Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #60

April 27, 2024
Welcome to Blog #60

Thanks for tuning in and I want to tell you it has been an AMAZING two weeks of progress here! It is actually hard to know where to start. Maybe with one of the most important…..Last Saturday the first coconuts were planted on the hill-the beginning for the first coconut gene bank on Maui. It was a very touching and beautiful ceremony thanks to the Niu Now group -Indrajit, Jessy, Chris, Kehau and Wainani. As everyone was cutting holes in the weed barrier cloth and digging the holes Wainani was chanting a beautiful chant for success and growth. Planting was also started at 4 PM, a time during an important astrological happening and the moon was in a great place for planting according to the Hawaiian Moon Calendar. A perfect timing after two years of planning and working to make a dream actualized. I might add the Kaulunani Grant also made this all possible. We are hoping this is just the beginning of the project.

After the planting everyone hiked up to the pool and waterfall and went swimming.

Before the coconut planting the group harvested and cleaned taro from my little taro garden. They made the garden bigger and after the coconuts were planted Jessy planted taro on the lo’i that probably has not seen taro for over a hundred years. Just in one week there is a leaf on each stem. SO SO EXCITING! I can tell the taro is very happy…
We will keep planting the lo’i and that along with squash will be the ground cover.

Another great happening was Kane an electrician who came to properly install electricity. He showed up with a crew of two people who got the job done professionally and . They were here for two days drilling into metal and putting it all together according to code. It was great getting rid of all the extension cords. Two of the coconut chandeliers were hung over my kitchen work bench. I am waiting for more chain and cord for the middle light. These lights are antiques as years ago Bob and I flew to Kauai to cut them out of three rooms at the Coco Palms Hotel. I had them wired and painted for the coconut institute.

A super carpenter AJ who came to finish my windows. So happy as they were just barely held in place with wood and screws and water was coming in. He had some extra time so I had him rebuild the patio off the cat green house. This will double as a tool shed and we are waiting for the metal roofing. Now that will be weatherized and it looks 100% better.

I also found a mobil vet Dr. Krista who came to visit last week as poor Justin had cancer. She is a gem and will come out to Hana every month if not sooner.

It was a fun weekend with lots of laughter and great food fixed by chef Chris.

I am now nursing my right foot which one of these pallets fell on by mistake when some trees were getting trimmed this week.

Things are really growing here.

Thanks for tuning in and wishing you a super week.

Aloha Nui,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #59

Welcome to Blog #59
April 13, 2024

It has been a week with some driving to the locals call the “other side”. The truck has been very dependable, but just discovered it needed some work and well deserved after all the years of dependable service. And, my biggest nightmare would be getting stuck on the Hana Hwy. where there is no reception to call anyone and it would be a real mess. Luckily I found a great mechanic up in Wailuku, but that meant leaving the truck there for a couple of days renting a car, coming back and then another trip back. Basically, hours on the road and I came to realized the Hana Hwy is not for the faint of heart. Going in early Tuesday morning a local going fast came barreling around a corner half in my lane and there must have been just an inch between us. It was so close I thought it would be a side swiping for sure. Then the big delivery trucks also come zooming around corners just barely missing you. Coming back on Thursday a tourist car went off the road down an embankment. As we passed before the police and ambulance came I could see them scrambling up the hill back to the road.

On a better note I managed to get one day of building in. Mikey put a cutting board at the end of my damaged sink which kind of disguises the blemishes and gives more counter space. Builder Chris left with the large wooden beams held to the metal beams with just clamps. They are now secured with bolts. Mikey can’t come back for three weeks, but luckily through friends I met AJ yesterday who has some time between his jobs and is going to finish the windows and trim starting this next week. If time permits he will do more.

I am constantly reaching out to different men to get this job finished. They are all super busy because there is only one electrician and one plumber in Hana so it takes a lot of haranguing and follow through. Just by chance minutes ago I called Kane the electrician again and my some miracle he answered and he is coming Monday to check what I need. And, speaking of electricity we have had a week of dismal cloudy days which is big trouble for solar. When I was away on Thursday it got way down. My solar man, Cory, who is an angle watched over it and reached out to tell me to turn on the generator. I had a little lesson on Tuesday from Mikey so it was all good to go to get things charged up yesterday. Today we have much wanted sun.

Hopefully in a couple of weeks Caleb the plumber will show to hook up the hot water and water filter for drinking. It is all a slow go, but very worth it. I have learned a lot about patience in the last months.

