June 6, 2026
Welcome to Adventure Blog #124
It has been a few weeks and quite a lot has been happening. May 28 we had our first niu workshop here at Koali Niu partnering with Mahele Farm and Holani Farm. Indrajit took the group up the hill and illustrated the planting method used here as well as showed them some of the varieties planted here. The group walked up further to see the natural pool and waterfall. Some of them even jumped in for a dip. After that we all sat on the tentalo patio where Indrajit showed some examples of rare varieties of niu and told about their use in old Hawaii. He also demonstrated making cordage from niu fiber.
Indrajit came only for a few days and the time passed all too quickly. He brought Mikey Kyser from the niu grove in Puna. They revisited a nearby grove, but found nothing new. I was hoping they would get out and find some new varieties, but time did not allow. We had some evening fires and nice meals. A few friends dropped by and it was lots of fun. I am hoping they will return before too long as we can use some new varieties. And there are places to explore. While Mikey was here he wrote a beautiful poem about this place which I will share.
Echoes of the Valley:
Valleys high and valleys low,
Water moves as time flows—
A silent river carving stone,
Carrying moments we can’t own.
Fading whispers of weathered bones,
Echoing secrets to mossy tones,
Where ancient voices softly moan
Through emerald cloaks and twilight zones.
Etched in stone, ike resides,
Roots atone and aina sighs,
The old earth hums its lullabies,
Of lives returned and love that dies.
Head down, sight dims,
The world grows quiet, the clamor thins.
Intentions guide from what’s within—
A steady flame no dark can spin.
Beneath the weight of sky and loam,
We walk these valleys as our home,
Where time and bone and spirit roam,
And every ending births its poem
Now that we are expanding the property up above the new job is to keep it all mowed and Weedeated. With the long days the grass is growing rapidly and the bamboo shoots up quickly-it is scary stuff with its horizontal roots. There are some beautiful old rock walls up above covered in vines which need cutting back. I love working around the old walls as I think about the builders and the rocks give off a special energy. Many days garden till dark. A friend sent me some Dalia bulbs and I am making a flower garden on the berm in the back yard with zinnias, daisies, snapdragons, and others.
The squash is growing and we are harvesting papayas. I am also planting papayas as they seem very happy here. This soil is so fertile after being covered in hau for over sixty years.
Time to feed the cats and move on. Everyone is doing pretty good. Mana is up to all her tricks, but is such a great companion and at my side continually.
Thanks for tuning in and wishing everyone a wonderful coming week.
Aloha nui,
Vicky
These cats do the darnest things-she didnʻt jump in thankfully
Wave Woman: The Life and Struggles of a Surfing Pioneer by Vicky Durand 