Going Bananas

On our property we have five clusters of banana trees. They have not been cared for for some time, at least several years. And bananas are one of the few food plants on Earth that cannot prosper on its own; it needs at least some human intervention. For example, the baby banana trees (called "keikis" here in Hawaii) grow in the middle of a cluster; but they will suffocate there if the parents' dead leaves aren't removed. And they won't prosper (and produce bananas) until they are placed where they can get plenty of air and sunshine for themselves.

A Wasted Trip

According to the Matson, website, today was to have been the day Keith and I were finally reunited with our car, which has been languishing in a garage in Long Beach, California, lo, these many months. And, as a side benefit, I had a lead on the mysterious (or, at least, hard-to-pin-down) County of Maui department that could give us a physical address, good for getting mail too big for a post office box, and for getting registered to vote.

Surf's Up at Hana Bay

Today's highlight came after we went to pickup the mail. On the way home, I decided to take a peek at Hana Bay Beach. The bay itself is protected; but even it was pretty choppy; and the waves beyond were quite large. This was not a surprise; since we had a hurricane pass by just a week or so ago. But it did make for some nice pictures.

Reunited And It Feels So Good

Finally, after only one failed attempt, we picked up our car from the shipper's today!

Homebodies

Back in the '80s I lived for a period in Nebraska. One day I took my wife and kids for a ride in the country, and when I saw a sign advertising fresh eggs for sale, I pulled in. An elderly man, presumably eager for a sale, came up to meet us. I had never bought eggs from a farmer before and so we started talking: First, on how to keep eggs fresh for six months (they needn't be refrigerated), and then about him.

He was 98 years old, he told me, and had been born in the same house he's lived in ever since.

It's A Dog's Life

Each morning at sunrise I am awakened by my dogs, specifically Ella, who is quite certain when breakfast time is, and is unlikely to allow me to sleep past it. Nevertheless, I cherish this and all other moments with Ella and Lilly. They give us so much affection and laughter, not to mention a sense of security. Yet when I look back at how we got them here to Maui, it almost seems like a miracle that they got here at all.

Taking Out the Garbage

Since most of my readers are urbanites, I thought some might find how we get rid of garbage on Maui.

Growing Pot

Medical marijuana is legal in Hawaii, and I have more than enough conditions to qualify for it. There are a couple of dispensaries on Maui, but the law provides for residents who live away from the cities to grow their own.

Dashing East to West

In Arizona I worked for a company called Doordash, which delivers food from restaurants and grocery stores to people who prefer not to, or can not, go out themselves. In Mesa it was just a way to make a few extra dollars to supplement my Social Security. But now, in this time of the coronavirus, it can also be an act of mercy.

Here Comes The Sun

We've been slaves to an electric generator for far too long. Time to cut that cord!—Oops, that's not what I meant.

Invasion of the Banana Smashers

As you may recall, my grandson, Zach, fenced off a section adjacent to his ZachShack for the baby babana trees we transplanted a couple weeks ago. Zach returned to Arizona for a month, asking us to keep an eye on his banana garden. Well, the cows that graze our property apparently had their eye on it, too.

Cooling Off at Koki

In these final days of August, it has gotten as warm as we've seen it at our end of Maui. It's not really hot by comparison to the plus-100 temperatures we'd gotten used to in Arizona; but it's humid and our cabin has no air conditioning. So, when it's hot and not actually raining (and, sometimes when it is!), we run out to Koki Beach where we can splash and keep cool until the afternoon sun sinks and things get a little more comfortable.

Mouse Problems

oday, Keith and the dogs and I made another supply run into Kahului. The trip itself was uneventful, so much so that I didn't even bother taking any photos until, on the way home, the light was hitting Haleakala just right. What we didn't realize was that, while we were away, the mice would play…