedes a/o rats), attached the rope to one 'rack' of cocos after another, then sawed off their connecting stem, as I lowered them down. We got plenty of 'drinkers' (young ones full of delicious nutrient rich water and scant to moderate jelly-like flesh; 'shakers' which give a slush sound upon shaking because they have aged and lost some of their water (normally the water is still great, maybe slightly fermented and the flesh is thicker and rubbery; and 'grounders', brown-gray hulled cocos taken off the ground: the flesh is solid and fibrous/fatty, the water is mostly gone a/o not so tasty, the flesh ranges from great to munch or make coconut milk to good chicken /duck feed (they love it); and also 'sprouters' that have begun to sprout leaves and in which the water has turned into a custardy cupcake like substance that some people love but I normally think tastes like soap.
This was a great initiation for me into team coco foraging. maybe I'll get a chance to climb some short ones next week.
I had an amazing time at the community 'ecstatic' dance last sunday. I really allowed myself to abandon my ego and enter the energy of the room: probably like 120 people flowing both individually and together. live drum set and electric bass accompanied the dj'ed music. after wards I received a free sample of watsu massage, which was perhaps the most relaxing 15 minutes of the decade for me... being totally supported in the water (with ankle and knee floats) and releasing my head and neck into the practictioner, Lilia. I guess I use a substantial amount of energy keeping myself up when I'm in the water... I was inspired to take classes in this gentle partner massage/dance in the future.
Then, I went and swam in the wild waves of Kahena beach with a bunch of others hanging out there for the weekly drum circle gathering. beautiful and totally sunny for a change. I also played a couple of drums and danced some more. It felt so good to connect in this way, to play and feel so free and safe. It was great healing after a week of lots of physical labor and a couple doctor visits. ((I'm still having some heartburn like symptoms...I got hawaiian health insurance to kick in and am getting blood tests and x-rays and doctor visits at No cost... It feels to good to know I can have medical help without having to worry about how the hell am I going to pay for it and finding myself weighing the financial value of my health (priceless!).
Overall, I feel good and am not worried about my heart's health...my blood pressure is normal and I had another electrocardiograph done ("normal") just to be sure. If I find something out from these tests than I will have some more tools for healing, but I'm not relying on it. I've been working at simplifying my diet and working at being more conscious of how much & what I need to eat vs. how much (and what) I desire to eat.
I love you all and look forward to returning home for an integrating and reconnecting summer... and onwards.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
puna verse
I've settled into a supposed energy vortex known as puna (or the 'punaverse'). I like it here. there's lots of farming, musicians, artists, foragers, tantrics and maniacs. and plenty of rain. apparently the rainy season is on the brink of tapering off, but freshly evaporated ocean waters pour on us now.
I had a great last few days in Hawi. Cedar, the goat, gave birth to 3 kids, and it was a joy to hang with them, watch them engage in goaty play, a bit clumsily. I milked the mother a bit, but she wasn't all that into it. I tried to force her into the miking stanchion but she really wasn't into that, so we just got a bit out of her to keep her from swelling up too much. the kids probably needed most of it anyway...
On my travels down here to Puna, where I've settled into a month long work trade arrangement, I befriended a really sweet quebequois couple who invited me to travel with them in their rental car. we cruised through the south of the island, sat with some sea turtles resting and eating in tidepools. we camped near the kiluela caldera (the currently active volcano), hiked around on fifty year old ground in kiluale iki (little kiluela), with warm to hot steam vents shooting out here and there. the rainforest environs were dense and misty and reminded me of the northwest. I've sense encountered mative hawaiin thimbleberries (longer and smaller leafed then their pnw cousins), black cap raspberry cosuins, and heard tell that there are 11 native vaccinium species (huckle/blue berriy relatives), and salmon berry cousins... so much shared ancestry of which I've yet to look into the lineage story.
The place I'm at is called La'akea. It's an intentional community, with daily check ins and weekly meetings (one for business / consensus decision making) the other for 'heart sharing'. Its a place with a 20 + year history of permaculture design. Unlike the last place I was at, this one is in the middle of jungle, sub-tropical rainforest, with managed gardens, orchards, plant guilds and animal (incl. human) homes etched into an abundance of wildness. In the first day of worktrading I herded misdirected sheep and harvest and dug into a jackfruit that was at least 40 pounds (its the largest tree growing fruit, sometimes weighing over 100 lbs (or heavier than the artist as of recently re-known as prince!)); also took cuttings of some tropical perennial spinach and sweet potatoes. It's a beautiful place, more like what I was looking for. It took me a while to get here, but so it goes, I'm here now and thankful.
besides being with people who share my values of living together and consciously managing and living within land, for all the beautiful plants thriving in the warm and wet, I'm thankful that I'm able to be near soaking wet and not freezing because of it, that they have bikes I can use (I'm in town, Pahoa, now, about 4 miles away), that there are natural steam rooms (hot steam vents shooting into caves) I can bike to. To be close to the ocean, to live near a beach with weekend drum and dance gatherings... and to be returning in less than 6 weeks.