Another great builder James showed up last week who will do my back patio in July. We have a Makaha connection as his aunt is Buffalo’s sister and he is head of the building department at Hana High School. James has a great family. His sister Chloe helps me with my cats several days a week and is a real doll. She just turned thirteen and danced at the Merri Monarch. Ethan also helps me. He is wearing the hat in the picture. James is the tall one in the black shirt. This really goes to show that when one door closes a better one often opens.

I did some planting this week and hope to do much more this coming week. The lettuce and arugula are really growing fast and we have been enjoying salads. In a few weeks we will be eating beets.

The afternoon is moving on rapidly with much to do now that my lawn mower is out of the shop.

Next weekend is the Hana Taro Fest and company is coming in so I will not be doing my weekly blog. I will tell you all about it in Blog #60 the following week.

Thanks for tuning in and wishes for a great week.
Aloha nui,
Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Post #58

Welcome to Adventure Blog #57

April 6, 2024

Thanks for tuning in. I always love hearing from any of you and it is always reassuring
that I am not completely writing to the wind. If you cannot figure out how to respond on Word Press just email me at Wavewomanbook@gmail.com

I always love hearing from you!

It has been a week of problem solving. I guess this is good for the aging brain to keep figuring out how to solve the problems in order to follow a dream.

We continue putting down weed barrier cloth and spreading chips on top. The hill terraces are looking better and better each week. Now we are waiting for another roll and ground steaks which I will get this next on my next trip to town. Kira is a great worker.

Tuesday morning I was headed for town as Mana had a 10 grooming appointment at Petco and a 10:30 vet appt. for a little sick cat that wandered in here from who knows where. I got everyone in the truck at 6 am for a nice early start before road work, put the key in the ignition, and click click. After a few telephone calls for a jump start my friend John finally showed up and we headed out. I ran into a few road blocks but we barely made the appts. After an hour plus driving around looking for a recommended mechanic I bought a new battery from the store next door. Fernando then told me I need a new radiator so I am going back in on Tuesday and leaving it with him for a few days. Meanwhile the truck still needs a jump start which is not comforting.

Then another funny thing happened this week. I was taking a shower in the hot water one demand funky outdoor shower and the phone rang so I got out to answer. When I went back in the water was only cold. Luckily Chris the weed eater man was here yesterday and has the same shower and we just needed new batteries. I keep a supply of those, so that is back and running hot now.

All week I have been reaching out to friends for possible builders to work here. I have found some piece meal helpers which might just work out best in the long run. I will keep you posted as the weeks move on. I have four that have committed to different time periods over the next months. It is all about patience which I am slowly learning.

I have more to report, but have some much needed paper work to get out. I had it all laid out on my table-files from 2017 and at 2:30 this morning Mana turned the table over with a loud crash. Now I need to straighten it all out (as if doing the paper work isn’t enough of a pain) and complete it to become compliant with the state Hawaii. I can’t get any more grant money till I am compliant so there is great motivation to get this job behind me. I have applied for another grant and will find out Monday.

The cats seem happy in spite of the off and on rain and cool weather. The kitten wandered in with a mother and brother and I am in the process of trapping and getting them neutered. The process is much more difficult here, but will hopefully happen asap with the help of my new friend Sharon from the HHS.

Everything is growing and the lettuce is ready for picking. The potatoes are slowly but surely working their way over the mulch hill. The Chiote squash are plentiful and I am wondering what to do with some of them. We are harvesting beautiful star apples.

We were blessed with some of John’s amazing empanadas.

Thanks for tuning in and it will be interesting to see what Monday April 8th’s solar event brings to pass. Have a great week!

Aloha Nui,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #57

March 30, 2024

Welcome to Blog #57

This week has seen some progress on the hill and it is looking better and better.

There has been no building as Chris disappeared. I am now putting the word out for a new builder. Everyone is busy so finding the right person will be interesting. There are some possibilities and I am hoping the perfect person will show up. The right plumber Caleb showed pup last Sunday to clean out my water filter and in the next weeks he is going to do the hot water and plumbing. And, also the filtration system so I can stop buying drinking water.

Kari has been helping me make social media posts which has been a lot of fun. I am doing this to create a wider audience of readers for my book Wave Woman book and to tell people about the process of building our coconut research institute, grove, gene bank and educational center.

Kari is from Chicago and after her rich Hana experiences here I think her life will never be the same. She is currently off on a weekend fishing and camping trip with my masseuse’s son Elija.
They are both twenty and so cute.

I had some old family friends visit yesterday and that was very nice. They brought a picnic lunch and we had a great visit. Afterwards we all went into town to the farmers market.

