on top of the volcano

Visiting Hilo by Cruise Ship?

2012-01-17T10:07:00.000-10:00

The view of Hilo Bay as you enter by cruise ship is similar to this one, without the iron tree frame. This setting full moon would be a just after dawn sight where full on full moon had been day earlier, in the summer months.

My reason for this blog post is this: having recently finished up a six month stay across the street from this vista, I have watched hundreds of visitors disembark from cruise ships and take off on foot from Hilo Harbor. I have watched many of these visitors walk left on Kanoelehua. I have seen no walk left on Kalanianaole, the first street you come to after leaving the ship.

Clearly, whatever suggestions have been given visitors on foot precludes some of the prettiest places around Hilo.

If you walk left on Kalanianaole, you will eventually come to Carlsmith, otherwise known as 4 Mile, at the four mile marker. This is a sizable walk, and unless you want the exercise, take a taxi. Short ride - less than 4 miles. You will find yourself at a lagoon swimming spot that looks like it came out of a dream. If your ship allows you to leave with a sack lunch, do so. Otherwise, cross the street and pick up some food to go from one of the little restaurants or Keaukaha store and take it along. All you will get to have otherwise is maybe a shave ice from the truck later in the day.

If you walk right on Kalanianaole, at the main intersection of Kanoelehua, walk right, not left. If you walk left, you will go past hardware stores and so on, eventually find yourself at an open mall where the only store you are likely to consider visiting is Hilo Hattie, and they would have picked you up for free at the ship. If you walk right at the intersection mentioned above, you will follow a street lined with Banyan trees named after various luminaries who made Hilo a stop on their earlier voyages. And you will arrive at Liliuokalani Gardens, a park of much beauty right along the water. Beyond that park is coconut island, a tiny little spit of land out in the bay you can get to by foot bridge.

Downtown Hilo is reached by continuing along the bay front, after you find yourself at that intersection, where Kalanianaole becomes Kamehameha. This is another lengthy walk, and a short taxi ride. There are also Hele-On buses that follow this route, with some frequency. The downtown Hilo I am talking about is the Bay Front, old Hilo that survived the two tsunamis of a few decades back. If it is shopping and history you are after this is the visit you want to make. The variety of shops reflects life as it is on the Big Island of Hawaii. Galleries present the work of local artisans. Gift shops have stuff from all over the South Pacific. An unlikely stop but well worth it if you love to cook is the restaurant supply store. My fry pan from there is coated with lava for a non-stick surface that is permanent and the best ever. If you cook, this is possibly the best gift you can get for yourself from your whole trip. It also would delight any chef you may know and cherish. The Tsunami Museum is staffed by big wave survivors, who will share their stories and answer your questions. There are films and artifacts. Fascinating stop. If you are a furniture buff - one of those people who life to visit open houses just to see what's inside, Koehnen's is the shop for you. In addition to furniture pieces you would not be likely to see on the mainland, they have paintings and other decor. Altogether an artful stop, with koa floors and staircase - it is truly old Hawaii, no admission fee.

And of course if you are cruising, don't forget the volcano. If you are lucky enough to be on a ship that passes by the lava flowing to the sea after dark, that could simply take care of this for you. Otherwise, do not pass on the opportunity to go up the mountain and see the volcano in action. Unforgettable, mesmerizing.

Aloha!

off mountain

2011-08-13T12:26:00.001-10:00

Aloha, and welcome. Come on down the mountain with me for awhile and let's visit the plant world, or some of the plant world of Hilo.

The heart shaped leaves at the right belong to a member of the philodendron family. Here in the wet and relatively warm climate, in the volcanic soil that is made porous with cinders, philodendrons grow huge. They climb and choke the trees. When you are visiting and used to more arid climes, less jungle in the foliage, it all looks tropical and exotic.

When you live in it, you want to keep it under control so the light keeps coming in on you. It is similar to ivy, in that it grows quickly, and has little feet that attach to walls and trees. This particular variety also secretes a substance called calcium oxalate. These crystals are present in many healthful foods, and ingestion in say spinach does not cause most of us pain or suffering. However, grasping this particular plant to pull it off trees and walls will cause it to fight back. A terrible burning itchiness happens. Apparently it affects different people differently. I find that if I wear gloves and shower immediately after pulling it out, I am fine. If I inadvertently yank on it with bare hands, after a short time I run to the shower to wash away the itchies.

Calcium oxalate is also present in taro leaves. Those leaves are used like spinach in island cooking, but must be boiled then baked for the substance to be rendered harmless. Otherwise, your throat feel like you swallowed a handful of tiny spikes. Gargling with water and Hawaiian salt is the remedy. If you have eaten a lot of it, get yourself to an emergency room.

Hawaii is a place with little in the way of harmful plants or animals, but those that are here can be vexatious.

Waiting and Wondering

2011-04-19T08:10:00.001-10:00

Several weeks ago, we got a call from the mainland. A TV network show had learned about the treehouse and wanted to do a special on it. Would that be all right? It didn't take a whole lot of thought to say "Yes!!!"

It happened very quickly. The crew showed up and a day and a half was dedicated to filming what we do. The focus was on the treehouse. There were a few seconds of a party in the pavilion, and a short interview of us in the living room. All for maybe 7 minutes of show.

Our biggest challenge has turned out to be getting the wedding business known. Because we do not offer a venue suitable for the average 200 - 300 guest wedding, the usual advertising simply does not attract brides and grooms. People looking for an off-piste wedding venue usually start with the geography, or a few words that describe more or less what they are seeking. Romance, privacy, adventure... this is what we have. Rainforest, volcano, Hawaii... it's a pavilion in the rainforest, attended by birds, where there are orchids in the trees and a sense of the mystical and magical is all around.

As it turns out, it is all about the treehouse. Most newlyweds find out about us when they are planning the honeymoon. Word goes back to their not yet married friends via flyers, and this is a slooooow process.

Now, with a few minutes of high prominence on a TV show, we are hoping to finally be "discovered". We are not allowed to say what show it is until after it has aired. That should happen in May. Will the magic of the pavilion shine through in the short exposure it will have on film? Will the idea of a wedding in the rainforest combined with a treehouse honeymoon surface even, with the slant the show wants to portray of the treehouse as a fantasy play structure? We just have to wait and see.

Meantime, guests at the treehouse tend to return mid afternoons from their volcano adventures. The hot tub awaits. Oft times the late day is misty, and there kissed by the sky they soak up the mystique of the montane rainforest from this perch in the ohia trees.

It will be interesting to see what of the magic is conveyed in the TV special.

Orchids in the Pavilion

2011-04-03T14:52:00.000-10:00

Parties, celebrations, weddings, get togethers mean there are almost always flower displays in the pavilion. Orchids grow in abundance on the island. They are available at farmer's markets around and about the island regularly. And there are purveyors of flowers, especially in Hilo, every day of the week.

This bouquet began its life nearly a month ago. The pale green orchids are only partly open. Some of these flowers will still be beautiful when May rolls around.

Here are the pale green orchids, close up. Over time, the pink and yellow will become more prominent, and the green will become more yellow.

Pink and green with gold accents is particularly charming color combination, whether it is orchids or other decor.

At the flower market, it often comes down to a choice between a certain color scheme or the better orchids. Recently I was seeking white, and the choices were extremely slim. And three weeks later, there were sprays of white phalaenopsis everywhere. The playful sprays of yellow oncidiums sometimes called dancing orchids or canary orchids are almost always available, but sometimes they are fragile and falling apart from the beginning.

Most of the orchids in this bouquet are cymbidiums. Cymbidiums are cool weather orchids that bloom when the temperature at night drops at least 20 degrees below the day temperatures. They are typically available in winter and early spring. The flowers on the plants may last four or five months. They grow best out of doors, in shelter, or where there is little rain. Rain spoils the blooms.

There are orchids that thrive in the wet and the rain. Miltonias are a prime example. They are lovely growing on the trees, but their stems are bendy and delicate, and they are not good bouquet flowers.

Then there are the orchids outside the pavilion. They are often fragrant, thrive in the wet conditions, and can be startling in their brilliance, there in the forest.

Fancy Dancing by Madam Pele

2011-03-06T22:06:00.000-10:00

Just in time for Mardi Gras, Pele is having a celebration of her own. This is what a brand new fissure looks like. First there was a major collapse at Pu'u O'o crater, accompanied by a multitude of earthquakes. Then a great split in the earth, from which fiery lava spit up to eighty feet in the air.

The photo at the left is courtesy of the usgs site, where short videos and explanations of what is occurring are posted daily during eruptive events such as this.

We and a couple of our friends set out this morning to view what was going on. We settled on a hiking path that would have taken us close enough to see the action. We drove into the park, only to find out the entire Chain of Craters road was closed. Meantime, the helicopter activity had been significantly greater than usual beginning early in the morning.

The park had posted a guard at the road, who explained to us that sometime over the next few days a decision will be made as to how to manage the expected flurry of hikers into the area. Safety matters will be addressed. This last is tricky, as the volcano is clearly unpredictable. Apparently there will be some analysis of the new fissure and some assumptions made as to how wide it may become, and how long...

It is frustrating, having this remarkable event happening so close, and being held back from viewing it first hand. Hopefully the road will reopen quickly, in time for us to actually view the fountains.

A Mystical Volcano Experience

2011-02-18T21:18:00.000-10:00

We often wander over to Jagger Museum to check out the eruptive activity at Halema'uma'u. There is a webcam positioned there so it's possible for everyone to drop by and see what's happening, more or less.

Tonight I checked out the action after dark. Usually there is a faint glow showing on the webcam, if anything. I am always hoping for a major glow, and tonight, there it was. When the glow is really bright, you can see it from the parking lot.

Time to head over to the crater and see it for real. Tonight, I could see the glow as soon as I turned onto the highway. It was a little bit overcast, and the sky had a distinct red tinge to it up ahead, like the end of a brilliant sunset.

All along the journey the glow became more and more pronounced, and from the parking lot it was very bright. There were about three or four times as many people as usual. A halau was chanting about Pahoehoe, a chant to Pele.

As if in answer to the chant, the volcano began to hum, to groan. There was a vibration, and then something of a roar. The chanting continued. Onlookers were making sounds of awe. Then a much louder noise, a plume of black, and the sounds stopped. The chanting continued a couple more minutes.

Then the glow faded.

Apparently a chunk of the crater around the edge of the eruption had collapsed. It felt as if Pele had answered the chant with one of her own.

What we really really need

2011-02-04T13:48:00.001-10:00

When you visit a National Park, typically there is at least one hotel/restaurant where you can spend the night and have a better than average meal. Visitors from all around the globe are attracted to our parks, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is no exception. Our visitors are our guests, in a very real way.

So why is it that there is no place to get a bite to eat in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park other than the military camp? If you venture over to Volcano House, you are greeted by barricades. Most visitors are unaware that Volcano House is situated on the very rim of the caldera. Looking out from the rear walkway, or if you could go inside what once was the restaurant or lounge, you could clearly see Pelehonuamea, the goddess's home in her sacred volcano. You could witness the glow of her eruptive activities as night fell. You might even catch a glimpse of lava splash emitted from the new pit that opened in Halema'uma'u.

Clearly it was was not always this way, a park bereft of food service amenities.

Here is the situation. In January 2010, Volcano House in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed for two stated reasons: retrofitting and finding a new concessionaire. Volcano House has been run down and less than wonderful for a long time. But that's not the reason a new vendor is being sought - it is that the old contract ran out.

The concession went up for bid. What is at stake is this venerable hotel/restaurant, the shops inside, and some small cabins in a site removed from the hotel.

The sign at Volcano House today says they expect to reopen in early 2012. However, there is not a choice yet made among the bidders as to who will assume responsibility for Volcano House. There is no sign of any ongoing work on the renovations. Bidding closed many months ago, and those vying for the concessions were told that a decision would be forthcoming in November 2010.

The Volcano Project is one of the entities that bid on the concession. Their aim is to operate a culinary institute on a non-profit basis out of the site, with special places for at risk youth. There will be a bakery. Many from within our fragile island economy will have work once this hotel reopens, if it does so under the auspices of the Volcano Project. To have this run by people who are rooted in the community and care so deeply would be a wonderful thing. To keep it out of the hands of institutions and hotel chains of the corporate and cold hearted nature would be a victory for the rest of us.

I have been told that contacting our elected representative by phone and asking them what the hold up is on the selection process will bring this matter back into focus.

Any of you/us who are so inclined, please find your local elected rep in Congress and the Senate and telephone them. Ask them what's up with this sad lack of concern for this beautiful one-of-a-kind place in a foundering economy. Tell them we need to eat. And feel good about making a real difference.

Living with Shortages

2011-01-22T12:24:00.000-10:00

It looks pretty, doesn't it. A fragrant cedar hot tub on a deck in the forest. You are looking down - those are the tops of tree ferns just beyond the deck.

In fact, the base of the hot tub is so far up that carrying a ten gallon propane canister up and placing it next to the chofu heater may be possible but is ill advised for safety reasons. Too easy to wrench one's back, mainly, hoisting it up and over the lava formations below.

This is a deck at the treehouse. The treehouse is in the rainforest, on the Big Island of Hawaii, in the middle of the ocean. We didn't think about it much, or at all, when we built this little place, but the Big Island of Hawaii does not manufacture propane. There are two propane plants in the Hawaiian Islands, and they are both on Oahu. That means propane must be shipped or barged over to this island.

Some time in December, there was a problem at one of the plants on Oahu, and it shut down. There were still supplies on the outer islands, and the newspapers ran a couple of articles. The word from the suppliers was there would be no problems.

The reality is different. Way different. Propane deliveries from the gas company to private homes began to be delayed, not in December, but November or earlier. Perhaps the troubles with the manufacturing in Oahu started back then, before the plant was shut down altogether. Beginning months back, instead of getting your tank filled, you got your tank a little bit filled. Like maybe 30%. "Full tanks in February," they say now. No one explains anything though. Maybe they have been trying to make sure the retail suppliers who fill all the portable tanks customers bring in can be kept supplied. Makes sense.

But, last week, Hilo ran out of propane. Then Keaa'u ran out, and Pahoa, and Volcano, and now Ka'u. Today, I found one outlet in Ka'u with propane. Ocean View answers the phone "Aloha, no propane until Monday". The outlet in Ka'u with propane opens at 2 pm and will dispense no more than 2 gallons a customer.

So about that pretty hot tub ... no propane, no hot. We've got enough to get by through Monday, but our reserves were used last week, and we were only able to get short fills last trip into town. All this of course prompts us to buy more back up cylinders, and fill them when possible. And of course, last week was the week one set of guests left the propane barbecue on all night and all day, and another set of guests left a propane heater on.