I am still having acid reflux problems. I just went to a clinic and they reassured me (again) that my heart and lungs are healthy. So I await the onset of hawaiian insurance coverage and try another round of acid reducer pills along with careful diet. once the insurance comes through (hopefully in a week or 2 ) I'm going to have my stomach and esophagus checked out more thoroughly , unless the heartburn is by then solved (hopefully it will be so)...
...kind of a scattered bl'enrty.
I wish all health, love and bliss following.
jeremy
I had a great last few days in Hawi. Cedar, the goat, gave birth to 3 kids, and it was a joy to hang with them, watch them engage in goaty play, a bit clumsily. I milked the mother a bit, but she wasn't all that into it. I tried to force her into the miking stanchion but she really wasn't into that, so we just got a bit out of her to keep her from swelling up too much. the kids probably needed most of it anyway...
On my travels down here to Puna, where I've settled into a month long work trade arrangement, I befriended a really sweet quebequois couple who invited me to travel with them in their rental car. we cruised through the south of the island, sat with some sea turtles resting and eating in tidepools. we camped near the kiluela caldera (the currently active volcano), hiked around on fifty year old ground in kiluale iki (little kiluela), with warm to hot steam vents shooting out here and there. the rainforest environs were dense and misty and reminded me of the northwest. I've sense encountered mative hawaiin thimbleberries (longer and smaller leafed then their pnw cousins), black cap raspberry cosuins, and heard tell that there are 11 native vaccinium species (huckle/blue berriy relatives), and salmon berry cousins... so much shared ancestry of which I've yet to look into the lineage story.
The place I'm at is called La'akea. It's an intentional community, with daily check ins and weekly meetings (one for business / consensus decision making) the other for 'heart sharing'. Its a place with a 20 + year history of permaculture design. Unlike the last place I was at, this one is in the middle of jungle, sub-tropical rainforest, with managed gardens, orchards, plant guilds and animal (incl. human) homes etched into an abundance of wildness. In the first day of worktrading I herded misdirected sheep and harvest and dug into a jackfruit that was at least 40 pounds (its the largest tree growing fruit, sometimes weighing over 100 lbs (or heavier than the artist as of recently re-known as prince!)); also took cuttings of some tropical perennial spinach and sweet potatoes. It's a beautiful place, more like what I was looking for. It took me a while to get here, but so it goes, I'm here now and thankful.
besides being with people who share my values of living together and consciously managing and living within land, for all the beautiful plants thriving in the warm and wet, I'm thankful that I'm able to be near soaking wet and not freezing because of it, that they have bikes I can use (I'm in town, Pahoa, now, about 4 miles away), that there are natural steam rooms (hot steam vents shooting into caves) I can bike to. To be close to the ocean, to live near a beach with weekend drum and dance gatherings... and to be returning in less than 6 weeks.
I am still having acid reflux problems. I just went to a clinic and they reassured me (again) that my heart and lungs are healthy. So I await the onset of hawaiian insurance coverage and try another round of acid reducer pills along with careful diet. once the insurance comes through (hopefully in a week or 2 ) I'm going to have my stomach and esophagus checked out more thoroughly , unless the heartburn is by then solved (hopefully it will be so)...
...kind of a scattered bl'enrty.
I wish all health, love and bliss following.
jeremy
Monday, April 13, 2009
sunny side up!
Okay, so I'm out of the rains, and hanging on the beaches of the sunny / "Kona" side of the island for a few days to take a break from work, recenter myself, soak up sun and seawater.