Many people have asked me about how I get my food. There is an abundant supply here and we will be quite fine if the boats stop coming. One source is the from Maui Hub which has a wide variety of fruits and vegetables along with venison and shrimp. Ordering is on line from noon on Saturday to midnight on Monday night. Each week the order is put in a box and we pick it up at the farmers market on Friday afternoon. This week I got a great box with cucumbers, green beans, cilantro, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, ground venison, and a pineapple. The farmers market has a baker for breads and sweets as well as wonderful fresh fish and other great vegetables. All of this promotes a very healthy diet. I get eggs from the neighbor for 5$ a dozen if you have the container.


I have lots of orange squash, chioti, avocados, limes and oranges. The neighbor has tons of grateful that just fall on the ground and rot if we don’t get them. The Ranch Market has everything one would need, but just at a high price. So, you can see there is plenty of food here plus the tiny shrimp in the pool at the top of the property. I also stock up on staples when I go to Kahalui and hopefully it all lasts for a few weeks.

Small sweet red peppers from farmers market

I am working on a Request For Funds that is due on Monday so I need to get going. It will be for a Polaris to transport equipment around on the property. It is a long shot, but one never knows as “long shots” often happen and I keep reaching to make things happen.

My new friend Sharon who came to check a cat chip
Polaris

Wishing you all a happy and joyful Easter and thanks for tuning in.

Aloha nui,
Vicky

My vegetable garden is starting to take shape.

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #56

Welcome to Adventure Blog #56
March 23, 2004

Thanks for tuning in. This has been an interesting week with no building. It has been a great week, but a little unusual. I am starting this later than usual because I have spent the morning driving back and forth to Hasegawa General Store trying to get proper hose fittings for my sink which has just been put in place. Luckily a man named Dwain was at the store on my second trip and helped find conversion fittings for the sink water lines.

AND, this sink has a long story. It was out of the historic 1907 Wilder House on Roundtop Drive in Honolulu. When Bob sold the house the new owners offered it to me and I was delighted to take it. when I went to pick it up it was gone. They had hired some men to clear out other things and they took the sink. I got their number and called them and said that was my sink and I wanted it back. He said they took it to the dump. I said OK I will meet you there and I want it back. They then mysteriously found the sink and I got it to Tantalus where we used it for many years.

For the move here I packed it up dreaming of using it in a kitchen. It has sat around the yard for over a year waiting. My builder Chris told me it would not fit in the existing place and it had to be cut and rewelded. He said a man named Issac could do this as he was a great welder and he took it to Isaac saying it would be at least a month as Issac was very busy. All the time I have been doing dishes in an outdoor sink with the hose. Finally, after two months I heard via the grapevine my sink was ready. I said great I will pick it up. Katie said oh no Chris will bring it to you. Then when I rechecked a man named Mikey will bring it to me. Mikey told me he was too busy. But, in the meantime my builder disappeared (this job is very unfinished) with no communication. To make a long story short I finally called Katie Issac’s significant other and said tomorrow I am coming for my sink. Kira and I picked the sink up several days ago at a job site and Mikey is here trying to hook it up. The end that was cut and rewelded is less than wonderful and doesn’t look professional to me. But at this point in time I can deal with it as I am just happy to have this semi installed with running cold water.

Since my builder left there has been no building this week, but Kira and I have been working on the hill. We are putting weed barrier cloth down and then raking and wheel borrowing the hau chips on top. We invited a young friend up for dinner on Sunday night and they all did some work.


Also I am working on uncovering the ancient rock walls buried in dirt and chips. It is going to be beautiful with the coconuts planted and squash as ground cover. So exciting!!!

My young friends from Oahu, Megan and Eli, came over last Saturday and along with Kira they filled a big hole left by the water tank’s first installation. It took many wheel barrows of dirt and chips. I just planted some flowers and a night blooming Jasmine.

Eli also opened the bottom part of the trail up to the waterfall and pool. When they dropped the tulip trees some fell on the hau which fell over the trail entry.

Vegetable seeds planted in our raised beds are poking their heads up. We have been enjoying some great plantains.

I am putting the word out for a new builder and know the right one will certainly show up. Water in a sink after many months-a BIG day! Hot water to follow in the next weeks when heat on demand water heater installed.

Thanks so much for tuning in and have a great week.

Aloha Nui,

vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Post #55

Welcome to BLOG #55
March 16, 2024

Thanks for tuning in but I am just going to make a sentence so you know things are OK here.
I have run out of time for today and will do blog next Sat.

We have made lots of progress on clearing the hill.

sThe big news is there has been no building this week and my builder has gone incommunicado
and not doing anything he said he would do. It is very frustrating but I have to stay cool and realize this is going to be a real adventure getting this place finished.