This propane shortfall is ironic, as what we were trying to achieve with the treehouse was a sustainable energy system whereby we would not be susceptible to the availability of electricity. Electricity delivery on this island is notorious for cost and breaks in service. As the electricity flows back on, standard surge protectors often fail. A week or so ago, the power went off for just a few minutes. There was a flash of blue when it returned, and our phones' circuitry was destroyed. The treehouse has its own off grid system, but it is not as self sustaining as it could be.

As we re-think our set up and our vulnerability, it seems it is time to step up the plans to put in a wind turbine. And thermostats. With the wind turbine in place, it will make sense to convert ourselves to all electric, or perhaps an all electric option. Of course, once the propane shortage is over on Oahu, all will be returned to normal... until oil shortages begin to be felt everywhere. This may not be exactly on the horizon, but that time is coming... and if the treehouse users want that hot water, it just may be fueled by the winds. Kind of a nice concept, here on the mountaintop.

when things break on an isolated island

2011-01-13T10:53:00.000-10:00

The cedar hot tub. A fitting addition to the treehouse. Unexpected up with the tree branches. Fragrant, woodsy, so fine under the stars or in the misty evening.

Cedar hot tubs are not built on this island. Once Hawaii was covered in cedar trees, but so many were taken away that to even see one now is rare.

Our cedar hot tub was built in Alaska and shipped over. It is heated by means of a chofu - a propane fueled stove that sits under the treehouse and circulates the water without using a pump or electricity. This is very nice for our off the grid experiment, plus there is no pump sound. The chofu sound is very faint, and once the tub is hot, the heater is mostly off.

We didn't pay much attention to the source of the chofu - it came along with the hot tub, and we really like the vendor. Personable, happy to be doing business with us. He even shipped the hot tub assembled and ready to slip into the spot we had ready for it.

We've had it up and running a little less than a year. One of its drawbacks is that there is no thermostat, so it is possible to severely over-heat the water, to the point where it begins to bubble and boil out of the heating unit. Our system to keep that from happening relies on being able to adequately communicate to our treehouse guests that they should only add heat to the hot tub if they are in the water, so they know when to turn it off. Heat goes up quickly.

However, sometimes someone will decide to add heat, open up a bottle of wine, and put on a movie. Ooops. After that happened recently, the chofu sprung a leak. At first the water slowly dripped out, and then the drip became a trickle. Robert took on the task of opening the chofu and hopefully tightening a connection. But that didn't go well, and when he put the chofu back together the hot tub pretty much drained right out.

We made frantic calls to our Alaska vendor, and learned there is only one distributor of Chofus in the United States, and he was not readily available. After some discussion between the guys, the chofu heating unit was taken to a radiator shop in Hilo where it was repaired. After a fashion.

It turns out the water here has a corrosive effect on the metal, and it was pretty much rotting away. The solution appears to be in the replacement of the unit and treating the water to decrease the acidity. We can do that. And it is expensive. And we don't know if this will mean the unit will last two years instead of one, or what.

Alternate solutions are a propane heater with a pump, also costly, loud, inelegant, uses electricity. It should be possible to coat the chofu unit such that it will be impervious to rust. Perhaps at an auto paint shop?

Meantime, we are grateful the radiator shop was able to do a quick fix and restore the hot tub to usefulness. A hot tub is sort of like a coffee maker - once you've got one, you can't do without. And for those treehouse visitors, it's a big part of the experience.

Eating Local ~ Locavore Hawaii Style

2010-11-19T18:15:00.000-10:00

Does it look like seaweed?

It is seaweed. It is limu, also locally called Hawaiian super food.

This interesting and versatile sea vegetable may be eaten raw or cooked, and is especially delicious in a stir fry or when baking fish.

Tonight, we had it with walu, a local fish. This is our first omnivore venture back from a vegan diet, ultra low fat. I am confident that we bring the ultra low fat concept over, and incorporate this delicious wild fish from our local waters in a healthy way. It turns out walu is not exactly a low fat fish, but we did eat small portions.

The entire meal consisted of baked walu, braised greens, and Israeli style couscous. An entirely local plate would have substituted sweet potato in one form or another for the couscous. The nice thing about the couscous is it has a wonderful texture, and both texture and flavor are a compliment to the fish.

Walu is a tender, flakey fish that lends itself well to baking. I put a few drops of sesame oil in a glazed ceramic baking dish, coated the filets, and spread chopped limu over the top. I added a few drops of hot sauce. I used Hula Girl Jalapeno. I baked the fish at 375 while I prepared the rest of the meal.

The raw couscous goes into a pan where a shallot has been sauteed in less than a teaspoon of sunflower oil, over medium heat, with a handful of chopped parsley or cilantro. Stir, and mince a small red sweet pepper, add, stir, and add boiling water as per package instructions. Israeli couscous is about half the size of a pea per grain. It takes about ten minutes to cook.

While couscous is finishing, braise the greens. I used a combination of beet greens, arugula, kale, collards, broccoli rabe, mizuna, gaiian, & tatsoi.

Then I sprayed the fish in the oven with a bit of Bragg's Aminos. Loaded up the plated with the couscous and veggies, and removed the fish from the oven and voila.

It may be that it has been entirely too long since I've had fish, but the walu was so good it rivals opakapaka, my favorite fish. Easy to prepare, this meal is outstandingly delicious. You can serve it with confidence to anyone who likes fish. If you are vegetarian, you can substitute tofu for the fish and prepare it exactly the same way.

After this delectable dinner, I went online to find out more about walu, and discovered it has a terrbile reputation. I feel a little like I went out on a fabulous date, only to tell my friends and hear tales of bad deeds by my dinner partner later! Although people say this is either the most delicious fish they have ever had or close to it, apparently consumed in large portions, it has unhappy gastrointestinal side effects. I ate it an hour ago, and am not having any rumblings. I sort of wish I had read this tomorrow. I will be back with an update in the morning, but hopefully since I split one filet between two of us, we did not indulge in excess, and nothing untoward will happen.

Drinking Green

2010-11-08T11:00:00.000-10:00

This is breakfast. Also a slice of sprouted grain toast with mashed up purple sweet potato and sunflower seed spread, plus a cup of Ka'u coffee. My green drink.

This morning it is thick, like a milkshake, but there is no dairy in it. I have nothing against dairy, but we are avoiding animal fat in a vegan sort of way these days, to see if it makes a real difference in our overall health. In fact, we are deliberately reducing fat intake to the point where the evening meal has become a major challenge. We've been doing this over a week and so far I have produced two dinners I enjoyed eating.

Breakfast and lunch are another matter. This green drink is what I consider the cornerstone of a health giving diet. By that, I mean a habit of eating that will restore good health by diminishing or perhaps eradicating the chaotic response the body can muster up in the form of some auto-immune style maladies. Like fibromyalgia, for example, or lupus. It may not work for everyone as we are each as unique as our fingerprints. But it does amazing things for me and many other people.

The body loves green food. The green color in this drink comes from beet greens, kale, and blue green algae. The blue green algae is harvested here in Hawaii, and sold in powder form. You can drink a spoonful of it in apple juice and it tastes like one of those Naked Earth drinks - just fine. I like to add in the fresh greens. At the farmer's market I get the beets with the leaves still on, cut them off and put them in a jar of water like a leaf bouquet. During the week, they are fresh and perfect for use in green drinks and soups. A handful in the breakfast drink, stems and all, is a good use of them. Same with the kale, except it is not so delicate, and stays robust in the vegetable bin. Also in this drink is a banana, a papaya, and part of a pineapple. Amount of kale is six or eight leaves of the curly green Tuscan variety. A scoop of ground up flax seed for the omega 3 fatty acids and the fiber. Sometimes I add an orange. If I lived on the mainland, there would be an apple in there. And there is water.

Part of the food idea at work here is to eat local. Living here in Hawaii where everything but the flax seed is locally grown makes this drink like a toast to the island. The way it feels to me is that eating the food from the land on which you sleep, and environs, that has matured in the air you breathe, offers you the unique nutrients your body requires to best function where you are.

Here are the short and long term effects of this drink: It is satisfying and stops your body's hunger response immediately. You will not drink this and then crave a slice of cheese or handful of nuts. You will be done. And you will not be hungry again until the middle of the day or later.

You will feel energetic and ready to face the day fully, welcoming whatever is ahead.

The long term effects for me include diminished ankle pain (none recently), diminished stomach acid incidents (none recently), and no flare ups of any of the peculiar symptoms of failing health I developed in the last couple of years of my desk job. In short, I feel healthy and strong. It is my personal opinion that no matter what else we may be doing with diet, to start the day with this drink and some sprouted grain bread is one of the very best things we could be doing for ourselves.

If you feel motivated to try a drink like this yourself, I suggest shopping at your local farmer's market and using only locally grown items. Cucumbers, kale of all kinds, oranges, apples, tangerines - all of it. Look for blue green algae powder at the health food store, and ground flax. You can add some local honey if you want it sweeter - a teaspoon should be enough. If you eat dairy, yogurt can go in. Almond milk you make yourself from blanched almonds is nice but not necessary - water alone will do.

Then, let me know how it goes for you. I'd love to know.

aloha!

September 1 is Hawaii Rainforest Day

2010-09-03T13:35:00.000-10:00

So it was proclaimed by our mayor Billie Kenoi at the celebration in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for the issuance of our rainforest stamp pane!

It was truly a joyous day, an occasion befitting this magical place. There was talk of the thousands of flora and fauna that exist here alone, in this particular forest. The artist was there, John Dawson, and he was both humble and ecstatic. This is the same artist that designs the park handouts, if you have ever been here. His work is splendid.

This is my friend and hula sister Diana dancing at the hula platform in the park, at the unveiling. When you dance here, you can actually see the eruption at Halema'uma'u. The audience has its back to the crater.

The day was sunny and the temperature just perfect all through the event. Then later in the day, there was misty rain.

The park opened its gates at no charge, and gave everyone who came out an envelope with a first day of issue commemorative stamp affixed. Then the artist stayed and signed the envelopes for all who wished. He talked story as he signed, in the island way. He lives locally, and is the same artist who designed the entire nature series for the US Postal Service.

One of the things I love most about living in this community is the human scale size, where when an event such as this happens, all morning you keep seeing friends, everywhere. They are not just there, but participating, joining in. We all have an interest in our aina, our park, our land. It is a place of deep caring. I was realizing today that this was a day of giving, of sharing. There was no money charged for any part of this. Everyone gave of their talents, their time and energy, their spirit. This is the essence of Hawaii, this generosity of spirit. May it thrive.

Friends and Aloha on the Big Island

2010-08-30T09:32:00.000-10:00

It is a happy thing to have friends to get together with and celebrate. They may call this the Big Island, but any island is by its very nature small. There are no bridges to this place, and the channel is treacherous, so the main way in and out is by airplane. Having lived in the Bay Area for many years, I became accustomed to the fact that many people would be stopped from visiting one another by the necessity to cross a bridge. Imagine then the visiting facts of life as they play out on this island.

Actually, you don't have to imagine for long, as I will tell you that there is an east side - west side division that is more meaningful than the bridges thing. After all, you can cross a bridge in a few minutes. Unless there is horrible traffic. And yes, that happens. Here on the Big Island, when it comes to east side - west side travel, the word Big enters the picture. When your trip is two hours each way, you think about spending the night. You think about what you have to do the next day. So, get togethers may include east side - west side friends, but tend to be one or the other. And interestingly, the island being small as well as big, at get togethers such as ours, you will see friends you know from other times on the island. Surprise!

Last night we had an east side get together. This is something my extraordinary island friends Devany Vickery-Davidson and Wes Davidson host regularly. There is always a food theme, and shared food and drink. The food is amazing. These east siders tend to be Bay Area transplants who brought their food love along, and know their way around the kitchen. I thought I was a pretty good cook, but these people are chefs at heart if not actual professionals. Last night was Mexican night. My main contribution was mango margaritas. The photo is the mango syrup, made from ultra sweet creamy smooth textured organic Hawaiian mangos. Since moving here, I prefer to make everything but the booze from scratch, and avoid the HFCS and so on.

Mango Margaritas for a party

Peel fresh smooth fruit mangos and slice into blender - about two cups or four small fruit
Add two trays ice cubes, and whirl

Cook together three cups water and two cups organic sugar over medium heat and stir until sugar melted
Squeeze in juice of 6 limes, add two lime skins, simmer a few minutes, and remove skins
Can also add juice of one or two lilikoi if you wish
Place in freezer to cool down, and add to mango mixture, blend some more.

You can pour this into bottles and refrigerate until ready to use.

Mix cocktails:

Put generous amount of ice cubes in margarita glass
pour in two ounces mango mix
one to two ounces clear tequila - use the good stuff
1/2 ounce triple sec or other orange liqueur
garnish as you wish - mint leaf, orchid, both

this drink is smooth. Adjust tequila to taste. Aloha!

A Year on the Island

2010-07-19T12:52:00.001-10:00

Aloha from the top of the volcano.

We officially passed the one year mark of our move to Hawaii at the beginning of the month.

This photo is of the Halema'uma'u eruption at the last full moon. The moonlight illuminated the plume and clouds, but is not so brilliant as to obscure the stars, as bright as it is.

A year has brought us into synch with the human rhythms of the island. We are becoming more a part of this place, our adopted home, than we are of the places we have left behind, although we carry much of them within ourselves, always.

There are secret beaches we have discovered, where we can take the dogs and let them run about. There are more secret beaches we have learned about and have yet to visit, and kipukas to visit where we will see rare birds.

I joined a halau and began to learn hula. The halau has brought me more into what it is to be a part of Hawaii, has made me more Hawaiian. I used to think of hula as something I would very likely never be able to do. Now I think of it as something that with lots of work and drive I will have in my life, to dance to this music I love.

After we moved here, we had some disappointing and disheartening experiences with people we had trusted and even thought of as friends. As with all negative aspects of life, I had a difficult time with it, with them. I struggled for acceptance of that-which-I-cannot-change. These sad people may be here forever, but we have met outstanding, delightful, amazing new friends. They are hospitable, witty, and they cook. They bring together their friends regularly in shared dinners. Now with our pavilion complete, we can be doing the same.

So our first fabulous get together will bring together our friends, a vegetarian island locavore picnic, the full moon, and Pele's extravaganza down the road at the crater And music. There will be music!

Down the mountain, lava is flowing across the surface again, spreading out into Kalapana, again. It is dramatic, this lava dance. It brings you together with what is primal, and lets you know that magic is fully alive in the world. You can explain and understand the lava of course, but as you think about where it is coming from, the inexorable flow, the reclaiming of some parts of the land, the sparing of others, it becomes clear you cannot understand it all in terms of science and observations. You begin to feel the poetry, and the sound of the Ipu and the hula chant comes back to your ears as you watch the lava and let your mind loose into this world.

Finally a website for the treehouse and wedding pavilion!

2010-05-17T11:37:00.000-10:00

Here it is: www.mahinui.com

Since the link doesn't bring any photos with it, at the right is a view of the treehouse kitchen.

