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