So, the real #55 will be next Sat.

Aloha,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #54

March 9, 2024

Welcome to Blog #54

Thanks for tuning in and hard to believe another exciting week has passed. The weeks are passing like wild horses-a saying my neighbor Karen just told me.

It has been a mostly a cold windy week which is good for our projects.

I made the big trip into Kahalui this week for building materials and a roll of weed cloth. This helps contain the rapidly growing weeds. We continue spreading this cloth out and then raking and shoveling out the piles of chips. Also a priority is digging out the rock walls.

It was a fourteen hour marathon trip. I left home at 4:30 so as to get an early start, but it was all in vane. The first delay was a little landslide which had to be cleared before traveling on. Then down the Hana Hwy a bit further was a gigantic tree over the road. The only good thing about this is while waiting an hour or so for chain sawing a large equipment to come in I met some neighbors. Waiting turned into a Hana social event. Coming back I could hardly squeeze in another thing.

We harvested some squash this week. This crop seems to do very well here so I will use it for ground cover under the coconut trees and then start selling it. Right now I just give it away as the locals love to fix it with either chicken or pork.

Finally some inside improvements also. Mikey redid the shoji doors that Bob salvaged years ago and they look exquisite.

I finally made it to Jan’s house high on the hill above the airport for water aerobics. Jan’s house is not an easy trip as she has a 2-3 mile rough gravel driveway. It was so freezing cold and we all suffered, but it was good to get in the water. We could only stay in for a half hour. Afterwards Jan made us hot tea and lunch that warmed us all up along with the nice commarderie.

I heard via the grapevine that my kitchen sink is finally ready and will be delivered this week. Am I ever looking forward to that after doing dishes with cold water and garden hose for over a year.

Last night for desert and the first time we enjoyed fruit from the chocolate zapote tree planted twenty years ago. I think this next week will be a big week for action here so hope you will check in for the progress.

The best part of this week was my fourth great grand child Wyatt was born-SO EXCITING!

Screenshot

Thanks for tuning in and have a great week

Aloha Nui,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #53

March 2,2024
Welcome to Blog #53

This week has passed so quickly and it has been a fun few days thinking about plants and landscaping. On Tuesday I had a garden consult from Michael a very knowledgeable aborist, horticulturist and landscape architect. We first traveled up on the mountain to a 160 acre property he has been working on for three years so he could show me some ideas. Then we came here and he gave me all kinds of ideas for different tree and plant locations. I love gardening and it is such a joy to plant beloveds and watch them grow. I also just heard a secret to long life is gardening. So, we keep a good thought about that. We have been gardening till dark.

Michael and his wife were blown away with the beauty of the Pride of Burma tree. It is in full bloom looming spectacularly over the driveway with the ground covered in pink orange petals. Another favorite is the lichee tree which has lots of blossoms after it was pruned last summer.

Kira and I continue to lay weed cloth, spread chips out and make little manageable burning piles. It has been raining a lot so no fires this week as the branches have been too wet. A friend who visits here fairly regularly said he cannot believe how the hill is getting transformed. Even the potatoes who people said would not survive in chips are looking good. The soil on the hill is black with richness so I think the coconuts will thrive and mature quickly.

As I understand Chris will return and building will continue this next week. I am looking forward to running water for dishes. We have a little outside place now, but it is a lot of work taking the dishes and pans in and out.

Book club was today so I am getting a late start without many pictures to show. The club is just for women, but Beth’s husband Grant made this beautiful table display for us. Even though I sometimes don’t read the books the group of women is so special and supportive of each other and all wonderful to know. I continue to love this place more and more.

The weather is starting to warm up and the days are getting really beautiful. Kira’s a big help and we are having a lot of fun besides the work. Last night we went to Hana Farms, a local pizza place with Friday night music, dancing, and a community get together. While waiting for a chair at our designated table I sat at a picnic table with several couple. After some conversation, one lady, Paula, had attended Waianae High School during it’s early days in 1960. These were the days of very few haoles. We enjoyed sharing as I was there teaching much later for twelve years. WHS was a rough and rugged place but, culturally interesting.

There were two frogs living happily in a water garden here, but I had to relocate them around the corner on the edge of this water fall early Wednesday morning. I did this because they are highly poisoneous for dogs. If Mana had seen one of these jumping around the yard it would have been curtins for her.

Time to sign off and feed the cats. Thanks for tuning in and I hope you have a great week.