As I was working over at the treehouse today, I began thinking of all the surprising aspects of this adventure. Maybe it is an adventure because each turn of the calendar brings something else unexpected.

When we began coming to Volcano, we used to put out bird feeders. Cardinals would come, singly. Mynahs, doves, finches and sparrows would come, but in all the years here we never saw honeycreepers. The National Park has been conducting a program to bring back the native birds, especially the honeycreepers. This year, there must be thousands of them. They are the most prevalent species in the forest. Energetic red plumaged relatives of the finches, they dart about, settling on the fern fronds and then are off. They sip nectar, and also peck at the ground, so may be insect eaters as well. I never see them at the feeders, even though there is finch food in them.

It has been chilly much of the time since we have arrived. That means chilly since the beginning of July. In prior years, any season we have been here, there have been warm days, interspersed with less warm days. Rarely has it been cold. This year, rarely has it been warm. Today, warm - maybe high 70s. It feels really good. In fact, there have been several warm days so far in May. It is as if this place suddenly realized it is Hawaii...

These seem like very small surprises, perhaps, but it is small surprises that build large happinesses, or so it seems.

As beautiful as it is here, I did not realize that any part of the landscape would ever seem less than magnificent. What I had not counted on was that my mentality has been informed by a lifetime of living in or near a large city. The daily traffic and press of crowds of people, the noise of sirens and street cars, what had seemed sometimes an assault on the senses is all absent here, and it is not that I miss it, but without the contrast, there is a certain sameness and placidness to everyday life. I am beginning to recognize that much of the sweetness of being is due to the contrast. You work in an office, come home and stare out at whatever beautiful private space you have created for yourself. Maybe it is a garden, maybe art on your walls. Spending all this time in the glorious rainforest, I begin to stop seeing the wonder of it, unless I pause to think on it. It does not strike my eyes...

It will be interesting to see how it is to return to the mainland as a visitor, then return to Hawaii as home. What will it all be like? I realize now, I do not know.

Big Island Update

2010-03-31T12:11:00.000-10:00

We've been living here on the Big Island nine months now. We came here to have a more adventurous, less sedentary life. Living on top of a volcano is in itself a prescription for drama.

As they say, appearances are deceiving. Ideas can be as well.

Just as the volcano tends to put on its most fiery shows down the mountain, the adventure one receives is not necessarily the adventure one believes one has chosen.

We made careful plans, and nurtured them over eight years of preparation, riding the beautiful upturn in the economy that seemed to describe an arc like a rainbow. When the economy dipped, we wanted to think it was like a walk we might expect through say a canyon, a valley. We expected to come out the other side having learned a thing or two, but intact. It has been instead a hurricane, a storm of immense proportions that has overtaken people everywhere you look.

Earlier today I was looking at an article about Coco Palms Resort on Kauai. When Hurricane Iniki blew through, it lifted the roof off this iconic restaurant and hotel, and pulled the siding down too. Eighteen years later, the place is still a ruin, and more so, given all that weather and no repair work. There had been lofty plans to restore the buildings, the gardens, the coconut grove, but support for the plans fell away as money became unavailable.

This morning, I walked past the grounds of what had been a pretty little bed and breakfast near here. In the days of money, a couple from somewhere in the middle of the mainland came out and purchased it from the owners who had built the business from scratch. Today, the house and cottages are vacant, the floor peeling and the walls collecting mildew stains. Untended, the once idyllic grounds are returning to a natural state of fallen giant fern fronds and opportunistic ginger. Eighteen years here and the jungle would utterly reclaim the structures, cover them with yellow orange flowered sweet potato vines and yellow ginger.

We came to this place in the midst of an economic hurricane. Sadly, the high winds are still blowing strong. I am grateful for certain aspects of living here that make it possible to survive despite harsh times: the farmer's market, where you can buy fresh locally grown produce and have money left over to fill the gas tank in your car; and people whose work brings them into contact with those who are struggling, and who are kind and helpful.

Whether or not our business will thrive remains to be seen. The treehouse is popular as a place to stay. However, the original plans have undergone several revisions, and we are still struggling with power delivery. To have the system we need is going to require several more thousands of dollars of investment, and the equipment we purchased will have to be replaced in part as it lacks certain capabilities. Although we employed experts to design our system, and relied on the input of many, each supposedly adept, the design is wrong for the application. Hard to believe, when we are looking to power a two room structure.

Today someone asked me if we are living the dream. We are living the dream as it unfolded, and as challenging as it is, it is important to remember and even remind ourselves that we made a huge leap. We left the security & comfort of steady income, family close at hand, friends we loved, and moved to the middle of the ocean to build a treehouse and put up a party pavilion in the rainforest, plant a bunch of trees, and watch orchids bloom in fountains of flowers from the giant ferns. Here we are, and that's what we are doing. Oh, and I joined a hula halau and am learning to dance. That is whole other story! The process of achieving this stripped us as a hurricane does the vegetation in its path. It is a wild journey, and I can see we have no certainty as to the destination. Maybe this emerald forest and the emerald city of Oz have way too much in common.

A Night in the Treehouse

2010-03-04T15:35:00.000-10:00

Last night we slept over at the treehouse. You would have thought this would have happened many times over the last several months, but this was our first sleepover.

There are the dogs, finally mature enough to bring into this environment, with its steep entrance and no doggie way into the bedroom. They were not happy to be separated from us by a whole level, but they settled down.

We have enjoyed the hot tub before, but this time it was misting. Last time, there was a canopy of stars winking through the night foliage. The mist was like the air was kissing our faces. It came and went, as we talked about this and that in the cedar scented water.

The hot shower outdoors in the dark was lit by the light through the textured glass door, and the stained glass window in the bathroom was likewise lit by the light coming through its matching textured glass door. We've seen those doors often enough, but now have experienced them in the context of using the treehouse as it was meant to be used. It is different!

We watched an old movie, the fireplace warming the room, flames dancing. It is a Jotul propane heating stove, and given the trek up into the treehouse, it is nice not to think of having to lug wood up to burn. Also a wood fire means certain daunting chimney considerations when you are physically in the trees - can't clear the treetops away from the treehouse! It had felt like a compromise when we chose the propane stove, and yet now that it is in place, we are liking it. Heat output is just right for the space, and visually we think it has a lot of appeal.

The bed was another new experience. I've lain down on memory foam beds before, but this is the first time I have slept on memory foam. Usually when I am falling asleep, I move around trying to get that nest feeling, where I am completely cozy in the blankets. In this bed, the foam contours around you and fits you, and you do not want to squirm and change positions. Your body wants to just snuggle down. Outside, the mist turned into rain, and the winds blew. The treehouse is set into the actual trees and they sway in the wind. The house is well anchored, so it does not blow around as if on a feisty wave. It sort of sighs and swoons a tiny bit in the winds. The rain does not tattoo the tin roof as I expected, but is deflected by the tree leaves, some of which patter onto the roof, along with twigs. So you experience the weather with your ears, and if you open them, the trees are silhouettes doing a rainforest hula in the dark, the gibbous moon veiled by and illuminating the cloud cover.

When we were building this structure, I longed to spend some time there, and experience it at leisure. Spending the night, then leaving in the morning, I longed to return. Here at my desk at home, I have a new work space. There in the treehouse, there is a space where the day stretches in all directions like it used to do when I was still counting my age on my fingers.

Cozy Treehouse in the forest of Kilauea

2010-02-08T14:59:00.000-10:00

It's been awhile since the old blog has been updated. A look at the photo here shows part of the why. Lots of work has gone into finishing this project.

And we ran into some glitches.

Everything took a lot longer than estimated.

Eventually once everything has been worked through, we can write about the downside to building a treehouse. When you step outside the boundaries of the everyday, you make yourself vulnerable. There are a surprising set of people who feel personally threatened that anyone would be all that different, and when they get their hackles up, they can run all over you like an elephant stampede. No offense meant to elephants here.

All that aside, the challenges presented by the size & shape of an interior space dictated by using trees for support show themselves fully when you reach the point of putting human type furnishings inside.

We wanted a space you would not live in per se, but could stay over in. A romance of wood and glass unlike a conventional house. We did not want to dig out a huge waste hole the size of a house itself in the forest, but use a composting toilet and dispose of gray water via a french drain. All the soaps we use are biodegradable and eco-conscious. But there are Rules, and the Rules want there to be a ginormous hole in the ground if there is a composting toilet, even if nothing goes from one to the other.

We wanted to be able to sleep up in the tree tops. It turns out the ascent through the trap door is OK for a closet, but not for lying in a bed - so say the Rules. Either way you go up, but the building code dictates use. And the building code doesn't even recognize that tree and house come together to make something some people think is real, and relevant.

So here we are challenging the rules of society when all we wanted to do was build a treehouse. Rosa Parks wanted to sit down at the front of the bus. Not everyone who wants to get married are opposite sex couples. What a weird little world we live in.

On a more upbeat note, check out the sweet little Jotul stove in the living area. You think of Hawaii as being warm everywhere, but up here at 4000 feet, it gets chilly. We would have preferred a wood burning stove, but venting right into the trees was not a good idea. Now that we don't have to carry wood up and up and into the treehouse we are quite happy with this solution. And the stove is instant on - unlike the fire you must build and tend. I love a wood fire, but another consideration here is the rain. Getting the wood fully dry is difficult, and keeping it fully dry is also tough.

The food prep area is another challenge. How to turn a tiny little space into something useful for preparing a meal? If all you do is pop something into the microwave, that's easy enough. But what if you want rice, fish and vegetables? Fried eggs? Toast? We are off grid, and a toaster is a frivolous use of energy. If there is a microwave oven on the counter top, and a cook top, and a sink, where do you cut up anything? We like economy of movement, so is it too taxing to move the microwave onto a shelf below the countertop to have more space for handling the food itself? Would it be too weird to actually bend down to tuck something into the microwave on shelf somewhere between your knees and your crotch? Since it's a treehouse, we feel free enough breaking some rules, but do we say yes to unloading that hot steamy water for the french press from somewhere below your waist?

You may be thinking, ditch the microwave. It's a treehouse! Cook over a little flame or barbecue under the stars! Yeah, feels like fun, except when you've been trekking around the volcano all day and you'd hoped to reheat a pre-made treat you picked up at the Farmer's Market.

Another part of this we truly love is the cedar hot tub. Fragrant and so perfect. Heats up really fast and really hot so you've got to monitor it. The boys had it up to 120 degrees on Saturday, and Sunday it was still registering 110. Easy, keep your eye on the temperature stick. It's good to check it if the heater is on.

There will always be more to do, so to call the treehouse finished would be not quite right. But it was together enough for guests. As we drifted off the sleep Saturday night, Robert said "We forgot all about the vanity mirror" and we lay there and laughed. Bed? check. Stove? check. TV? not yet. But we forgot to put the mirror in the bathroom. Kind of shows where our heads are at.

aloha!

Welcome to the Rainforest Pavilion at Kilauea Volcano

2010-01-11T07:51:00.000-10:00

E komo mai.

The idea of this place was the start of the entire adventure for us.

We had fallen in love with both the rainforest on top of the volcano and the structures built in Bali and imported to the island. The idea of leaving behind life as we knew it on the mainland and attempting something completely different on this island in the middle of the ocean took hold of us.

Robert had fantasies of a tiki bar. I have no idea where the idea of doing celebrations like weddings came from, other than that we enjoy throwing a party. There was that, and my ongoing amazement at the ridiculous expenses associated with the usual way of getting married.

I began to wonder what if there was a place a couple could go, bring along a few family members and their closest friends, and have an ultra romantic celebration without the fancy price tag. The pavilion seemed to fit both fantasies - the tiki bar and the celebration venue.

We were working with the builders in Bali, and asked if they could build an altar that would convert to a bar. The concept drew some comments and some laughter, and the result was a very heavy piece of furniture that will take about eight people to lift through the forest and up into the pavilion. Once there, a picture will certainly appear on the blog.

Meantime, here is the entrance to the pavilion, and one of the trees we trimmed branches off rather than sacrifice. When the plants fully take hold, it will have fragrant blooming datura on the far side, and a pathway lined with anthurium and orchids. There are a few there now, and more to come. E komo mai! Soon, a tiki party in the pavilion.

We've gone from very wet to very dry

2010-01-10T13:52:00.001-10:00

It has been many days since we've had rain in the rainforest. The trade winds have ofttimes been still, and that means the plume from the volcano can and does blow over this way, riding the Kona winds. Kona winds are typical winter breezes, but tend to bring high humidity and rain, despite their name. Not so this season, so far.

The plants and trees are mostly OK. except the datura, and it drops leaves and gets sort of burnt looking. But that plant is so hardy it will grow from a stick, so I expect they will recover nicely once the weather patterns return to something more usual.

The dry weather has kept us hard at work on our building projects, as applications of finishes work best when the humidity is low.

A little more work and the wedding pavilion will be completely ready. Today I finished the floor, and brought in some beautiful plants for the sides of the entry. I am getting accustomed to the feeling of my body having that certain lightness of having been well used at the end of the days.

Robert has been working at the treehouse while I am at the pavilion, as the dogs are managed more readily at the pavilion site. Then we tour each other through the day's work, pause and appreciate the beauty of this place, and settle into the evening. I keep wanting to just take a day, at least one day a week, and go see something we've never seen before. Or at least go swimming in the ocean. We are still not over our mainland style of work work work, and hopefully we will happily make some major changes in that arena in the new year ahead. It is odd indeed what habits are the most difficult ones to redirect.

Bed in the Treehouse

2010-01-07T09:38:00.000-10:00

Aloha from mahinui na lani, treehouse on the Big Island in the rainforest, on top of the volcano.

Whew! Almost a Hawaiian phrase, that.

This is a queen sized bed, on a bed frame, thirty feet in the air, in the trees. It entered the room through a trap door.

Figuring out how to get this done took months. Not constant months, just months of pondering and waiting to stumble across the right stuff.

It happened with an online site. I was searching for a bed, any queen sized bed, and hey! a modular bed! Right away, I knew this would be just the thing. A bed that comes in pieces you fit together in place. This bed had go up a jungle path in the forest, up the lava rocks, up the steep Mayan pyramid type stairs, into the house, up the ship's ladder and through the trap door. Clearly no normal bed could do that.

We experimented with an airbed, but although it worked, sort of, it lacked in the way of real comfort. And there was always the possibility - or more accurately, probability, that it would leak air. So this bed is really a find. We also found a bed frame that doubles as a box spring - another coup. Topped it with a three inch memory foam cushion, and this bed rocks!

And a sweet plus - here in this small space there is not much in the way of storage. But underneath the bed, we can now keep extra linens and blankets in boxes.

The bed was one of the biggest challenges, and to have it in place is cause for celebration!

Finally Pavilion

2009-12-30T08:06:00.000-10:00

Seen through the trees & tree ferns and hovering over the ginger, the pavilion is looking good. A few more days and it will be done, all the finishing touches to the structure itself complete.