Swimming, goggled, at "beach 69" (just south of hapuna, south kohala coast) I encountered a massive creature that at once startled me and brought a smile to my face. an elegant sea turtle, the size (but not shape) of a medium-large dog, cruising around through the shallows. its waving arms reminded me of wings (I thought later of how to small insects, gravity affects them mildly, "as if they were moving through water," someone once told me) and it tail legs just hung out behind. a graceful creature, unworried, not stressing. I could have placed a hand on its shell or head but I decided to just hang with it for a bit. I have trouble holding my breath very long while I'm swimming, so it was a lot of ups and downs as it just aqua-frolicked....
last night was so windy that I had to secure my tent with rocks and lean into the windward side of it with my body to prevent it from folding up and sandwiching me... across the way I heard some bellowing and laughing childrens voices. I peeked out of my distorted rainfly to see that their tent had overturned entirely, perhaps taking them for a bit of a tumble ride , hopefully well cushioned by bedding...
this morning I lost the bout with some beautiful goldenbrown coconuts, and gained some well chafed forearms, inner thighs and chest in the process. I tuckered out about 3/4 the way up the 15 or so foot tree. with more of the right muscles and some technique pointers... Oh, if I'd have a long pole and a saw to lash on it I could have succeeded!!
For my foraging pleasures I had to settle for a bite of noni (which I am still working up an appetitite for--it's kind of like juicy effervescent blue cheese fruit), reported to heal all that ails ya.
Last week I ventured to the Puna area, where I met lots of kind and warm people, fresh black lava rock (some less that a year old), Ohia trees growing up through it, more geologically advanced regions with actual soil and thick jungles... warm pools heated by volcanothermal power... a couple communities that both felt warm, welcoming and exciting to visit...
soon it will be time for me to choose between them, figure out a way to actually earn a bit of money, so that I don't return home close to broke...
now though I'm taking some time to relax and reorient and reenergize.
I've got another night at spencer beach, and then will probably proceed south to camp at Ho'okena, where I can take a day trip to kealakekua bay for supersnorkeling.
the internet time expires soon.
aloha
Swimming, goggled, at "beach 69" (just south of hapuna, south kohala coast) I encountered a massive creature that at once startled me and brought a smile to my face. an elegant sea turtle, the size (but not shape) of a medium-large dog, cruising around through the shallows. its waving arms reminded me of wings (I thought later of how to small insects, gravity affects them mildly, "as if they were moving through water," someone once told me) and it tail legs just hung out behind. a graceful creature, unworried, not stressing. I could have placed a hand on its shell or head but I decided to just hang with it for a bit. I have trouble holding my breath very long while I'm swimming, so it was a lot of ups and downs as it just aqua-frolicked....
last night was so windy that I had to secure my tent with rocks and lean into the windward side of it with my body to prevent it from folding up and sandwiching me... across the way I heard some bellowing and laughing childrens voices. I peeked out of my distorted rainfly to see that their tent had overturned entirely, perhaps taking them for a bit of a tumble ride , hopefully well cushioned by bedding...
this morning I lost the bout with some beautiful goldenbrown coconuts, and gained some well chafed forearms, inner thighs and chest in the process. I tuckered out about 3/4 the way up the 15 or so foot tree. with more of the right muscles and some technique pointers... Oh, if I'd have a long pole and a saw to lash on it I could have succeeded!!
For my foraging pleasures I had to settle for a bite of noni (which I am still working up an appetitite for--it's kind of like juicy effervescent blue cheese fruit), reported to heal all that ails ya.
Last week I ventured to the Puna area, where I met lots of kind and warm people, fresh black lava rock (some less that a year old), Ohia trees growing up through it, more geologically advanced regions with actual soil and thick jungles... warm pools heated by volcanothermal power... a couple communities that both felt warm, welcoming and exciting to visit...
soon it will be time for me to choose between them, figure out a way to actually earn a bit of money, so that I don't return home close to broke...
now though I'm taking some time to relax and reorient and reenergize.
I've got another night at spencer beach, and then will probably proceed south to camp at Ho'okena, where I can take a day trip to kealakekua bay for supersnorkeling.
the internet time expires soon.
aloha
Saturday, March 28, 2009
if you could smell me now
a slice of a portrait of the day :
I hope my clothes (and only towel) will soon be dry. The only remaining garments I have I am wearing: swim trunks and a beautiful nepali shirt, both of which have been spattered by an effective microorganism (EM) mix that I just foliar sprayed on hundreds of plants, especially the mango orchards, citrus orchards of lime, orange, tangerine, grapefruit and pomelo, also various other plants and bushes including breadfruit, dragonfruit (a twisting cactus) and the nitrogen fixing trees (leucania, gliricidia) that they are being trained to trellis up, surinam and acerola cherry, guavas, coconut palms, mulberries, kukui nuts, pigeon pea, cassava, hibiscus... the wind is supposedly 90% from the east, but I discovered that it likes to go in all directions this afternoon. the mix is a lactobacilis starter culture mixed with water, molasses, fish emulsion and kelp meal, allowed to ferment anaerobically for several days. great for the plants to take in through their leaves, supplementing their diet of co2 and sunshine, and I'm sure my epidermis is glowing.
