Hurricane Douglas

As predicted, Tropical Storm Douglas became Hurricane Douglas around 5 this morning. It is predicted to continue its westward movement as a Category 1 until about Saturday morning. They anticipate it will be here on Sunday.


The Saffron Finch seemed to be up a little earlier than usual this morning. It wasn't cloudy or overcast so I think it could see the earliest rays of sunshine sooner.

Birdrise at 35 minutes before sunrise.

Six minutes after sunrise.

Checking the incoming weather at twenty minutes after sunrise.

When I checked my email this morning, I also checked if my Facebook post had gotten any responses. It had! The consensus is that the kalo I have is Bun Long aka Chinese Bun Long aka Pin Long. I cut open the corm of the one I moved out of the anthurium garden and found it was white with purple fibers as people said it would be!

Freshly harvested corm.

The cut open corm.

The ha; this is what is used to replant in the loʻi.

A 1939 publication lists Bun Long as one of 84 varieties that the agronomists were able to find and grow; much less than the 150 to 175 varieties they cited from a 1914 publication. Another "heirloom" variety!

The digital version.

I did my nearly final load of laundry today; I was going to do 2 loads but only got around to doing one. I did my laundry and towels so I won't have as many dirty things to take back with me.

I shelled the macadamias this morning; I had harvested 60 while I was here. But as I started to shell them I found some that would not easily come loose from the shell. And I remembered reading somewhere that after husking they needed additional days of drying, but I could not remember how much. So I ended up shaking the nuts and if they rattled I shelled them; I got 20. The other 40 will be drying until I return. I put the husks and shells in the anthurium garden, adding to the organic mulch.

I put the nutcracker in a box so the shells donʻt fly around too much.

This nut easily came out of the shell.

This nut did not.

These were the only ones that were ready.

Google is my friend and I found several great articles about harvesting macadamias; I like this one in particular. I should have waited 2 to 3 weeks after removing the husks. Āue! So on my next trip I can shell the 40 that are currently sitting in the box and dry those nut kernels as soon as I get here, while harvesting and husking the ones that I pick up on that visit and letting them dry until the next visit. Sounds like a plan!

These will have to wait until I return.

For the few that I did shell, I put them in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 10 hours to dry them out. I had done a batch when Grey was here and they are so much better than store bought macadamias! I sent those across the Pacific with Grey. I think I will give these to Curtis to add to his granola.


When I went to dump the macadamia husks & shells in the anthurium garden I harvested one of the kalo corms as well as some papayas and macadamias. I will take the papayas back for Jenny and leave the macadamias to dry until the next visit.


Martina came by this morning. I think she was a little cold; she sat by my mug warmer for a few minutes before leaving.



For lunch I went to the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center with chips & salsa & guacamole. I also picked up 3 carriers to take back to Feather & Fur. While there I got to meet Juan, he's the new Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager; he started about 2 weeks ago. In fact, since he came in from Oregon he is still on his 14-day quarantine but has a special exemption to work at HWC which is an essential business. I also got to meet Diette who is a volunteer and I got to see the newly fledged ʻio that came in a few weeks ago.


I donated hāpuʻu #8 to HWC. They have a native plant garden in their educational area; it used to have 3 hāpuʻu but one died. Now one of Grandma's hāpuʻu will replace it.

Hāpuʻu #8 waits in the shade.

The 2 other hāpuʻu are visible in the left portion of the garden.

They are using the lava pavers!

I think this is the native kupukupu; I will have to see if I can get a start.

I also got to see a unique tomato plant. It was processed through an endangered species! Back in April when I was there I helped feed the nene, one of the things they eat are cherry tomatoes. The towels kept in the small pens are shaken out on the side of the building before being washed. One day there was a tomato plant! It is now producing tomatoes! I wonder if they could create a special fundraiser and sell the seeds as special ones processed by an endangered species? Kinda like the civet cat poop coffee, kopi luwak?

On my way back, I did a dump run and also refilled the rental car. Island Short Stop at the bottom of the hill is the cheapest gas on this end and also cheaper than in Kona. I had not noticed their COVID-19 sign on any of my earlier visits.

I cleaned up the coffee table and night stand that Uncle George made for Grandma and Grandpa when he was in high school. They are made of koa wood. For now, the coffee table is in the bathroom closet providing additional shelf space and getting things off the floor. The night stand will go in to my bedroom.




I found a lot of interesting things on the bottom shelf of the coffee table. There were several publications, several placemats, and a bunch of other stuff.

I wonder if this lauhala placemat was made by Mrs. Keliikipi?

A 2013 issue.

Joy had this article in it!

I now know the title translates to, "This is Kohala".

 I think this is a 1977 map.

Here's the 1st page of the Table of Contents.

Grandma must have gotten this when she visited Alaska.

I don't think I need these any more.

I moved the project table back out to the living room so that the front bedroom is accessible. I will move boxes in the back bedroom on my return.

Bedroom, before.

Bedroom, after.

Living room, before.

Living room, after.

In between all that there was Papa ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi; it was a busy day! We continued practicing numbers, telling Western time in Hawaiian, counting items, & the years. We also learned how to say we didn't have something.

VOTE!

I like this way of telling time.

I did not see the cats today; I was either busy or not here. But the food was disappearing so I know they were here. Or maybe it was the mongoose?

Here's where Hurricane Douglas was at this evening, abut 1500 miles east-southeast of us. Douglas is gaining strength and is expected to become a major hurricane by tomorrow. However, they are also predicting Douglas will begin to lose strength on Friday. Douglas is expected to be here on Sunday. We shall see what happens.


There was also an earthquake in Alaska last night and this morning. Neither generated a tsunami.



There were 17 new COVID-19 cases reported today, bringing the total known cases to 1435. There was 1 new death reported and several new hospitalizations. About 79% of cases have been released from isolation.

No new cases here.

Hauʻoli lā Hānau e Nan & Maria!