Yesterday I stood up in it and watched the apapane, little red birds, flirting and flitting through the forest. They come quite close, and the songs of all the birds are simply amazing.

We are planning the lighting. The corner posts are carved, and the wood stain is so dark we will want to illuminate them to bring out their beauty. For the rest of the lighting, we are hoping that reflected light from that bright ceiling, from little lights hidden above, will cast a warm glow over the whole interior.

For heat, we have a small copper heater we will try out. The concept of adding heat in Hawaii may seem odd, but we are on top of a mountain, and the trade winds and woodedness of the forest combine to keep things cool. Many days even in winter a tee shirt and shorts are adequate, but other days, any time of the year, it is surprising how cold it can be, especially out of doors just sitting or standing about. We may need to add a couple of those overhead heaters that restaurants with outdoor seating use in California.

The feeling of the pavilion is all we had imagined. A sense of menehunes nearby, the spirits of the forest in attendance, a natural sanctuary honored by the structure, a place to keep dry in the rainforest, and a place to celebrate what matters in life.

aloha!

Are we having fun yet?

2009-12-23T17:18:00.000-10:00

The answer is a resounding yes! That is Robert, knee pads and all, hard at work at staining the deck. He's not doing it all by himself. I was there right alongside him, laying down onyx stain and rapidly wiping it up again.

We began with something that looked sunny and golden on the sample, and on the deck, looked very pumpkinish. So, we had to do something about it.

We tried simply varnishing over top, and ended up with shiny pumpkin. Sort of Cinderella goes to the ball.

Although this has the look of squid ink, that is a good thing. Being a treehouse, the trees drop leaves all over it. They also drop petals, little tiny red lines that quickly turn to mush when stepped upon. And it rains. So the deck stains rapidly with all this dropping and footfalls. The squid ink effect allows the golden part of the grain to show up, and darkens the rest.

The weather this time of year is wild. There was a storm with lightning and thunder for hours and hours, and the last couple days have been gorgeous. In fact they have been so beautiful I've been forgetting to bake a sponge cake for Christmas dessert - a trifle made with mangos and haupia. Hawaiian Trifle.

Mele Kalikimaka!

It's Winter Solstice on top of the Volcano

2009-12-21T09:34:00.000-10:00

Winter Solstice ~ the shortest day and longest night of the year. Even though this is Hawaii, it feels like real winter. I could be wearing a down jacket, if I had one. Furry boots, fleece, a hat are all in order today.

The sun is out, and it stormed two days ago. If I could see Mauna Kea, chances are it would be white with snow. Most likely the chill in the air is from the winds coming off that mountain.

We had thunder and lightning, all around the island, instead of an isolated weather pattern. Scrapped plans to go to Kalapana in search of sea flattened rocks for our path, and instead had a relaxing soak in the hot tub, and got nice and warm.

Tonight will be Wassail night. A noggy warm punch with baked apples in it, rum and sherry. This means a trip down the mountain, and it will be worth it. Fire in the hearth, and guitar music to go with the season.

Even the dogs are preferring the indoors today, and they have such nice furry coats.

The wreath in the photo is a very plain liko wreath, made with buds from the ohia trees. These trees leaf out now, and the buds vary in color from a sage and furry silvery green through shades of red. There are also flower buds of lehua, but I did not pick much of that as the flowers attract the red honeycreepers - delightful little birds with red feathers and curved beaks.

Our building projects of the treehouse and pavilion are in their final stages. The floor and rails are going up on the pavilion. Robert and I have been sanding the decks and floors at the treehouse, and finishing them. Plastering is complete, and painting the walls is next. Over the weekend I pulled down some of the ulehe that was forming a wall of sorts at the end of the treehouse path. This climbing fern gets way up into the canopy and creates a barrier to light, and a tangle of brown leaves and winding stems. It looks daunting, but to get it down, you grab it firmly and tug it gently hand over hand, so as not to break it off. Don't look up, so nothing gets in your eyes. Than stamp it into the path if you don't have rocks there. With the ulehe down, there were some nice spots for anthurium. That is a plant that grows well here, flowers year round, and adds color to the forest.

This is the time of year when the forest is at its most colorful, as the lehua are in bloom all over. Most of the flowers are where the sun penetrates the canopy, so many flowers are visible along the streets and around the crater at Kilauea. This is lehua in the other photo, blooming along the street near the treehouse.

Happy Solstice!

It's Thanksgiving and thankfulness is one of the support beams

2009-11-23T09:13:00.000-10:00

It's Thanksgiving. Bruddah Iz is singing "and yet one day you'll find Hawaii...". The puppies are chasing each other about the forest. The midmorning sun is glinting silver off the fern fronds. There is a blanket in the dryer. Soup is cooking on the stove. That is a picture of some of the wreaths our halau made to be sold at the holiday fair Thanksgiving weekend in Volcano. There is everything to be grateful for...

When we moved here, I had an idle dream of wanting to join a halau, learn hula. I wanted to immerse myself in the culture of the islands I was making my home. What a delightful surprise that the local halau is not only two blocks from my home, but is made up of men and women of all ages and colors and backgrounds. I fit in!

When you fit in where you choose to be, that is a wonderful thing. There are natural niches for us that have nothing to do with our talents, and everything to do with the people who are there already. Open arms and glad smiles, easy conversation, a purpose shared by all... when in life I have found this, it has made me feel at home. Usually there is one person who invites you in, and makes you welcome. There is a leader, a director, a teacher. That one person introduces you, and the teacher opens the door for you and welcomes you in. No judgment, no contest to see if you will work out. How amazing, when it is a performing troupe.

When we first came to the island, I avidly looked forward to Ho'ike 2009, a performance by Halau Hula Kalehuaki'eki'eka'iu. The concert was at the KMC theater in the National Park, and looked to be sold out. I drank in every minute, amazed at the local flavor, even the aunties doing the hula, the kumu who lead the group. And this halau, this is my halau! I have a niche here. Not because I am a dancer, but because I choose to dance. I choose to be a part of this celebration of being Hawaiian.

At my last job, my career actually, someone pulled me into the group. She took me up as her buddy, and took me places with her. We had field work we did, and Vicky took me along. It is not that I needed to find my way around town, or learn how to use a Thomas Guide or camera. She told me the things that I would remind myself about later, when I found myself less joyous at work. She told me to remember to stop and smell the roses. I know it is a cliche, but like many cliches, it is a true thought. When we slow down to no pace at all, and appreciate the wonders of life around us, the sun comes out on our souls. Our life is supported off the cold ground. We are lifted up.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may you remember often to stop and smell the roses. A hui hou, and much aloha.

And now for some island food

2009-11-16T17:19:00.000-10:00

This afternoon I opened the cupboard, feeling snackish. Craving something crisp and salty. All I saw in there was some microwave popcorn. I had just eaten some kale soup, and had probably upset the normal equilibrium of my stomach, used to food somewhere less lofty on the healthy food chain.

And it did seem like a shame to undo all that good with that popcorn laden with whatever odd stuff goes into the microwave package.

As it happens, I had picked up some won ton skins in the market. And there was still a plethora of leafy greens in the refrigerator. What if I could turn the leafy greens into won ton filling? So I set about chopping. Chopping releases a nifty substance in the kale called sulforaphane that triggers the liver to do some enzyme production that is fatal to cancer cells. And kale is full of phytonutrients that help the body detoxify. Goodbye to the weird effects of microwaveable snacks and hello brassica food group.

The filling for the won tons is kale, sage leaves, celery, pistachios, feta cheese. Tasty and healthy. Next comes the dip.

Now I am thinking, I could boil them instead, as ravioli. But I am so craving the crispy salty texture. So the dipping sauce could also be thinned out into a creamy textured ravioli sauce. Here is it - carrots, sweet potato boiled and peeled. ginger and shallots chopped and sauteed with some coconut shred. It goes in the blender with enough water to make a nice paste, texture like black bean sauce. Turns out my sweet potato was purple inside, so my dip is a little on the psychedelic side as to color, and full of gingery zest.

Pretty healthy snack there - it becomes the prelude to dinner. Maybe with a fresh juice mai tai - pineapple and star fruit in the juicer, squeezed tangerines, vanilla infused rum, some orgeat syrup, pour over ice in a tiki mug!

Add some orchid garnish and it looks and tastes like Hawaii whether you are here or not!

It is officially very very wet

2009-11-14T15:01:00.000-10:00

This is the third day of lots of rain and although the dogs are adjusting I am still acting like walking to the treehouse requires a major act of courage, like jumping off the high diving board.

This is the third day I have not been over there. But last time I was there I did take some interim photos including this one from inside the treehouse looking out. The plaster has yet to be painted, the floors sanded and treated, but now you can get the feeling of what it is like to be inside. See how the outside is still calling you out? Notice the itty bitty speakeasy window open there?

Do you think the big window is scary?

Does it say window or does it say walk right through me?

It perplexes me and I am certain it needs something that assertively and absolutely says window do not walk through me glass glass glass owwweeeee!

Ahh maybe some etching. Is it possible to etch glass that is in situ? I mean, do we really need to see the hot tub cover there while we are peeking out into the forest? Or maybe a window seat of some sort. Maybe once there is actual furniture in there the window won't tempt you by looking so much like a door.

I just realized. It is the perfect window for a Christmas tree. Of course with a Christmas tree there, you would walk sideways to get around it. But a table with a Christmas pyramid on it would be so sweet! Lucky thing those items just happen to be here waiting for the holidays to ripen. Marzipan. Christmas pyramid with candles. Man with guitar seated in armless chair, cup of steaming gluewine within reach. Guess we better get busy on that food prep space. Otherwise, man with guitar and glass of sherry, valentine hearts stuck to the window and chocolates in a box, take out on its way...

Moongate at the Treehouse

2009-11-06T01:23:00.000-10:00

Eventually there will be a photo with a little more context, once the sides to the moongate go in. But for now, here is the sense of the effect - the circular gong amidst the ginger, heliconia and tree ferns, seen through the circular gate.

It is a portal to a mystical and other worldly garden, inside of which is the treehouse.

The red ginger here sprouts seeds that develop ginger root right in the flower, or where the flower was. The awapuhi gingers do it and lots of little plants spring up. But the reds make two plants. When you touch them, they come off in your hand like ripe fruit. So I gathered them up and planted them off to the left of the moon gate. Further off, we planted taro. And behind the red ginger, white ginger. And what you see, is golden yellow volcano ginger with bright orange in the middle of the flower. They do not all bloom at once - first the yellow volcano, then the red, then the white. Although there are still a few volcano blossoms about. All of them are very fragrant.

The rock in the front of the moongate will also be planted a bit more. This has all been driveway and construction path for the summer. I can almost visualize what it will be like, next summer. And am so looking forward to walking over to the treehouse, up and into it, go through the trap door and out onto the verandah, simply to watch the birds. No work, no agenda, no where else I ought to be.

putting doors in the treehouse

2009-11-01T11:46:00.000-10:00

This photo is taken before the door trim is on, so it's a bit premature, but I have waited so long for this door to go in that I just can't wait any longer to put up a picture!

There are shutters behind the speak-easy window, open for the moment. There are some fake strap hinges on the way. But is it not sweet? Robert designed it, and the carvers in Bali did the carving and heliconia design part.

Inside, we are taking turns plastering. We both enjoy the work, and the process is not quick. We could both work at once if the puppies were not at a stage in life where they are just better off closer to the ground. They both climb up, and both have climbed down, but with someone right in front of them with hands on - they sort of build up momentum and go faster and faster and scare themselves and me too. The plaster is looking good as a wall covering. Our inexpert technique adds to the rough charm, at least I think so.

Last night there was a fun fall party at Volcano Arts gallery. Ira Ono served up onolicious food and a rum punch that was yummy. Everyone came in costume - even the only person I know here who seems to be one of Lucifer's minions showed up appearing angelic.

And today, the trade winds that have been a bit lethargic are back in full blowsiness, bending the ohias about like rock and rollers and sending clouds careening across the blue skies.

a beautiful day that became very wet

2009-10-26T12:54:00.000-10:00

Early today we had blue skies and a few little white cloudy wisps. It is the kind of day you would expect to clear to solid blue. Instead, by mid morning the rains were here. So, an opportune time to sojourn down the mountain and pick up some supplies.

And now, a chance to reflect on what we are doing in our grand adventure here on the Big Island.

Dream has met reality in an oil meets water sort of way. Sitting at a desk somewhere, you dream dreams. Perhaps your dreams begin to turn into the shape of plans, stuff you fully intend to do, someday.

Maybe you have lived through some dreams already, climbed the mountain to realize that perhaps humble and seemingly everyday goal you sought. So you know, you know it don't come easy.

Along the way, you learned to line up your ducks. Now I'm thinking that expression means you line up your ducks so you can shoot them down. Whatever, your ducks are gonna get shot down. The reason is, the future has its own shape. You intrude on it when you make a radical change in your fabric. The universe does bend, but you most likely cannot bend it into the exact shape you have in mind. Change takes lots of energy.

We set out to build a pavilion for weddings, and a honeymoon shall I say chalet. We are on top of a mountain, and a sweet little wooden house with two rooms seemed like what we were after. Over time, this idea morphed into a treehouse. The treehouse idea was always sitting there percolating, always. It was sort of a placeholder for an ideal outward structure that would be poetic yearning in architectural form. Trees, a hammock, a treehouse - that genre of romantic longing.

Suddenly, like a puka lani - a window in the heavens - the opportunity to move ahead on this dream appeared. We ran and leaped. Opportunities to give up your place on the game board and jump as if in a wormhole to another level do not come up all that often. We found our treehouse builder, Roderick Romero, and made a date. The wedding pavilion was already on order, originally to have been built during an extended vacation, then sit and wait for our lives to catch up.

So far, dream into reality - neither smooth nor easy, but happening! But from this point onward, we had left the pavement. The road became mucky, the way uncertain. But we were committed. Are committed. I watch the honeycreeper gathering nectar from the cigar flowers outside. The flowers are tiny, maybe an inch long. They are shaped like slender cigars, the opening for the little bird tongue to enter about a sixteenth of an inch wide. The bird moves from flower to flower, a fluttery blur in the plant, and never stops to wonder whether with all that hard work she will get enough to eat. She just does it. It's like that. No matter how difficult the way, how impossible it seems sometimes, we continue.

I think often of my mother. She would call this folly. I hear her voice in my head. I see her shaking her head, and turn away so her remarks are mere mumbles in my imagination. Follow your bliss, that is the phrase I want to listen to. I imagine my sweetheart in the pavilion, playing his guitar, while guests lounge about, sipping wine and juice drinks, tea, whatever, feeling the peace and sanctity of this forest. I can see the newlyweds, one lifting the other over the threshold of the moongate in the honeymoon garden, laughing in happy expectation as they walk hand in hand toward the lavatube, over which is the treehouse. They help each other up the giant lava boulders, and as they climb the steps, there is the curvy carved door with the speakeasy window, waiting to be opened like a treasure box.