...in the twilight. the sunset was orange through purple, the sky thick with fluffy clouds, the winds perpetual. a good day for clothes to dry, though I just got them on the line an hour and a half before dark.. . still I shouldn't count out the potential for rapid clothes drying in the sub tropics, even in late march, at the tail end of the rainy season.
...and this morning it drizzled and cold air rippled through the tents of the waimea farmers market, where I hung out with the uluwehi farmers and friends selling citrus (that I harvested
on thursday), carrots, beets, salad, basil, avocadoes... I got a ride from a fellow who makes kombucha, fills up beer kegs with it and sells it by the jar (today the flavor is jamaican liliqoi).
I spoke to, in little segments, between the rushing waves of her familiar by name enthusiastic customers, a woman who, with her partner, practices a form of no-till farming , using only a subsoil plow to cut narrow trenches within a cover cropped bed, just big enough to drop in seed. at least thats what I picture. she sold me 3 daikon radishes, each 2-3 feet long, the diameter of my ankles and weighing several pounds... she also sells lots of cabbage and has never made kim chee or sauerkraut. ...
which I've started to go at again. I made a great batch of dinosaur kale, garlic and coriander that was well appreicated my many mouths and bellies. and now there's a red cabbage/onion/ginger/garlic mix bubbling up (the first foamy escapees got on my fancy skirt that was the only available cloth at the time to throw over the top of the fermenting jar... the odor now blends with the EM spray the wind (and my own hand) brought upon me, to remind me that if I try to bike to a party some fellow interns are dj ing at that I hope my towel and clothes are dry so that I can stand under the outdoor solar-heated shower, and uncover some more socially acceptable odors hiding out underneath the dressings.) I hope to arrange a visit this mid week and bring some kim chee to these farmers which they will like and offer to supply me with veggies if I ferment them and split the earnings of the sales a/o hire me to work at their no-till farm.
I try to meditate this weekend, at a mostly empty farm (the interns have all split or are away until monday). it was great to zig zag a path between all the trees, spraying them insidciminant of size or type with invisible microbes that insist, 'thrive, thou, thrive'. I discovered some cherry tomatoes growing around a couple young guava trees. what a treat ( and a good idea to interplant viney goodies amongst trees in your orchard.) it was peaceful to just walk around with a simple gift, observing so many living greenies doing their thing.
I fed the remaining pregnant goat, Cedar, a bouquet of haole koa, pigeon pea and moringa. she was into it...
I meditate on what am I doing next. I begin to transition out of this uluwehi place, just as I begin to feel I know it a little. I seek out paying work gigs, I try to understand if it's my place around here in the north/north west region of the island or if I take off for Puna. .. or if my exploration here is done and its time to return home and apply what I've learned, to return stronger and reborn to the evolution of my work in the northwest, still in progress, dormant, yet able to wake and any moment and be hungry for guidance. ....
I day dream about designing homesteads on acreage and urban lots, of growing daikon and fava beans and siberian pea shrubs, oats, blueberries, and mulberries. of michorhyzzials, bokashi balls (EM) and nettle tea. treehouses, and well insulated greenhouses. ...
the mosquitoes sneak into this little computer/library building and get my knees and root-tops (the parts peeking out from my soil-feet)
I've got some leftover miso soup and quinoa and hopefully some dry clean clothes to change into.
I hope my clothes (and only towel) will soon be dry. The only remaining garments I have I am wearing: swim trunks and a beautiful nepali shirt, both of which have been spattered by an effective microorganism (EM) mix that I just foliar sprayed on hundreds of plants, especially the mango orchards, citrus orchards of lime, orange, tangerine, grapefruit and pomelo, also various other plants and bushes including breadfruit, dragonfruit (a twisting cactus) and the nitrogen fixing trees (leucania, gliricidia) that they are being trained to trellis up, surinam and acerola cherry, guavas, coconut palms, mulberries, kukui nuts, pigeon pea, cassava, hibiscus... the wind is supposedly 90% from the east, but I discovered that it likes to go in all directions this afternoon. the mix is a lactobacilis starter culture mixed with water, molasses, fish emulsion and kelp meal, allowed to ferment anaerobically for several days. great for the plants to take in through their leaves, supplementing their diet of co2 and sunshine, and I'm sure my epidermis is glowing.
...in the twilight. the sunset was orange through purple, the sky thick with fluffy clouds, the winds perpetual. a good day for clothes to dry, though I just got them on the line an hour and a half before dark.. . still I shouldn't count out the potential for rapid clothes drying in the sub tropics, even in late march, at the tail end of the rainy season.
