Retired Rocking Chair

This morning Ken returned the old wooden rocking chair I had found in the closet of the sewing room late last year when I was cleaning it out for the renovation. I had hoped he could refurbish it well enough that it would be usable again. But there was too much termite damage so it will be retired. He suggested putting it in a corner of the front porch & placing a plant on the seat to keep people from sitting on it. 

 

I saw Holoi this morning; the first time in about a month that I have seen her. She came out from under Jessie's house & headed to the back pasture.

The chickens were making a ruckus as she walked through back yard.

I cleared a small path to my bike; it is sitting by the living room windows on a trainer. I can now pedal for a few minutes when I am unable to make it to the fitness room or do any other form of exercise. When I was in Washington, I would ride it for an hour just before I took a shower in the evening. Then I would ice my knees. Every night. Even if they did not hurt. I think I will have to start doing that again to keep them in good condition.

There was a stack of boxes in empty floor space & fan on top of box seen here when I started clean-up.

Now there is a path to get to bike.

Around lunch time I heard an ʻIo (Buteo solitarius) calling overhead. I went out on the deck & saw a bird lazily circling overhead in the light breeze. I have been trying to record their presence every time I see & hear them. In order to do so I have to record on the eBird app for a minimum of 5 minutes; I set my timer for 6 minutes just to make sure I have been birding for long enough for it to count.

This evening when I went to bring Moʻo in for the night, I heard her barking in the back yard. It was her, "The cows are here! Let's play!" bark. I took some sad-looking starfruit out to feed them. Only the bull was in sight when I called & started to feed him. Towards the end 2 cows & a yearling came over, too. But the bull got most of the goodies.

(L to R) Bull, cow, yearling. I've been tearing up paperboard to-go boxes & putting them in compost pile.

 

I saw a pair of Common Waxbills (Estrilda astrild) sitting on the fence this evening. I did not record them on eBird. During those 6 or so minutes when I am birding to get the ʻIo data in to eBird, I will record the waxbills & any other birds that happen to be around at that time. But I don't go out of my way to record most birds, especially non-natives, just because I see them. I make an exception for some special birds like the ʻIo & Kōlea; if I see any other native birds I will record them also. I also keep track of Wild Turkey sightings.

Their body is about size of pingpong ball.

Later, I saw the tiniest house gecko yet, It was less than an inch long & very skinny. It might have just hatched out today.

Molding is about 5/8" wide.

The next episode of the eruption at Kīlauea is predicted to be more than a week away.

Hauʻoli lā Hānau e Dale & Steve! A me ka Hauʻoli lā Hoʻomanaʻo makahiki iwakālua kumamāhiku e Rebecca & Bill!