In anticipation, there is the genesis of all things.

not only a treehouse, but a pavilion too!

2009-10-17T16:27:00.000-10:00

While the treehouse continues to receive its finishing touches, the pavilion from Bali has arrived and is going up.

The posts went up a couple of weeks ago, and this believe it or not is after just four days of building. And the entire work day has not been devoted to the pavilion, as Tim and Micah also dug a trench for the shed-bathroom conversion, and set a foundation for the moongate over at the treehouse.

I would so love to post an image of the moongate, but it is supported but poles at the moment and is not fully resting on its foundation yet.

The pavilion was built in Bali, put together, then disassembled and shipped to Hawaii. Ours plans for it are to offer an intimate wedding destination, private, and beautiful. The treehouse will become the romantic option for honeymoon, wedding prep, anniversary, and so on. Unless we move into it!

Looking down the stairs at the Treehouse at Volcano

2009-10-05T16:52:00.000-10:00

This view is from near the top of the stairs, now with rails completed. Those stones at the bottom are actually boulders you climb up, making it possible to scale the lava tube or lava bubble without relying on hand holds.

Today the roof should be finished. There is a portion of the roof that is just over the mid-level lanai, and that is mostly what is being worked on today. Robert is also plastering the walls. We are choosing a color or colors for the interior - only downstairs. I am a little concerned it will look too much like any interior if we are not careful - any tiny interior, that happens to have a ship's ladder running up it, anyway.

The kitchen will be the last part to go in. If Robert allows, I may take over that portion of the project. I have some ideas for installing the two burner propane cooktop that will be way different than any normal kitchen cooktop. And there is the tapa cloth that goes on the ceiling - very Hawaii, although it is made on another island. And there is the shelving. And the question of whether we will keep the small rolling cart we are using now. It is almost essential to meal prep, given the serious lack of counter space. I almost wish we had gotten a single burner. I know that sounds crazy, but the barbecue is fine for roasting veggies and such, and two burners going at once tends to involve more prep activity than the small space tends to support. OK, so rice and saute. That's it! Oatmeal and boiling water. Pan toast and eggs.

Actually, the last part to go in will be the most essential: the wind turbine. This will give us the power to run the house. And there is the lean-to. Well, the lean - to. Another story for another time.

Back to the treehouse kitchen. Here is the quintessential Volcano treehouse end of the day meal: Put on some water in a soup pot to boil. Add some wild rice. Chicken thighs from KTA or Puna Fresh foods on the grill, seasoned with Hawaiian salt. Saute some shallots and maui onion with whatever local herbs are at hand - maybe some Italian parsley and rosemary. Add to pot. Add some pressed barley (oshi mugi) and some lentils. How much is some? A handful. How much water? It's soup and should be brothy, so maybe two quarts. You decide as you go. Once chicken is toasty, add to the pot. Turn it all down, as far down as it will go. Chop up some eggplant without the skin and some zucchini and yellow squash. Saute with your choice of delectable salts, some ground peppers. Add some more parsley. Turn it way down, and add a little water and let it sauce a bit, then add to the pot. After an hour or more, take out the chicken and get it off the bone. Throw away the bones now, and put the chicken back in the pot. Time for a little chicken flavor fortification. My favorite is "Better than Bouillon". Some finely chopped turmeric root is good now too. Some is maybe a whole finger of root. Taste and see how it is coming along. It takes about three hours of cooking for this soup to develop its full flavor. It is mellow and delicious. Good any season in volcano, at the top of the mountain. And it takes two burners.

Time to sort it out

2009-10-03T13:00:00.001-10:00

We've been on the Big Island of Hawaii for three months now, working toward our goal of setting up a rainforest wedding destination.

This plan hatched over years of time of coming here to Volcano, becoming familiar with the place in all senses, and sifting through dreams and ideas.

Originally, we had thought about the wedding destination as the pavilion. This would be an enchanted place in the rain forest, sheltered from the weather, for romantic celebrations. Small, intimate ones. Then we thought about adding a honeymoon suite - a couple of small rooms separate from the structure, but also in the rainforest.

Here in volcano there are many places to stay, but it is difficult to find a truly private place with full amenities. By full, I mean a nice private hot tub, no other rooms adjacent or so nearby you will have people actually within steps of you at any hour they may choose. Robert likes to be able to watch movies, lounge about. We like to read. And sit out of doors and gaze out on the forest and the birds, enjoying the unique qualities of this place. And of course there are the comfort features, and the music and sound options.

From all this pondering, we conceived the idea of the treehouse, a playhouse for grown ups. We bought a lot sight unseen because it was in the right part of the forest and discovered it had what we thought of as a lava tube rising about 18 feet out of the ground, maybe half way back. Sturdy trees grew directly out of this, that we are told is a lava bubble - a giant lava bubble that has undergone collapse way long ago and is now as it will remain.

We found a treehouse builder, and made a date. Everything then related to that date, and the project began.

What we had an inkling of and should have taken more seriously is the cost factor. We had a contract, and naively thought the contract that stated costs would bind the builders. But no. The related costs were more than the actual treehouse construction costs. Costs soared.

On the one hand, we would not have embarked on the treehouse project as it took shape had we known the costs. On the other, we have a treehouse that is beyond anything we imagined, and is an amazing creation. And it still has a ways to go.

The pavilion from Bali is much more affordable, and ironically, as an investment is more sound. But neither is complete, yet.

It is easy from the middle of things to lose sight of what we have actually accomplished. Most important of all, we have gone in search of a way of life that we hope will bring joy to others, and left behind a way of life that although it worked well for us, left us wishing to be able to be here in the rainforest not just a couple of weeks but most of the time.

Now here we are. It is as magical as ever, and very wet. Even though the sun is shining now. One thing I did not appreciate as a visitor is that "dry" is somewhere else. And the other part of that is "somewhere else" is just five minutes away.

not looking like a wedding pavilion

2009-10-02T10:17:00.001-10:00

But it will!

Yesterday the long awaited Bali shipment arrived.

Wedding pavilion pre-built in Bali, to be assembled here among the ohias and ginger. It is going up at an elevated spot so will be above much of the hapu'u, with treehouse like views.

Those pillars are eight inches square and hefty. The heliconia carving will go from about waist high to near the eves. The lighter colored boards are part of the support system. Everything you see, including the floor, will be that deep hued hard wood.

Six of us did the unloading, and it took about seven hours altogether. One piece - the moongate, took all six of us. It is massive. Cannot photograph it adequately yet, but soon enough it will be installed at the treehouse. One of the unloaders called it a "giant gong" and that's pretty funny as we do have a gong that will be viewed through the moongate, that is also set in a round frame. It is the visual rhyme of mahinui na lani.

I am very happy and grateful for Tim and Marchand, who are generous spirited thoughtful people, and in charge of this end of our projects. I love working with them. Namaste Trading Company is part of Marchand's business, and Tim is a builder they choose to work with. For anyone out there who is thinking about perhaps importing a Balinese structure, be it a house or a pavilion, it is hard to imagine having a more personal, hands on, caring group of people to work with. When you see the finished product, the quality of the workmanship will be evident.

This little pile in the photo is a small segment of the entire set of materials Tim and his son will assemble here in the weeks to come.

Short break from Treehouse

2009-09-23T12:41:00.000-10:00

Our stuff left the mainland in late June. When it got to be late July and we were still waiting, we began calling the moving company.

At first we were told our stuff was in Honolulu. Then Hilo. Hurray! When not here in a week, called and again told in Honolulu.

Began to feel lied to.

Began daily calls, and every single call heard a different story. End of August came, and our stuff was somewhere, it seemed, but where?

Then as if by miracle, we are told to expect the container. It got here Friday September 11. As of today, we have unpacked all boxes, except for various garage esoterica, and there are some things that just never made it. It looks like two things happened.

One, every box we labeled "office" and some others were ransacked and the things stuffed back in fairly randomly. Our Sony Play Station was removed from the original packing box, and the packing box returned empty. Three boxes of premium wine never arrived, nor did the box of liquor. And both pink slips to our cars and all documentation as to service etc is gone.

Two, our things were crammed into the container from Honolulu with such recklessness that furniture was gouged right through the intense packing material everything was wrapped in, and of course lots of things are broken.

We used West Point Relocation, and they contracted out to DFS - Direct Freight Service. Use at your risk!

slowly but slowly

2009-09-17T20:15:00.000-10:00

The hot tub is now functional.

This is a true joy.

Even though the deck is unfinished still and the railings are not done, there is this delightful pool of cedar scented water under the stars.

Two people lounge in there, and everywhere you look are stars through the trees. We are so close to the top of the mountain that yo almost look down on stars.

This is the hot tub at the treehouse. What a little miracle!

Rock Moving

2009-09-04T13:58:00.000-10:00

These giant rocks are being set in place by Tony who is constructing the access path to the lava tube so it will not be a muddy slog through the forest and a slippery ascent of the lava tube itself.

There are easily over a dozen of these behemoth rocks he is setting in place.

Today I was carrying milk crates of rocks in to the staging area from the dump pile at the street, and Tony was running with wheel- barrels full of gravel back to the house area. Then he would carry a couple of five gallon buckets of coconut sized rocks back, and that was after the watermelon sized rocks went into the bottom. Over top come the tennis ball sized and then the pebbly stuff. This path will not revert t revert to mud.

Meanwhile I got to tie knots on the bamboo.

Labor Day weekend coming up. Lots of labor to do!!!

Mahinui Na Lani

2009-09-02T20:34:00.000-10:00

It is ever the challenge to photograph the treehouse in progress without showing a whole lot of construction chaos. Here there are hoses and electric cords, and you can't see the ground ground, just the edge of the lava tube. This is close to what this view will be at the finish, but if we finish it off as we want to, there will be a waterfall in place of the electric cord and hose.

Another part that is difficult to photograph is the height. Up there on the second level, you are near the top of the rainforest canopy, looking down on the tall tree ferns, called hapu'u. There are some other tree ferns too, and vine ferns like uluhe. The uluhe climbs the trees and makes an intense sort of screen and tangled underbrush that is looks difficult to penetrate but gives way readily. You can pull it right out of the trees.

Today was wonderfully sunny, and progress was made on the shower, the path, the trim, and the ceiling finish. The ceiling in the bedroom is woven bamboo, and in the damp climate of volcano, it was necessary to treat the bamboo with an anti-mold anti-fungus spray, rub it in, and then seal the whole thing with a product we have grown to truly appreciate here - cetol. It is a sort of varnish that keeps the finish looking really good for years and years. It gives the wood and bamboo a rich tone, a depth, and brings out the texture at the same time as smoothing it out so microscopic plants and beasties cannot get that wedge they need to proliferate.

Today it was really nice to see the windows trimmed out, the bamboo shower surround taking shape, and the enormous stones Tony somehow moved back near the lava tube to construct a very natural way up the lava tube that will not be muddy and slippery.

Another of our amazing carpenters

2009-08-30T09:53:00.001-10:00

Shown here at the top of the steps rising off the top of the lava tube to meet the lower lanai of the treehouse is Moon.

Moon who was a fireman in Muskogee now is a master craftsman on the Big Island.

It is Moon that makes this treehouse look like a piece of fine furniture made into rooms in the tree boughs. Later when you see how the windows fit into the rooms, and see the counter tops and shelving, that is Moon's work. He made the window frames for the stained glass, too.

And he did an amazing thing. We were going to have him build a couple of doors, for a part of the house I had been puzzling over for weeks. The bathroom is downstairs. The bathroom is a composting toilet, a small sink, and an outdoor shower. The tiny bathroom space has separate doors, one for each. We had hoped the deck could be extended to meet up, so we could exit through the three foot raised hobbit door in the living room and take a cat walk around to the shower, but our builder discouraged that as it would have required too much extra engineering. The living space is so tiny it was difficult imagining how furniture for sitting on could fit into the room that had only a few feet of wall space.

We resolved that issue with a couple of chairs that can be pushed together into a love seat or set apart. The still left the door issue, and not a lot of time left to resolve it. Moon went shopping for wood needed to finish the doors and windows, and happened to see up on a shelf two doors with bamboo glass insets. Someone had ordered them and abandoned them, and he talked the vendor into selling us the doors for less than it would cost for just one piece of the glass in them... And they are the right, obscure, size! Net result, we have doors in time for our first guests, coming out in September.

Moon AKA Jim Martin is absolutely outstanding in what he does, and is a great guy besides.

It's five o'clock on Friday

2009-08-28T17:08:00.000-10:00

Robert and I spent the day sanding down the recycled doors that were shipped over from Oahu. The puppies spent the day rolling in sawdust and tugging on rotting ginger stems they dug out around and about. The guys are the treehouse worked on the railing. Next comes the window and edge trim. And the indoor wall covering.

We got some woven bamboo in Kona that will lend a nice tropical tone to the interior. It's a flat basket weave. Next trip to Kona we pick up the lights. We've been looking for wall sconces that look like pillar candles, and hope to find them there.

The treehouse site is mostly so chaotic that photography is more about construction than the place itself, that has become progressively more beautiful. This view is from slightly up the path. Other than the orange cords this is almost what it will look like when finished. You can see the rails, and the stairs sort of in the middle of the frame. Just a few steps from the structure the jungle begins to obscure its shape. This ginger is volcano ginger, an invasive plant that was introduced from some other group of islands. It is amazingly fragrant, and will take over everything if it has its way. We selectively clear it, as it takes years for the native flora to reestablish itself. There are some rare plants here though, vines that grow only right in this very small area. And there are other non-natives that do well and do not take over, like bromeliads and certain ferns.

We will celebrate tonight with mahi-mahi mac and cheese. A fun Friday treat, and also something we've never had before. If it's not so good, maybe we'll run out for pizza.

A Bedroom Window in the Treehouse

2009-08-27T14:08:00.000-10:00

This view better than almost any other gives an idea of what the finished interior of the treehouse will be like.

Most of the inside walls are not wood finished, but a couple are. The wall behind the bed and behind the propane heater-stove are wood, and most of the rest are to be finished off like the ceiling in the bedroom, with a bamboo weave.

There are three windows and a set of french doors in the bedroom. The windows are stained glass. Two more stained glass windows adorn the house - one a sidelight by the front door, the other an octagon in the bathroom. The stained glass artist is Seneca Lalonde, who lives here on the Big Island. We chose her as her work has a lightness to it. You can see the forest through the windows, and the branches and birds and flowers are those of the rainforest.

This particular window is above the bed, and as wide as the bed. We had originally planned to put gooseneck reading lights next to the bed, but speed got the better of precision in the process, and the lights will be too far from where the bed must go on one side to work right. So instead we will put in candle like sconces, and if someone really wants to read in bed, it will either be in the daylight or using a small reading light.