...and this morning it drizzled and cold air rippled through the tents of the waimea farmers market, where I hung out with the uluwehi farmers and friends selling citrus (that I harvested
on thursday), carrots, beets, salad, basil, avocadoes... I got a ride from a fellow who makes kombucha, fills up beer kegs with it and sells it by the jar (today the flavor is jamaican liliqoi).
I spoke to, in little segments, between the rushing waves of her familiar by name enthusiastic customers, a woman who, with her partner, practices a form of no-till farming , using only a subsoil plow to cut narrow trenches within a cover cropped bed, just big enough to drop in seed. at least thats what I picture. she sold me 3 daikon radishes, each 2-3 feet long, the diameter of my ankles and weighing several pounds... she also sells lots of cabbage and has never made kim chee or sauerkraut. ...
which I've started to go at again. I made a great batch of dinosaur kale, garlic and coriander that was well appreicated my many mouths and bellies. and now there's a red cabbage/onion/ginger/garlic mix bubbling up (the first foamy escapees got on my fancy skirt that was the only available cloth at the time to throw over the top of the fermenting jar... the odor now blends with the EM spray the wind (and my own hand) brought upon me, to remind me that if I try to bike to a party some fellow interns are dj ing at that I hope my towel and clothes are dry so that I can stand under the outdoor solar-heated shower, and uncover some more socially acceptable odors hiding out underneath the dressings.) I hope to arrange a visit this mid week and bring some kim chee to these farmers which they will like and offer to supply me with veggies if I ferment them and split the earnings of the sales a/o hire me to work at their no-till farm.
I try to meditate this weekend, at a mostly empty farm (the interns have all split or are away until monday). it was great to zig zag a path between all the trees, spraying them insidciminant of size or type with invisible microbes that insist, 'thrive, thou, thrive'. I discovered some cherry tomatoes growing around a couple young guava trees. what a treat ( and a good idea to interplant viney goodies amongst trees in your orchard.) it was peaceful to just walk around with a simple gift, observing so many living greenies doing their thing.
I fed the remaining pregnant goat, Cedar, a bouquet of haole koa, pigeon pea and moringa. she was into it...
I meditate on what am I doing next. I begin to transition out of this uluwehi place, just as I begin to feel I know it a little. I seek out paying work gigs, I try to understand if it's my place around here in the north/north west region of the island or if I take off for Puna. .. or if my exploration here is done and its time to return home and apply what I've learned, to return stronger and reborn to the evolution of my work in the northwest, still in progress, dormant, yet able to wake and any moment and be hungry for guidance. ....
I day dream about designing homesteads on acreage and urban lots, of growing daikon and fava beans and siberian pea shrubs, oats, blueberries, and mulberries. of michorhyzzials, bokashi balls (EM) and nettle tea. treehouses, and well insulated greenhouses. ...
the mosquitoes sneak into this little computer/library building and get my knees and root-tops (the parts peeking out from my soil-feet)
I've got some leftover miso soup and quinoa and hopefully some dry clean clothes to change into.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
back to the old blog-posting-block
I've just completed a weekend of serving children at 'camp mana', a gathering filled with art, music, nature walks and gardening. I found out about it from its key organizor and envisioner, a woman named Vanessa, who picked me up hitchhiking.
the main emphasis of the camp is LOVE. the children are all honored and respected fully and never spoken down to. it was like a mini power of hope camp for little kids (age 4-12) and there were some really inspiring projects, including a senses-opening nature walk, and a garden-planting, followed by painting and collage art designs of each childs envisioned garden. also, capoeira (afro-brazilian martial arts dance), yoga, drumming and dancing and great food.
I co-facilitated music workshops today, at first feeling underprepared and out of control, losing confidence and focus, then making appropriate changes based on the observations and feedback, and eventually pulling it together to hold a space that was flexibile to momentary needs and accomplished some great explorations and sharing....it was a reminder of the importance of balancing the work and craft of preparation and building a skill base with willingness to surrender to the moment, to be authentic and present. and a re-inspriation to return to more of this work in the future. I was greatly appreciative of the more experienced teachers and humble, gracious leaders all around, and the children are all so full of life, wellsprings of creativity and curiosity...