Aloha Nui,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #52

February 24, 2024
Welcome to Blog #52

Thanks for tuning in. It has been a great week for moving forward with projects. Since there have been some hot days we have been working till dark. We did a lot of weeding and unfortunately there is a lot more to do. Kira and I are working on the hill which will be the back yard with the coconut grove. Starting at the bottom terrace we laid weed cloth and started raking down chips off of the rock wall. Over the next weeks we will continue this process upwards and hopefully have the ground ready for planting early April. The chipping crew left a lot of branches so in the process we are gathering them into small piles for controlled burns. We had two burns this week. The first burn was a little too big and started burning chips which scourched two small trees. We now make the piles away from chips and smaller. We have also had some rain which slows the process down.

We planted Hawaiian potatoes on the first mound of chips which acts as a burm diverting water away from the ag shed in heavy rains. I will not dig up the potatoes but they have beautiful purplish dark green leaves which cover the mound beautifully and can be used in stir frys. It has been raining off and on since we planted them which is a good sign for survival. You have to look very closely.

But the rain has slowed work down on finishing the roof and gutters. As usual it is a waiting game. One more week before my sink is cut and rewelded and Chris the builder will return to the job.

We are slowly getting the two raised gardens filled with soil for planting. The first layer is chips followed by different varieties of dirt topped off with Black Magic. I have to make a trip to Kahalui for the last ingredient and more seeds.

Kira is great help. Besides the work she is getting out and about and meeting people on her way to and from the beach.

The days have been very busy between all the projects, physical therapy for my shoulder and I have started a social media campaign on Tik Tok and stepped up Instagram posts in hopes of more book sales. I am making three a week that Kira is helping me with. I am going to try it for the next months and see what happens. I only have three more boxes of inventory left, but the black and white Amazon version is unlimited.
It actually is kind of fun.

Most all the animals are getting more and more relaxed, friendly and finding their special spots. Mana thinks she is a dinner guest.

Finally got this painting hung. It was found years ago inside a wall during a remodel up at the Wilder House cabin. Pretty classic!

Wishing everyone a great week and thanks for tuning in.

Aloha nui,

Vicky

Vicky Durand’s Adventure Blog #51

February 17, 2024

Welcome to blog #51

It has been a week for a lot of little things getting done. Mikey finished the generator shed so it will stay dry. Finally today I feel like this project has come a long long way from last year at this time. Was just scrolling through some pictures from a year ago and glad to be enjoying the progress. This picture is exactly one year ago.

Although we have had some beautiful days we are still in the rainy season and it has been very cold by Hawaii standards. It was so cold this morning I was even able to wear one of my surviving quilted rice bag jackets that I made and sold many moons ago.

I am working on getting the back yard cleaned and thinking about planting the first raised beds. There are now three beds almost ready for filling and planting.

Kira and I made the trek into Kahalui on Tuesday to pick up supplies which included purchasing a lot of ground preparation gardening tools. We picked up rakes and pitch forks for spreading the chips along with picks and shovels for digging planting holes. All this equipment was funded by our grant and will be used for the coconut planting. The next step is working by hand to clear the small branches left from the chipping that will be raked and put in small piles and do controlled burns. Then the dirt and chips will also have to be taken off the rock walls so they are re-exposed. This will be lots of fun work for me and hopefully Kira. Having extra help from Kira has been a real blessing.

A lot of little organizing got done with hanging pictures, curtains placed in windows where the sun was creating problems and general decluttering. It seems there are always a million projects waiting to be done. Besides other things I am now focused on planting. I have had plants in pots for months that are soon going in the ground along with new planting. Every little job is an improvement so the whole process is very satisfying and rewarding.

Chris, the builder, showed this week to let me know he will be here in three weeks with a new small work crew so things will move fast. And, am I looking forward to that bit of news. Actually it is all perfect as that is when the next phase of supplies will arrive.

A little late getting this out today as I took a pruning class this morning at Entabeni Gardens with Michael Kristiansen. The Kristensen’s amazing garden is located about forty minutes away in upper Nahiku, a spot that gets three hundred inches of rain a year. This class was not only exceptionally helpful for my gardening but also an analogy for life. Besides providing information we got to see some of their gorgeous plants. Two themes were modification, adaptability and that all living organisms are connected. A thought that gives to a lot of interest because it is not just plants…..

Since the afternoon is getting on I am going to bring this to a close. Thanks for tuning in and I love comments and/or questions. The two next pictures are from the entrance here-The Pride of Burma billed the world’s most beautiful tree. Bob and I brought this tree over on Hawaiian Air when you could get on a plane with a tree. It was about four feet when we planted it over twenty years ago.

Wishing you a great week!

Aloha Nui,
Vicky