Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #114

November 2, 2025

Welcome to Blog #114

Thanks for tuning in. I was on Oahu last week dealing with medical appointments so missed doing a blog. My friend Susan went with me and we had some fun in between meetings. Because of knee surgery, and then hip I hadn’t been to the dentist in over a year so that was a tortuous experience that I do not want to repeat. My Watchman check must have been fine as I have not heard anything to the contrary. After flying back to Maui I spent the afternoon shopping and doing errands so I don’t have to return for the next month.

I am still working on getting organized and putting things away. Actually I am doing a general reorganization-always trying to make things look and work better.

Before getting on the plane On Wednesday I delivered 200 pounds of squash I grew. This is so exciting to be actually producing a food crop. This week I sold another 90 pounds to our local Hana Ranch Market.

Squash loves this hill so I am going to try some other varieties-acorn, cords, and watermelon.

We are finally moving forward…..Yesterday James came to cut the big tree that needs to be removed for coconut planting next weekend. I hate hate cutting good trees, but it was necessary as we need the space.

Before cutting we harvested another big bunch of squash. I bought a magazine full of only squash recipes and am looking forward to trying them. Also instagram has featured some good looking dishes with squash. I made a pasta recipe that was delicious. It is a tad difficult to cut up, but worth it. The dogs are even pretty Ok with it.

Part of the yard is covered with cut branches and I am waiting for the crew to come and clear it out. Some of the bigger chunks will be turned into bowls and the rest milled.

This whole thing with our abundance of food is so interesting with the absence of food and all the possible program cuts in the news. I have also been over run with bananas. Yesterday I made a big bunch to dehydrate. I am also going to be having a bumper crop of papayas in a month or so. Luckily I have found a company that will buy all this extra food growing here. The only problem is taking it to Kahalui.

I just received a text that some people in Kipahulu have killed a bull and they are giving free meat to anyone who shows up at 12. Don’t know if I will go for that. There is a big beautiful black bull in the pasture next door. I give him bananas and ti leaves and can’t bear the thought of what the neighbors will eventually do with him. Wish I could rescue him….

Another free bee is every other week Hasegawas market distributes two packages of ground venison per family. I get it when the timing is right and use it for different recipes and for the dogs. Deer have invaded so this is one companies solution.

I finally drove my Kawasaki mule to the top of the property bouncing off big rocks. I was giving Susan a tour and we both were amazed at the beauty. Those papaya trees are full of fruit. That was where Bob’s parents wanted to build a weekend house.