(amalafoundation.org for more info...)
this all happened at starseed ranch which is adjactent to the niulii farm (over towards pololu, the offshoot of uluwehi). I stayed there the last few days, saw the pig fence finally get put up, helped install some photovoltaic solar panels so that the interns over there can have lights and a refigerator (lets see... amps x volts = watts.... more volts normally means less amps.... the 'solar system' we installed was 12 v direct current (meaning the current only runs one way, in a loop; whereas power lines use 110 v a.c. (alternating current), in which the current reverses rhythmically.. its starting to make a little sense...))
also I hiked down through some magically lush jungle to the site of a 100 + year old Loi (taro field) that is being restored to bring it back into use. I helped clear the channel by which the river will eventually fork to irrigate the field. one of the people working on it is a native hawaiian youth volunteer whos great great grandfather worked the the taro ("kalo" as the hawaiians say) loi. its great to hang out with him and the other youth (who are there as part of a youth / organic ag. program that Dash and Erica (the niulii farm managers) are hosting)... they are into working outside with reverence for the land...
had a great bonfire the other night with music and good company. reminder of the connection I feel to fire. we busted up limps of ancient mango trees to burn and people wanted to hear neil young songs. (of course I could help accomidate...) and there was some freestyling, beatboxing and much rejoicing.
Over the last weeks there has been the birth of 11 baby muscovy ducks hatched by a very hard working mother (whom we would feed chunks of coconut when she ventured away from her nest to feed frantically). Very sweet and fuzzy babies. Muscovy ducks are cool animals to have around: they are part canine, I think, with slight claws, wagging tails, and a mellow, hang out, lounge around presense / (when they're not humping each other)... they beg for food by making both bleating and wheezing noises...
Also, one of the 2 goats died, very suddenly, probably from complications of her pregnancy (she probably had twins, and we got to her too late to try and save them). This was very sad, and a reminder of how quickly a life can pass. we buried her under a huge pile of soil, where something special will be planted in the future. meanwhile, the other goat, Cedar, seems as healthy as can be. it took her a while to adjust to being alone. she really likes company, to be pet or really just to have someone there present with her.
and the calf was born on the other farm just a week ago, running away her first or second day out. they located her through some sort of psychic location skills. her mother pumps out 3-4 gallons a day, and that baby is a huge baby.
I've missed home a lot lately and wondered just why am I here and not there.
I'm not going to move out here. In case that was still a possibility in any of your minds, I would like to lay it to rest (here in cyber-ink). This is way to far away from the friends and family and land that I love. I have come to see more clearly that the pacific northwest is my home, and I look forward to being back.
My brother may fly out here to visit for a week or so, very soon. I really hope he does. we'll cruise around the island, camp, hike, swim, snorkel, sunbathe, hang with turtles and volcanoes, etc. if he doesn't, then I'll probably do that on my own,
then venture either over to the puna region, or to waipio valley (to forage and work with 'coconut chris' , a wild raw -vegan foraging master)...
and maybe I'll return earlier than planned depending on how things go. I havent been very driven to find work here on top of the farm work I'm already doing, but I'll find some here and there. ...
I miss you, loved ones. I'm thinking of you, imagining sharing with you more closely when we, smiling, meet again.
je je
the main emphasis of the camp is LOVE. the children are all honored and respected fully and never spoken down to. it was like a mini power of hope camp for little kids (age 4-12) and there were some really inspiring projects, including a senses-opening nature walk, and a garden-planting, followed by painting and collage art designs of each childs envisioned garden. also, capoeira (afro-brazilian martial arts dance), yoga, drumming and dancing and great food.
I co-facilitated music workshops today, at first feeling underprepared and out of control, losing confidence and focus, then making appropriate changes based on the observations and feedback, and eventually pulling it together to hold a space that was flexibile to momentary needs and accomplished some great explorations and sharing....it was a reminder of the importance of balancing the work and craft of preparation and building a skill base with willingness to surrender to the moment, to be authentic and present. and a re-inspriation to return to more of this work in the future. I was greatly appreciative of the more experienced teachers and humble, gracious leaders all around, and the children are all so full of life, wellsprings of creativity and curiosity...
(amalafoundation.org for more info...)
this all happened at starseed ranch which is adjactent to the niulii farm (over towards pololu, the offshoot of uluwehi). I stayed there the last few days, saw the pig fence finally get put up, helped install some photovoltaic solar panels so that the interns over there can have lights and a refigerator (lets see... amps x volts = watts.... more volts normally means less amps.... the 'solar system' we installed was 12 v direct current (meaning the current only runs one way, in a loop; whereas power lines use 110 v a.c. (alternating current), in which the current reverses rhythmically.. its starting to make a little sense...))
also I hiked down through some magically lush jungle to the site of a 100 + year old Loi (taro field) that is being restored to bring it back into use. I helped clear the channel by which the river will eventually fork to irrigate the field. one of the people working on it is a native hawaiian youth volunteer whos great great grandfather worked the the taro ("kalo" as the hawaiians say) loi. its great to hang out with him and the other youth (who are there as part of a youth / organic ag. program that Dash and Erica (the niulii farm managers) are hosting)... they are into working outside with reverence for the land...
had a great bonfire the other night with music and good company. reminder of the connection I feel to fire. we busted up limps of ancient mango trees to burn and people wanted to hear neil young songs. (of course I could help accomidate...) and there was some freestyling, beatboxing and much rejoicing.