The effect turns out to be pretty in the daylight, doesn't it? Trim still to go on...

yesterday was a big day at the treeehouse

2009-08-26T06:48:00.000-10:00

The steps up to the first level lanai went in. When I left the site yesterday, Ian had just set the massive sawed planks to carry the steps up. By the end of the day, the steps themselves were in.

So were the windows. I am not sure about the two sets of french doors. The windows still need exterior and interior trim, so will not photograph well at the moment. The trim will be one of the final additions, so at best will appear next week.

Plumbing goes in at the end of the week, as do the rails for the exterior stairs. Completion features of the railing in so far will begin today - rope knots around the joints in the bamboo. Not nautical style, I don't think, but Asian style.

One of us is destined to make a trip to Kona before next week to pick up the fixtures - sconces, shower head, faucets.

Today is the final day on the island for treehouse guys Roderick Romero and Ian Weedman. We will miss them, but are blessed to have an enthusiastic and talented group of builders left on the island who are excited about finishing the project.

One thing we learned is that our ambitions to have participated in the building phase were unrealistic. This is a specialty project, built by experts. There are people doing what may seem like menial tasks like laying rock who are actually steeped in island culture and bringing their uniquely Hawaiian sensibility to the land and building. There is an essence to Hawaii, the sense of place, that we have been sensitive to and we hope responsive to in each aspect of the building process.

When this project is complete, it will reflect the sensibilities of the artisans and our love for this aina, this land, this remote mid ocean volcanic rainforest.

Ricola!

2009-08-22T07:44:00.001-10:00

The treehouse roof and railing are going up simultaneously, and both look to be nearing completion this weekend. In this photo, Ian and Roderick are posing with the posts about to go up in front of them. The section of roof that is exposed rafters and perlins was already closed up when we left the site yesterday.

I am playing around with some ideas for the very edge, now that I am seeing the railing itself. I am thinking of some redwood planter boxes affixed to the outer edge beneath the railing, planted with exotic vines - perhaps passion fruit! That would be there in the corner, hiding the understructure as you approach below.

So the little honeymoon structure in the trees is coming together, beginning to reveal its elements and design - a venue for high romance in the rainforest.

Eventually there will be a waterfall originating below the house, tumbling down the lava tube into either rocks or a small pond at ground level. The waterfall and interior finishes will be where we continue without the builders and designers, completing the lava tube volcano treehouse dream.

Progress on Treehouse

2009-08-20T17:29:00.000-10:00

Today the roof began. The exposed rafters are guadua augustafolia bamboo imported to Maui from Colombia. the perlins are black bamboo with gold line accents harvested here on the Big Island in Ninole.

Over top of the bamboo is plywood with woven bamboo glued to it. On top of that will be the traditional tin roofing used on this island, particular in parts of the island like this where county water is unavailable and all water is by catchment or delivered by truck.

We will have a gutter system and capture the abundant rainwater. At 100 inches or more per year, we will have ample water for showers, hot tubs, and washing up generally. There will be a filter system that involves three filters; the first is coarse, perhaps 50 microns, then 20, then 2. This is followed by a UV system to make the water potable. And of course there is a pump. The pump sends the water to a holding tank, where it is available for use. An on demand, propane heater makes showers a nice experience. Or, we could be Vikings.

It is now the end of the work day. It rained a lot in the night, and the morning was cloudy with spitty little rain and mist. The water would gather in the ohias and hapu'u and drip drip down. It felt wetter than it was. By afternoon, the weather had improved to sunshine, and now it is overcast again, looking like it is preparing to rain. I may wander over to the site to see how much roof we have. This is an exciting part of the project, as once the roof is on, the interior goes in.

The Second Phase

2009-08-20T10:09:00.000-10:00

The treehouse designer and his crew went back to the mainland to reunite with family, and in their absence, the local crew continued to put up the siding and work on the rafters and their immaculate bamboo joinery. Moon began the window framing.

Now Roderick and Ian are back. Moon fashioned the framing for the windows from the same re-cycled fir that we have as flooring. Here is the sidelight that goes by the front entrance door newly framed out. The blue tape will come off once the glue is dry. Our garage has turned into a temporary workshop.

Soon there will be more pictures and more entries showing the details of the finish work both interior and exterior. It will be a fairly rapid progression as the roof goes up, the railing and entry go in, doors and windows, the bathroom and kitchen all take shape. Oh, and of course, the hot tub!

The final elements will be the water catchment system, and the plumbing and electrical system. We are not sure how the lean-to will come about, as the build so far out-stripped the budget that we will have to see how we fare at the close of this phase. We are told this is the norm for a building project, and from what I have seen this is true.

My vision of what this was going to be like was a more rustic, elemental structure. What it grew to be is a serious and elegant sculpture perched in the trees, elemental, yes, but as if a sorcerer had a hand in the creation, and put in elements from the crucible and made runes manifest. It is at heart a tribute to Pele, and a reflection on the forest and the volcano. As a treehouse, it is temporary, as everything is temporary. As a solid structure built into the trees, it is as permanent as the long lived trees themselves.

rafters and electricity

2009-08-12T21:19:00.000-10:00

Here's the way the rafters look sitting up there on the second floor of the treehouse.

And you can also see the electric box at the top of the ship's ladder that will be a sconce light pretty soon.

And also you will notice how sunny the weather is, here on the tail of the so called tropical storm that did rather pass us by. In its wake it has left sultry temperatures and a dearth of wind, causing the desultory puff of sulfur scented gas escaping from halema'uma'u to waft over us in fits and starts.

Hoping to see the perlins going in tomorrow or the next day. Meeting with a plumber tomorrow. One of the larger challenges is delivery of power. We are hoping for a solar/wind combination with batteries and a generator, and designing the power use to be as minimal as possible, while keeping such things as a refrigerator running. There is also the water pump, and the filter pump for the hot tub. We'll see how it goes. Sometimes it feels daunting, when the day is overcast, but then the wind kicks up and we think that the wind turbine may be just the thing. Then we are faced with the 30 foot guy wires, and go back to the drawing board. And ask ourselves once again if we should contact our neighbor with the vacant lot next door and see if he wants to rent it to us for a solar array. Someone cleared it long ago, so there is lots of sky right there.

the lull before the storm?

2009-08-08T21:28:00.000-10:00

Tropical storm Felicia seems to be weakening as it approaches Hawaii. We may have extra wind and pelting rain, but the windows should stay stuck to the houses and the roofs in place.

The Big Island has cooler waters than some of the other islands in the chain, cooler by about 5 degrees than the requirements of a hurricane. Comforting, yeah? We had an earthquake that measured 5.4, but somehow I didn't notice it. Also nice.

Skies don't look too blue here, do they. It was damp a lot today, but no droplets. Just mist. You could hear it collect in the leaves and roll off, and you could get large drops on your head that way, but mostly it was pleasant. We spent most of the day over at the treehouse, planning out the electrical outlets and where lights would go. You can see from the photo that most of the siding is up. Rafters up, but not the perlins. Our task is to fasten the woven bamboo to the plywood that goes between the perlins and the roof itself.

Just came in from chasing after a couple of coqui frogs. No luck, and I am spotted with baking soda. The stars are out, but the sky is too light to see the Milky Way. Air is still. And a bit of a chill in the air.

Kealakekua

2009-08-07T07:57:00.001-10:00

Aloha!

You are looking at a heiau, a temple built by the old Hawaiians. This is the Hikiau Heiau at Kealakekua Bay. It is not in its original state, as it was restored in the early part of the 20th century.

This is the spot where ceremonies were held when Captain Cook visited this spot in the 1700's.

Today efforts to honor and respect Hawaiian heritage include treating heiaus with reverence. It is kapu to climb on them, or even up their stairs.

This heiau is dedicated to Lono, and was the temple of Hawaiian king Kalanio'pu'u. Cook was escorted there and many accounts of the time conclude he was perceived as Lono in the flesh. Those same accounts have conflicting information that would tend to indicate otherwise. There is some belief the westernization and mythmaking machinery around the Cook legend may have been responsible for the story he was taken to be a god, especially in light of his eventual fate.

A little background: Kealakekua means "pathway to the gods" . Cook had initially visited the bay during a festival, and insofar as his appearance from the sea coincided with Hawaiian legend, he was brought into the festivities. He left the island, then had to return for some repairs. Whatever happened next is told pretty much from the point of view of Cook and his followers. The Hawaiians are accused of a theft of a small boat. Cook then tries to take the king himself hostage to get his boat back, and is summarily killed by the Hawaiians.

Then his body was prepared according to Hawaiian ritual with the respect due someone of stature.

The Cook monument is across the bay from the heiau and is a popular diving and snorkeling spot as the reef there is protected and more pristine than about anywhere else around the island.

a few words from the song... by Bill Cogswell

I want to go back to my little grass shack

In Kealakekua, Hawai`i

Where the humuhumunukunukuâpua`a

Go swimming by

Hurricane is coming

2009-07-31T15:30:00.000-10:00

Hopefully it will bypass our island by at least the 125 miles currently projected by its pathway. It is hovering on the edge of being upgraded to a class 1.

You would never guess it was out there from the weather today - big bright skies, warm temperature. But I am learning that the heat high on the mountain this time of year seems to come before a storm.

At this point, expecting lots of wind and rain this weekend, and hope to see Monday come bright and dry. Maybe the storm will head more south even, and affect us but a tiny wet bit.

Meantime, work continues on the tree house. Big roof beam of bamboo is up and looking massively beautiful.

The joys of treehouse

2009-07-27T06:47:00.000-10:00

Have you ever thought about what it would have been like to run around as children together with your adult grown up best friend ever?

Robert and I have often told each other of our childhood adventures, he in Holland and I in California. We had remarkably similar childhoods, off on solo expeditions to collect rocks and venture off into the wilds of waterways and hillsides.

As the treehouse has taken shape, I am remembering now we talked often of having a treehouse, from the beginning of our life together. At one point Robert suggested I find an image of the house I would like to build on our lot in the rainforest and make it my screensaver. That was on another computer. As I think back through the years, that was an image of a treehouse walkup in Daintree.

Yesterday, here was Robert at the trap door entrance to the bedroom. Is this not the smiling face of an exuberant boy?

As you move through the space of the structure, it reminds you at every angle and access where you are. You are in a treehouse for sure, a house the embraces the trees and is in turn embraced by them. You are up with the birds, high in the canopy of a real rain forest, on an island in the middle of the ocean. You are rooted to the ground with the trees, and high in air with the upper branches.

You would no longer be thinking like a ground dweller, nor an urban resident. This face may be showing you how you would be thinking.

Finish of Phase

2009-07-26T06:30:00.000-10:00

Today marks the end point of the first phase in the building of the treehouse. The architect an builders take a hiatus and return to their families for a time while the work on the island continues in their absence. They will return to install the stain glass and railings.

In the photo, you see the volcano ginger in bloom at the start of the path to the structure.

Last night a woman walked by and engaged the architect in conversation about the project, and then joined in the get together next door , a break until nightfall for a return to the tree sculpture for music and celebration. Robert brought his guitar, but before he played, he asked that we now ask for blessings on the house. Our new friend immediately said that was what she was there for, and led a beautiful blessing that amazingly echoed the original blessing Robert and I had asked when the land was occupied by only the trees and understory of the forest.

Then Robert played music he had composed for the welcoming of the house to the place. You could hear the voices of ancestors in the tones, the sound of the wind and rain, and the spirit of Pele settling in.

Roderick led us all in a procession around the bedroom, the upper room, where we had assembled. Ten of us dancing in a circle in the dark, a couple of flashlights marking the edges, chanting an ohia song.

We are receiving much much more than we anticipated when we began this project. on many levels.

A couple of days ago, I walked about and visited some other construction sites. There is comparison in the workmanship. When I walk on a lanai now my feet are sensitized to the quality of the support. When I am up in the tree structure and the wind causes the trees to sway, I am conscious of the gentleness of the movement, almost an echo of the wind itself.

The change involved in changing one's life utterly is humbling. There is much shedding of old thoughts that is difficult, unanticipated, a cleansing as if by fire. Pele's spirit is far from gentle, and she is utterly thorough.

A New Point of View

2009-07-24T16:19:00.000-10:00

It does look like a work in progress, but check out the lines! This is a view from the back side. The platform appearing part on the right will be the lanai that holds the hot tub.

Over the next few days it will get rafters and a roof. Some bamboo will start to go in, and the design elements will begin to emerge more visibly.

Today I climbed the interior ship's ladder to the second floor for the first time. I crawled about through the jungle all around the house again, looking at it, and getting a sense of both it and the ground below it. I poked around the lava tube in back, and cleared away some more plant debris.

The house will have a story embedded in its floors and siding, echos of anthems and yearning of prayers from the old church the wood once was. Being a treehouse, it holds adventurous dreams like a vase holds water, except it can never be dry. When it spills over, it is with laughter and fun.

Today is dry, not too warm, a nice day for the builders. When the stateside crew goes home the local guys from volcano will stay on and continue to put up the siding, and then comes the overhead parts. Then we will all reconvene next month to bring everything close to completion.

Nearing the end of week three

2009-07-24T06:47:00.000-10:00

This has been a difficult week for the build, with things getting easier toward this end of the week.

Midweek, there was a huge thunder and lightening storm. Water poured out of the sky, all day long. The weather forecast mentioned a "trough" and predicted rain until Monday.

The treehouse is being built on a rigid schedule. Three guys flew in from state-side with blocks of time and return tickets and commitments. Every day counts, and the five or so very wet days we've had over the last three weeks have caused some delays.

Before I continue with this story, look at this cute little weathered house. This house is Hawaiiana in house form. The storm left some downed hapu'u and messed up people's computers, even with ultra sophisticated surge protection. Saw this cottage on a walk with a friend I visited after the storm, hoping to borrow a printer that as it turned out had bit the dust following the weather attack.

I think the secret is to power down all equipment and unplug it during storms like this, if you are not using it. We have lost washer/dryers when their electronics went out after storms.

In this climate, the idea of the solar powered tiny house with the composting toilet grows ever more appealing.

I am feeling brain fried my own self. Spent much of yesterday reviewing receipts and costs and working through how to get a handle on the expenses - actually, reins on the expenses. It is very weird having other people spending my money, and that is where the reins come in. No more deciding to put up walls or manufacture special little random items just because it will look pretty. And it does look pretty.

By the end of the day, will have some new pictures of the treehouse to show. But it will not be revealed in its full glory for another month or so, while our builders return to the rest of their lives on the mainland, and take a brief break.

meantime, down the mountain

2009-07-22T06:59:00.000-10:00

To appreciate the mountain more, it is nice to come all the way down. In our case, that would be to Hilo. These photos are from Lilioukalani Park on Hilo Bay, where an ancient pahoehoe lava flow from Mauna Loa edges the bay.

We were there late in the day, about sunset. It was during the solar eclipse, and although the day had been bright, clouds gathered. The light was mellow and peaceful. Families were in the park eating, kids sitting about with the grown ups texting each other. A cruise ship pulled out of the harbor and headed who knows where.