Over the last weeks there has been the birth of 11 baby muscovy ducks hatched by a very hard working mother (whom we would feed chunks of coconut when she ventured away from her nest to feed frantically). Very sweet and fuzzy babies. Muscovy ducks are cool animals to have around: they are part canine, I think, with slight claws, wagging tails, and a mellow, hang out, lounge around presense / (when they're not humping each other)... they beg for food by making both bleating and wheezing noises...
Also, one of the 2 goats died, very suddenly, probably from complications of her pregnancy (she probably had twins, and we got to her too late to try and save them). This was very sad, and a reminder of how quickly a life can pass. we buried her under a huge pile of soil, where something special will be planted in the future. meanwhile, the other goat, Cedar, seems as healthy as can be. it took her a while to adjust to being alone. she really likes company, to be pet or really just to have someone there present with her.
and the calf was born on the other farm just a week ago, running away her first or second day out. they located her through some sort of psychic location skills. her mother pumps out 3-4 gallons a day, and that baby is a huge baby.
I've missed home a lot lately and wondered just why am I here and not there.
I'm not going to move out here. In case that was still a possibility in any of your minds, I would like to lay it to rest (here in cyber-ink). This is way to far away from the friends and family and land that I love. I have come to see more clearly that the pacific northwest is my home, and I look forward to being back.
My brother may fly out here to visit for a week or so, very soon. I really hope he does. we'll cruise around the island, camp, hike, swim, snorkel, sunbathe, hang with turtles and volcanoes, etc. if he doesn't, then I'll probably do that on my own,
then venture either over to the puna region, or to waipio valley (to forage and work with 'coconut chris' , a wild raw -vegan foraging master)...
and maybe I'll return earlier than planned depending on how things go. I havent been very driven to find work here on top of the farm work I'm already doing, but I'll find some here and there. ...
I miss you, loved ones. I'm thinking of you, imagining sharing with you more closely when we, smiling, meet again.
je je
Sunday, March 1, 2009
It has been a dynamic week.
monday, I helped build a picnic table,
tuesday, I prepped beds and planted out sweet potatoes; later, attended a talk on coppicing and keyline design given by some folks from vermont, who teach intermittently at the school Rae is starting up her classes with tomorrow (Yestermorrow, that is). This provided some interesting history for me...
on wednesday, we had the day off and the sky poured rain all night, all morning, all day.
on thursday, I helped haul thick heavy poles of kiawe wood, a thorny tree that grows a rot resistant hardwood. 2 truckloads, one of the trucks a huge dumptruck. most of them will be used for fencing (they can be stuck directly into the ground and wont begin to rot for 40+ years, so they say). a big pig fence is going up around the gardens at Niulii, so that production can continue, un-rutted by swine.
friday, after weeding with a hula hoe / hoop hoe, I learned a propigation technique called 'air-layering'. a 1-2 inch section of bark and cambium are removed from a (smaller than your pinky) branch of a young tree or bush, this section is wrapped in wet sphagnum moss and sealed tightly in a plastic bag or cellophane to keep all the moisture in. the sphagnum moss is used because mold won't grow in it. after some time, 3-6 months, the tree roots into the moss and you clip the branch off and stick it in a pot, and you have a clone of the tree. this is happening here with surinam cherry, guava, lychee, olive and hibiscus, amongst others.
this weekend I met some folks who are managing land elsewhere on the island, and also connected with a guy who's been on the island for some time and is really into fermented foods. he was selling kombucha out of beer kegs at the waimea farmers market. he gifted me some awesome lactic cultures called Viili (one I had in olympia) and Erik. I bought some crunchy brassicas at the market, so I was able to start batches of both kim chee and cheese yesterday.
Yesterday evening I went on a fishing expedition in the midst of strong wind and waves in the tide pools just to the north of here. with hand crafted poles of bamboo (with hook, line & sinker) 3 of us tried to get some bites, occasionally needing to retreat from our perches to dodge huge waves. I got soaked from above the belt line down twice. the largest fish we saw were maybe 3 inches long, but it was lovely to be close to the power of the ocean and to observe the details of the ebb and flow. also we had to make it across the pastures of curious cattle ( a bit intimidating to have a whole herd coming over to check us out ) that live and graze ocean side.