We hardly ever go to Hilo "just because" but I want to. It is a sweet place, full of old weathered shops, old time architecture, people with aloha. There is the Tsunami museum, for example, where you can talk with people who were caught in the Tsunami that last washed over the land out of Hilo Bay. They show a film, and there are lots of photos - an art installation snap shot of the event. Very moving.

This little park is on the bay, and people fish in the salt ponds. There is a walkway over the water to a little island. Trees that I don't know the names of with twisty trunks line the shore. It was a lovely end of the day. We had to return something at HPM. At first I was disappointed to be going so late in the day - not much time to play. But it turned out so nice. We had a plate lunch dinner from a storefront restaurant. The lady who cooked the food was very interested in our story - this is the way of this place.

Just enough time to stop at the big grocery store and stock up on the things you don't want to have to buy locally at Volcano, like wine from California. Got some nice cheese. Funny, last time it all seemed ridiculously expensive, but this time, found some more reasonable. I do miss Trader Joe though. One thing you can get there - Sherry Baby orchid plant, with hundreds of tiny flowers that smell like chocolate, for $6.50. Yeah, one came home with me. Think today it will go by the shower. Sweet smells while soaping down.

start of week three

2009-07-21T06:19:00.000-10:00

Week three. The weather has been less than cooperative, delivering up lots of rain, and yesterday, lots of wind. But the wind was helpful in drying the varnish painted onto the siding. And today is looking calm with just a few broken up puffy clouds high up, so far.

We are thinking of keeping a weather journal. Down in Hilo to pick up drip edge for the roof, the girl who carried it out and maneuvered it into the car talked about how the sun doesn't show up much in Volcano. That's funny actually as people from the other side of the island have those thoughts about Hilo, and who would not when you have 330 to 340 days of sunshine a year. Compare that with 200 inches of rain a year - it has to fall sometime. But just like in those 330 days there can be some rain, in the 300 days with rain there is some sun, like maybe half of the time the days are sunny for hours, with some rain. And the some rain is usually very soft, more mist than rain, so is very pleasant.

This view of the treehouse looks up at it before the second story goes on. Because of the angle, maybe the second story could be there, but you can't see it. You do see a couple of holes where the trees pierce the upper deck. I stood up on the upper deck at the end of the day yesterday, getting a feel for the structure. There are parts I am so looking forward to: The hot tub getting in place and running, and getting in there and soaking in the cedar scented water. The stained glass in place, with the beveled edges throwing rainbow lights in the room when the sun catches them. The swinging sky chairs on the top level, where you will sit and twirl about, suspended high in the canopy over the upper deck. Notice how none of this has a whole lot to do with using the kitchen, or even lying in the bed, although walking into the bedroom for the first time with the bed in place, the bamboo all done, the stained glass all framed out will be very special.

We are still mulling over the furniture configuration in the living space. The concept was built ins where possible, but now we are thinking a portable eating bar that is actually an oblong shaped cafe table that can be inside or outside, conversation table height. There was to have been a built in sofa, but we may substitute a set of ottoman cubes that are more versatile and moveable. There is going to be a flat panel TV somewhere, but where is still up in the air, as it were. Possibly mounted over a mantlepiece set over top of the propane stove, the mantlepiece deflecting the heat away from it. To go with in, an ultra slim DVD player. Or some hidden wiring...

The intended use of the treehouse is for a couple's getaway - a honeymoon suite. And it will function perfectly for that. As a gathering place, it is solid enough for several, but without the factor of accommodation. Two on bar chairs, four on ottomans? The space will let us know, all in time.

After Dark in the Rainforest

2009-07-17T22:33:00.000-10:00

There was pineapple rain, a mist the forms droplets on the fern tips and drops down onto the broad ginger leaves. You can hear the droplets fall. Our path was lit by a single flashlight and a cell phone. Five of us meandered through the jungle, up the lava tube, and climbed the ladder into the treehouse in the dark of night.

Roderick had set up two lights inside. We felt the coziness of the interior space, the sheltering arms of the trees all but invisible in the black of the night.

Then we climbed another ladder, where he had positioned a strobe on the very edge of the upper room. At the top of the ladder we grasped an ohia trunk and swung over onto the upper floor. The flashlight showed the forest way down below us, forty to fifty feet. The tops of the trees were maybe 20 feet over top of our heads.

The flashlight revealed the texture and pattern in the old church fir that had become our floor. The wood grain imparts an unanticipated richness and serenity that echoes the spiritual vibration of the forest. Far from spiritual and serene in that moment, we shouted and threw our arms around one another, dancing and jumping in the sheer joy of being where people do not go - high in the domain of the birds and butterflies.

We talked about how the swinging chairs will be suspended there high in the forest, over the decking outside the intimate space that is the bedroom. We talked about the way the light would enter through the stained glass, and each thought of waking up in the treetops, in the arms of our beloved.

Next we carefully descended and danced through the mud and mist to the shelter where the giant bamboo awaits. Nineteen plus foot beams of bamboo, polished and sanded and drilled through, six or seven inches in diameter. The black Indonesian bamboo from this island, polished to a black sand sheen.

The magic of this experience is phenomenal.

Emerging shape

2009-07-16T16:41:00.001-10:00

At this stage in the framing the shape of the treehouse is beginning to show itself, not as a mere outline, but as an occupant of the space. It is a little like the sensation of a mother as the baby inside begins to move.

Standing outside the main room, there are exciting angles. Inside, the harmony of the shape and the place almost hums. There is a magic to the structure that is beginning to echo the magic of the forest. Today is a good building day. A little rain in the beginning of the day, then sunshine. It is difficult to leave. Tomorrow there is supposed to be a lot of rain. That can mean endless rain. Hard on the guys. But there will be an end of the week party. Wives and girlfriends from the island will converge. There will be music and toasts. It will be a very good day.

First floor framed out

2009-07-15T20:14:00.001-10:00

Here's the look of the treehouse with the first floor walls framed out. This is looking through what will eventually be the front door.

The roofing material is coming up the mountain tomorrow. And the stained glass windows arrive Friday. I cannot imagine they will go in until next week but probably the builders want to be certain the framing is exactly right for each window.

Carved doors are still in Bali as the wedding pavilion needs some side rails and fabrication of those will go on for another week or so. Bamboo is being sanded - I did not know bamboo got sanded. Soon all will come together in this tree sculpture you can sleep in, eat in, cook in, imagine in, bathe in - actually live in. The size and dimensions are more like a tipi than a house. Robert and I are looking forward to spending some time there, getting a sense of what it would be like to live in a very small space. I will write about that here, later.

The walls are beginning to go up

2009-07-14T13:49:00.000-10:00

This may look like a precarious perch for an outdoor shower, but as you can see, there will be a shower head emerging from the tree and a rather awesome view over the heads of the ancient tree ferns. This is Roderick demonstrating the shower-to-be.

I had rather hoped it would out the menehune door and over top the lava tube, hidden in the ginger. But this is more accessible and has its own charisma, if showers can have charisma.

Nice sun so far today, a much nicer day for the build. Yesterday was swamp wet, not drizzle but downpour most of the day.

We walked through the first floor pad and discussed how everything would fit. It's like putting together a puzzle, with the pieces being the everyday parts of life. Yesterday we visited the nice seamstress in Hilo town who will be sewing up our furniture cushions, stuffed with wool batting perhaps. We also picked up the pretty blue Jotul gas heater. It may seem odd to need a heater in Hawaii, but up here on top of the volcano it can get chilly especially after nightfall. Between hot tub and the heater, everything will be cozy in the trees.

So, imagine the bamboo enclosure for now. Later, you will see it for real

Hot Tub Goes Here

2009-07-11T08:44:00.001-10:00

This puka is where the hot tub will be. The template matches the outline of the tub. It will sit on the lava tube below, supported by a pad and some huge beams, and come up through the lip of the deck.

It is a cedar tub, built in Alaska. I imagine the fragrance when the top is lifted, and climbing into the hot water there amidst the forest. We will put orchids in the two trees there coming through the deck. And there are some pretty candle lantern on their way from the mainland for romantic night time soaks. Ahhh!

Decking going in

2009-07-10T13:58:00.000-10:00

Here are Ian and Daryl putting in the decking today. We got a break from the rain for several hours, making the flow smoother and easier.

You can see how the trees come right through the decking, so the house will not only feel in the trees but of the trees as well. There is one branch near the hot tub that has a perfect place for orchids.

This morning the bromeliads, orchids, ferns, and ginger from the trip to Hilo went into the grotto area and along the path. No orchids near the path now as they would be in danger from the lumber traversing the path. That is old douglas fir flooring reclaimed from a torn down church. There will be an additional "hole in the floor" where we'll install an acrylic block so from inside the house you can look down into the lava tube. I'm thinking of stringing red holiday lights in there so it will have a red glow... There are several openings, and at night it might have a look of an active lava flow with red lights in there.

Finally went up to the site of wedding pavilion, and the ginger we cleared out in April has grown back entirely. It is a sea of green, and I am on break from scything it away again... Fecund volcanic jungle!!

challenges

2009-07-09T09:43:00.001-10:00

Among the challenges to building here is access. The road will not accommodate a delivery truck, but we are just one lot in from the wider road. So the big truck off loads there and a tractor fork lift brings material the rest of the way in.

It takes a bit of maneuvering to get a load this wide landed, as the trees make a narrower opening than the width of the lumber pile.

Yesterday a FedEx package arrived from Bali with cut outs of the doors carved there that will go in as front and back doors in the treehouse. And none too soon, as the architect called for the exact dimensions today. As the doors are both curved on top, I had asked for the cut outs so templates can be made and there will be no guesswork with framing out the openings.

Today the doors and windows on the lower level will be framed out. And today is our wedding anniversary. Six years ago we were married on the lanai at our house here. And this is the first anniversary we have returned to the very spot. The day is turning gorgeous, clouds clearing, sun lighting up the green. I found a yellow vanda orchid at the farmer's market yesterday for $5. In the sunlight it is headily fragrant. Set it on the railing next to the massage table on the lanai. Time now for some island coffee and oatmeal. Aloha from Volcano Hawaii.

meet the guys

2009-07-08T12:41:00.001-10:00

Here they are - our man on the island and our architect. Two pivotal characters in the real dream team, the team that builds the dream.

Roderick on the right is the designer. He's been building treehouses for years - long enough to have earned chapters in the "Treehouses of the World" book. Roderick Romero. Check him out. That nice face? He is an extraordinary person. Beyond nice, beyond talented.

Bobby on the left has been putting the infrastructure in. He lives and breathes excitement. He has a contagious aura of enthusiasm.

Both guys are able to focus their abundance of love of life on the project, this labor of love. The bring a combination of ardor, candidness, aloha, care, consciousness - the list of their attributes cannot be adequately told here. Part of the beauty of this project is that they as the artists and artisans who carry out the plan have within themselves great spirit and imagination. They bring all that they are directly to the project, and focus all that into attracting and selecting people to work with who are similarly enthused.

You can see Bobby's videos on YouTube at biodynamichawaii. Many short bits from the early phases of putting in the infrastructure. Loads of fun!

Yesterday was Day 2 of Treehouse build

2009-07-08T09:05:00.001-10:00

Yesterday was soggy wet. Got sent by the builders to pick up a portable structure to keep the equipment dry. This meant a drive around to Kona and Costco.

We drove out of the rain over to the Hamakua Coast and up, then across through Waimea, in the middle of the day. Clocked the journey as we wanted to take Saddle Road back and find the true time difference. Reason is, people have said you slice twenty minutes or more off the trip. Truth: Maybe four, maybe five minutes. Saddle road cuts across the lower slopes of Mauna Kea, and the road has been being resurfaced and even recut in recent months. Part is now shiny new blacktop with nice reflective edges for easy night driving where there is no light. Part still rutty and badly in need of resurfacing.

Came back with typical Hawaiian structure. Poly tubing and white tarp. Now I will not comment through my sensibilities on how this would look set up as lotsa people here use these and find them remarkably versatile. Have parties even weddings underneath. Luaus, yeah. It rains so much heah you want a place to go outside and stay dry. For this reason, we are putting up the wedding pavilion - another structure. On the way from Bali. Hawaii kine style tho. Will fit good.

Meantime, back to treehouse. The lower floor is raised higher than I thought so hot tub (that arrives on barge tomorrow!) will need some support from below to get high enough to lip up to the deck. The guys will get this all figured out. I will be going over and taking more pictures of them at work, and put them up. We are so lucky to be working with them. They will see this and think, working with them? and laugh. They are working. We are well, adjunct, at this time. Although trip to Kona was work! It was!

Day 1 of the treehouse build

2009-07-06T21:51:00.000-10:00

It is a remarkable thing to watch the shape beginning to form.

The weather was extra nice today - no rain until nightfall. Mild trade winds.

The first step in the actual build is the insertion of the GLs into the trees. These are hardware that penetrate the tree and hold the major beams that support the structure.

In this photo you can see the first of the giant beams that joins with the GLs being hoisted up the lava tube.

Today, the beams for the lower level were put into place, literally providing the platform for the first level build. Standing on top of the lava tube and seeing the size of the perimeter is amazing.

While all this was going on, I was trimming out ginger, trying to stamp dry leaves into the muddy spots on the path, and picking up the car in Hilo after repairs necessitated by sitting too long without being driven. Also shopped for food for all of us for the week.

Now am deliciously sleepy. And it is only 10 pm!

The Build Begins

2009-07-06T05:34:00.000-10:00

Today the build begins!

This is a portion of the wood that has been brought to the site. There are three piles of salvaged redwood, douglas fir, bamboo, doors and windows. The driveway is graded and many loads of rock and gravel compacted in to provide safe access in this very wet area. The ground there drops down from street level. The rainwater runoff would gather there, making not a swamp but a sticky mud. Now, it looks like the foreground in the photo.

A convergence of happy people from Seattle, Chicago, New York, Hercules, and Pau'uilo have come together to make this happen. Yesterday one of our daughters said she had a dream that Robert was being beaten up by ghosts, so to be mindful of the spirits as we build.

Robert and I brought some anthuriums and bromeliads to the site, climbed the lava tube, and from the actual site, asked for blessings from the ancestors and from Pele as we begin this project on the sacred land. This is Pele's sacred forest, bordering her home, Halema'u ma'u, the house of everlasting fire.

In about March of 2008, there was an explosion at Halema' ma'u and noxious sulfuric acid gas began escaping in a dramatic glowing plume. Over the following months, the plume brought vog to the island and sometimes to Oahu as well. The day we arrived on the island, there was a collapse and the plume was sealed off for the most part. The vent is still open, but the plume has diminished to a very small off gassing. At night, the glow of the pooling lava within is visible. From the visitor's standpoint, this is all very good news, as there is no longer a breathing hazard at the summit and overlook. For our builders, no ongoing dangers from the air quality. For us, the opening pages to full time life on top of the volcano.

Today, the first stage of the build will be setting the anchors in the trees. The huge cross beams the support the structure will attach to the anchors. Meantime, there are items arriving in Hilo, notably the lovely Jotul gas heater for the main room in the house, and the cedar hot tub for the lanai.

Everyone is ultra excited and daylight is upon us. It is coffee time in the rainforest. A hui hou!

How do you build a treehouse across the ocean?

2009-05-16T04:00:00.000-10:00

Our idea was to find someone who is an experienced treehouse builder, who would love this project and be able and willing to do it in Hawaii, within our budget. We wanted to participate, hands on, especially with the finishes, but could not begin to elevate a living structure our own selves.

We began by looking for designs that did not look like houses plucked from the ground and set into the trees. Because if the structure could be at home on the ground, maybe the ground would be an all around better place for it, and a simple platform in the trees would suffice. We contacted some tree house builders from around the world, and one emerged immediately. Roderick Romero was enthusiastic about the idea, immediately. We spoke on the phone, emailed a few times, sent across some tree pictures, and settled on a date to meet on the island. Our budget was a good fit with his ideas and his experience of costs, so we had the beginnings of a plan that could work out.

When I went into Hilo to pick him up, we had not done the preliminary "look for someone with a Hawaiian shirt and shorts" exchange. I didn't know what he looked like, and he only knew I was female. As I walked toward the baggage claim area, I first noticed a guy off to the left. I watched him and he turned around, in that way people do when they are being watched, and a flutter of recognition crossed his face. He had long braids almost down to his knees. He was our guy. The ease of that recognition and the almost magnetic quality of the man are among his hallmarks. He carried a skateboard, backpack, and roller bag.

On the way up the mountain he talked about the contacts he had already made, the most intriguing of which was with "the man" Bobby Grimes. Roderick had been in a skate shop in Venice California, and gotten into a conversation with the proprietor, one of the gurus of skateboards. Roderick has a way of getting into conversations with amazing people wherever he goes, we discovered. Skateboard guru picked up his cell and called someone he knew on the Big Island, and passed along Bobby's name and phone as being the best possible contact for green building materials and everything that goes with them.

The next day, we trekked over to the building site in search of The Tree. The treehouse tree. That is when the boys came upon the lava tube jutting into the air, sandalwood and ohias growing out the top of it.

When Bobby joined up with us over there, the enthusiasm was almost overwhelming. The idea of this little living area on two levels in the trees with a soaking tub, built mid canopy to upper canopy, looking out on all those giant ferns, rooted into the ground by some of the rarest trees was intoxicating. The boys were dancing in delight. Bobby brought over a book on bamboo, and showed us photos of some use of bamboo root. Bamboo root is gnarly, sort of fist like where the smaller roots are trimmed away and the knuckles are polished. He wanted to go into his gulch and dig out some bamboo and use the root to make the railings. He had some black bamboo treated with nanoparticles and cedar oil for the ceiling joists. There were several small and scrawny trees that had to be cleared, and our arborist came out in the gentle tropical rain and removed them and skinned them on the spot, so they could be used in the construction.

Mornings, Roderick would skate over to the site and sketch plans. We'd all meet and talk about what it would look like. We'd mull over our ideas. We have a structure on its way over from Bali, a pavilion we're having built as a rainforest wedding pavilion, for intimate ceremonies. Actually, it's not totally on its way, and the altar/tiki bar is being rebuilt because the specs were wrong originally. There is loads of room in the container, so we added doors for the treehouse to the shipment.

There will be a moongate opening to the garden, a circular doorway that will reveal the jurassic scene beyond. The front door to the treehouse will be curved on top, with heliconia carved on both sides, and a little peep-door behind a wood grate to look out. There will be a "secret door" with a secret entrance, where part of the tube collapsed back when it was cooling, and there is a natural hidden path to the rear of the treehouse. That will be a short little door with a sort of peaked top. Otherwise, glass. And stained glass, with birds. Forest birds.

We've ordered the cedar soaking tub from Alaska.

A lot of the way it will look will happen organically as the building proceeds. We will use found materials, recycle. What we find, we'll work in. And we are going solar. Off grid. That reminds me, I'd better order that generator!

Before we get over there, still much to be done.

one more intermission (at least)

2009-05-03T16:47:00.001-10:00

If your trip to the Big Island will be made complete by seeing lava, one way to do that is get on a boat and get out to where it is.

Taking a walk over the lava can be a miles long trek, and once there, your view is over the ledge. And the ledge can collapse. That is a problem. Of course if you are out in a small craft and the ledge in front of you collapses, that is a similar problem.

The drama of lava is other worldly. Where it enters the ocean, vast clouds of steam cloak it in a heavy veil, that parts now and then, revealing the red hot ooze. It takes some practice and a finger on the camera button to capture the fraction of a second of lava flow and hold the camera steady while the boat treads water, bouncing and churning. Little bits of lava rise up and ping the bottom of the boat. The cloud can swirl around you, and considering there are tiny shards of volcanic glass in there, that's not something you'd be wanting to expose yourself to on a regular basis.

But this once, out we went. Up at 3 am, down the Kapoho road to meet up with the boat and bounce over the water in the pre-dawn, a chalice moon cradling a planet, maybe Venus. Salt spray in your face, the exhilaration makes you forget all thoughts of sea sickness. Pele is putting on a show out there, and you get front row seats.

It's Intermission for us, so here's some back story

2009-05-02T04:52:00.000-10:00

Our plans to move to the Big Island have been in the works ever since we found our sweet place at the volcano, and that was several changes ago.

We have always had a romance with houses. In the early part of our life together, we had landlords with our houses. That sometimes worked out fine, sometimes it was dismal. The last time was dismal, and we vowed to somehow get a house of our own. We invaded our retirement accounts and scraped together almost enough for a down payment. We found a cottage in Benicia, almost an hour from anywhere we wanted to go, and settled into our first house together. The place was plain as toast with a scrumptious back yard. Old olive trees with twisty trunks grew in both the front and back. Two cherry trees in the side yard. Back lawn that meandered into a path with an English herb garden and finishing in a stand of 18 sixty foot hight redwood trees. Boundary on the right side rose in a hill planted with trees, blueberries, iris, and a gorgeous arbor supporting wisteria with pendulous fragrant blooms in late winter. Redwood deck, brick patio. I could have stayed forever, but we didn't.

The ocean has a lure. I think everyone falls in love with all that water, surging in its rhythm over sandy beaches and splashing up rocky cliffs. When we were flush, we found a house at the beach we could actually buy, and plopped down the money. The photo above is the Christmas decoration my sister and I put up last December, just before a buyer stepped out of the woodwork and made it possible for us to hire a real treehouse builder and not attempt to do the thing ourselves. That was Bodega Bay.

Just a few words about that experience, to shine a light on a chapter from the recent past. Our house was in a "planned community". This can be both good and bad. In ours, the neighbors had the right to tell you how to trim out your yard. If they had the right kind of juice with the board, they could make you do just about anything. We spent several years fighting to keep the cypress trees in our front yard because our neighbor had a narrow view of blue water when he stood outside on his deck made somewhat less tall by our trees. In Bodega Bay, there is a fierce wind in spots, and one of those spots included his deck. The only reason he had to go out there was to take photos of our trees and write letters to the board. We would trim out the trees to preserve his view, and the following month, he would submit a photo he had taken before the trees were trimmed, and harass us all over again. Neighbors are key to the enjoyment of home.

Weekends at Bodega Bay generally meant working on a project at the house. That covered everything from cleaning the grout in the tile floor to putting in a back splash in the kitchen. Come late day, work would stop and we'd break out a bottle of nice Sonoma Coast wine and climb into the hot tub and watch the sunset. One very cool thing about the view from our hot tub is it was over the ocean, but the house faced in the sunset direction, so the firey ball never dropped down into our view across the water. Even so, the sky changed color all around us.

After dark, we'd be in that hot tub watching meteors streak across the sky and trying to find sky objects. Inbetween we'd watch old movies on the TV, generally breaking out "The Birds" every few months or so, since Hitchcock filmed it in Bodega Bay.

When the buyer stepped forward, I was in a mood to hold onto the house. I got talked into letting it go, and that opened the way to the treehouse.

And there is the house we live in right now, and that is another whole story, for another day.

the adventure has begun

2009-04-26T18:00:00.000-10:00

We just returned from the Big Island and our pre-tree house building adventure.

Our builder and Robert walked the site, which is near Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, and found a lava tube that formed and extends twenty feet into the air. Sandalwood, ohia, and Hawaiian holly are growing out of it, their big roots wrapped around jutting edges of the tube.

There are skylights in the tube, but no entrance way we have been able to find yet.

The trees growing out of it are the sturdiest on the land, as they love having air around their roots. So, a perfect airy location for the treehouse.

Our builder is an amazing person who makes connections through inspired networking, and he found someone on the island who is completely into the project, and fully dedicated to sustainable living. His ideas are an amazing marriage with our builders and our own. He brought books of bamboo constructions both furniture an architecture, and a gorgeous piece of black bamboo to show us.

In July, the build begins!

You know it don't come easy

2008-06-08T10:19:00.000-10:00

Whoever said life has its ups and downs was a master of understatement.

Every once in awhile something too painful to mention intersects with the everyday world. And about as often something too grand to blurt out about makes its way over the horizon.

And sometimes you get to see it coming.

Like this housing market deflation. It was inevitable prices would come down, but it seemed they would stabilize. Instead, there is a deadness to the market, like a party after everyone has gone home and the cleaning crew fails to show up.

So you get to work, thinking hey, we should be able to handle this mess. And after hours of work, it just ain't so.

What is the possible upside of this disaster? Will people who couldn't afford a home find themselves suddenly swept into the ownership market? Will people begin to form living collectives and acquire mansions and turn them into cooperative homes? Does this sound idyllic? (can't say it does to me . . . I love my friends, but they are each and all a wee bit quirky and when they decide to start smoking again or begin dating an uptight minister, do I want that in my kitchen?)

Well hey, here's a story for you.

We wouldn't have our place in Hawaii had there not been a down turn in real estate values that we suffered from in California. We would never have dared to buy a rental in Hawaii if circumstances hadn't pushed us into reinvesting our gains from one rental into another. And we wouldn't have had the first rental except we elected to leave and our only viable option was to find a tenant. So, all turned out spectacularly well.

It was something you couldn't see coming. It was an outcome you never would have anticipated.

There are lots more stories with surprises in them, and great outcomes. I think it helps a lot to believe in the great outcome, to feel you are blessed, to be grateful.

Not Everyone would choose to live on top of a volcano

2008-05-28T16:53:00.000-10:00

Mention living near a volcano, and people think of Mount St Helens or Pompeii, Krakatoa, perhaps. No one imagines Seattle and Mount Rainier. And yet, one day Mount Rainier will go off in a similar way to Mount St Helens, as they are similar volcanoes. Then, watch out Seattle!

My volcano is Kilauea, home of a goddess. Pele. Pele's character as imagined by the people of Hawaii is illustrated in the activity of the volcano Kilauea, and the crater Halema'uma'u - the House of Everlasting Fire.

On March 29, 2008, Halema'uma'u exploded.

It was not a dramatic effect, like Mount St Helens, as Kilauea is a shield volcano and does not blow its top. It erupts more or less continuously, with explosive ventings punctuating a flow of lava over top of the land and through lava tubes down to the sea. When it hits the ocean, sometimes in a molten falls, there is lots of steam. The wave action tosses it about, and black sand is formed and becomes beaches. The lava piles up into shelves, and forms new land. This recent explosion blew a hole out near the crater wall, and from there is emitting a plume of sulfur dioxide. You can stand on an observation deck near the crater and watch the gas swirling around beneath it in the pit.

In 1924, the same crater was a boiling mass of lava. It was very dramatic for Mark Twain, who visited and wrote about the spectacle as fiery fountains and lava flows glowing white before they faded to brilliant red. It may be the crater will once again fill with lava and put on a show where swirling gases glow white hot in the darkness and red lava shoots up into the sky as a geyser of molten rock.

So what happens in an eruption like this? What if you are there - is it safe? Should you evacuate now and save yourself worry?

Nature is not predictable. We saw that with Katrina, for example. People who were killed in the tornadoes last week most likely did not mull over that possible fate the day before, if ever. We know certain things, or think we know them. Can Kilauea blow lava up in the air with such vehemence that it falls all over the outlying areas, and flows haphazardly all over the island of Hawaii? It is so far from likely that vulcanologists say that it is 100% unlikely. There is a direction to the flow. You can look at Google maps and study the island of Hawaii and see the results of lava flows from recent times. You will see the island's other two larger volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea dominate the topography. And Mauna Loa is still very much alive.

How severely does the gas contaminate the air? It can get stinky sometimes, but most days the trade winds blow the gas to the northwest, toward Kona, and sometimes as far away as other islands in the archipelago. When the winds are not blowing, it settles its fumey blanket around the low lying communities surrounding the volcano.

So what is it like on top of the volcano?

Surprisingly, there are two distinct climates that meet and separate like Yin and Yang at the summit. To the east, there is rain forest. Water falls, a lot. People collect it from their roofs in containers that hold thousands of gallons, filter it and use it. Ferns grow to be 30 feet tall and more. Wild orchids and vibrant orange lilies spring up, and heart shaped anthurium fill in the understory. Wild birds with brilliant red, orange and variegated brown and yellow plumage flit through the mid-canopy. Tiny honeycreepers not much larger than hummingbirds build nests in the yellow and red flowering ohias, from strands of golden hairs pulled from the stems of the ferns. The forest canopy was once sandalwood, koa, and ohia, all tropical hardwoods. Most of the sandalwood and lots of the swirly koa were harvested over the decades to make furniture and houses, & repair ships. The ancient Hawaiians carved outrigger canoes from those sturdy trees. Now there are patches of rainforest left, mostly unprotected.

Like Yin and Yang, the people who live in the rainforest either seek to preserve it, buying up parcels of land when the opportunity comes along and preserving their green wildness, or selectively hand clearing the invasive species and carefully building small houses that blend with the forest. And there are those who bring in bulldozers and rip the ancient ohias out of the ground and bury the giant ferns. They put up sprawling centipede like houses, rooms connected to rooms, covered walkways connecting the garage to the main house, workshops facing the narrow roadways .

Then there is the other side of the summit of the mountain, the side where the sun shines more than the rain falls. On the other side of the mountain, there is the golf course, a winery, fancier houses built out over the drier landscapes. And on that side of the mountain, coffee grows.

Have I mentioned there is a village at Volcano? It has places to eat and shop, and is just next to the entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. And there inside the park are more places to eat and shop and sleep. And explore! It is the home of Halema'uma'u, the House of Everlasting Fire, where the earth is still being born, where there is a sense that the gods of the ancients are alive, and their magic is afoot.