I am inspired to learn about shellfishing and seaweed gathering opportunities on the island...so far all I've seen are some tiny whelks, limpets and snails.
I'm beginning to make the connections I need to find some paying work here on the island.
I've been talking to Rae about what lies ahead, waiting for us. in June, the village bilding convergence in Portland and then perhaps a cross country trek to vermont, via michigan and possibly arizona/n.mexico...
I've begun to delve into a great book by David Holmgren, called Permaculture, principles and pathways beyond sustainability... it's very cerebral..this seems to work in combination with my hands on and observational experiences
overall, I have been participating in many parts of the process of homestead and food-relations...
working on my coconut-husking skills,
setting healthy boundaries (as to how much I will work...)
finding ispiration to communicate and germinate permaculture principles in the lives of my family, friends and homeland. ...
feeling inspired to participate in activites that shed the veils of mediation.... gathering food, saving seed, fishing, constructing, designing, planting trees, reforesting, managing water, facilitating self-regultating systems .... between one living entity and another.
many things continue to connect...
monday, I helped build a picnic table,
tuesday, I prepped beds and planted out sweet potatoes; later, attended a talk on coppicing and keyline design given by some folks from vermont, who teach intermittently at the school Rae is starting up her classes with tomorrow (Yestermorrow, that is). This provided some interesting history for me...
on wednesday, we had the day off and the sky poured rain all night, all morning, all day.
on thursday, I helped haul thick heavy poles of kiawe wood, a thorny tree that grows a rot resistant hardwood. 2 truckloads, one of the trucks a huge dumptruck. most of them will be used for fencing (they can be stuck directly into the ground and wont begin to rot for 40+ years, so they say). a big pig fence is going up around the gardens at Niulii, so that production can continue, un-rutted by swine.
friday, after weeding with a hula hoe / hoop hoe, I learned a propigation technique called 'air-layering'. a 1-2 inch section of bark and cambium are removed from a (smaller than your pinky) branch of a young tree or bush, this section is wrapped in wet sphagnum moss and sealed tightly in a plastic bag or cellophane to keep all the moisture in. the sphagnum moss is used because mold won't grow in it. after some time, 3-6 months, the tree roots into the moss and you clip the branch off and stick it in a pot, and you have a clone of the tree. this is happening here with surinam cherry, guava, lychee, olive and hibiscus, amongst others.
this weekend I met some folks who are managing land elsewhere on the island, and also connected with a guy who's been on the island for some time and is really into fermented foods. he was selling kombucha out of beer kegs at the waimea farmers market. he gifted me some awesome lactic cultures called Viili (one I had in olympia) and Erik. I bought some crunchy brassicas at the market, so I was able to start batches of both kim chee and cheese yesterday.
Yesterday evening I went on a fishing expedition in the midst of strong wind and waves in the tide pools just to the north of here. with hand crafted poles of bamboo (with hook, line & sinker) 3 of us tried to get some bites, occasionally needing to retreat from our perches to dodge huge waves. I got soaked from above the belt line down twice. the largest fish we saw were maybe 3 inches long, but it was lovely to be close to the power of the ocean and to observe the details of the ebb and flow. also we had to make it across the pastures of curious cattle ( a bit intimidating to have a whole herd coming over to check us out ) that live and graze ocean side.
I am inspired to learn about shellfishing and seaweed gathering opportunities on the island...so far all I've seen are some tiny whelks, limpets and snails.
I'm beginning to make the connections I need to find some paying work here on the island.
I've been talking to Rae about what lies ahead, waiting for us. in June, the village bilding convergence in Portland and then perhaps a cross country trek to vermont, via michigan and possibly arizona/n.mexico...
I've begun to delve into a great book by David Holmgren, called Permaculture, principles and pathways beyond sustainability... it's very cerebral..this seems to work in combination with my hands on and observational experiences
overall, I have been participating in many parts of the process of homestead and food-relations...
working on my coconut-husking skills,
setting healthy boundaries (as to how much I will work...)
finding ispiration to communicate and germinate permaculture principles in the lives of my family, friends and homeland. ...
feeling inspired to participate in activites that shed the veils of mediation.... gathering food, saving seed, fishing, constructing, designing, planting trees, reforesting, managing water, facilitating self-regultating systems .... between one living entity and another.
many things continue to connect...
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