The plants around me are catching my attention these days. On this drizzly morning I took a walk along the lane and noticed the trees. Only the avocado thought it might be Autumn as it is in North America. But in Hawaiʻi, it’s Hoʻoilo, or the wet season.
As always, be well!
~ Rebekah
Maʻafala
Manna from heaven, or, I should say, Maʻafala from heaven! We picked breadfruit today just as it stopped raining avocados in the garden. It is the Samoan variety cultivated on the Island of Kauaʻi, and it grew from a potted plant into this magnificent tree. They are smaller than the Hawaiian ulu.
Maʻafala tree is bearing fruit
I am guessing the bountiful year is the effect of the climate change on our planet. Happily we have shared for weeks now beautiful avocados with neighbors and friends, made lots of guacamole, and froze batches of the same. Mashed or cut-up avocado freezes well and doesn’t discolor if you combine it with lemon or lime juice.
Morning count on the porch railing. One day nine had fallen to the ground from the night before.
Mahalo e Ke Akua for the abundance.
~ Rebekah
Red ginger
While in coronavirus lockdown until September 24 (according to latest Hawai’i report), travel without a mask is limited to my garden. It’s not exclusively my garden, as family and neighbors are on the lookout for its fruits and flowers. Here’s this morning’s tour:
Papaya volunteer
Ti
Avocado in between red hibiscus cuttings
Avocado close up
Avocado split from its fall from above
Ti
Panax
Kukui nut
Donkey tail in a hanging basket
Ti
Lilikoʻi (passipn fruit)
Red ginger
Maʻafala breadfruit
More Maʻafala breadfruit
Pele’s hair — hinahina
Maʻafala breadfruit. I’m waiting for more latex sap to ooze out and onto a smooth skin, indicating the breadfruit is ready to harvest.
Fallen breadfruit leaf. I’ve used the shape in my art work.
Heliconia variety
Be well. Please stay home during coronavirus season—six months and counting!
~Rebekah
No time to second guess a hurricane or a tropical storm, here at the studio we’re grateful Rocky and his 6-member crew of Ohana Tree Services were able to trim three large trees today, prior to Hurricane Olivia’s visit to Hawai‘i.
They did a great job, cleaned up all the debris, and hauled it away. We traded cooling shade for better air flow around the property and a lot more daylight. Whether Olivia blows strongly or not, it was time for the trimming. We got a great deal from this professional company with a price that was 37% of the next lowest bid.
Now the kou looks like a lollipop and is without its orange-hued lei flowers for a while. Thankfully the avocado was finished bearing its last three fruit for the season. Hopefully the mango will get the message and give us a crop for next time. As for the Maafala breadfruit, Rocky said to wait until the fruits are ready, and then he will come back to help harvest the tree and trim it at the same time.
Two climbers in the mango
Mango tree after trimming looks like a coat rack
Avocado tree after trimming
Kou tree after trimming has a few leaves remaining
We love our trees.
~ Rebekah
Matching moon phases with calendar dates and making a journal entry
In my Hawaiian language class we are learning the names of the moon phases — a different name for each 24 hours as well as the hand signs. Kumu Keoua Nelsen challenged us to go outdoors and look at the moon. Last night in Kaaawa I observed its shape as gibbous or 3/4 full. I think it is Huna today. As I wrote in my journal, it is a “warm and windless morning. Light rain shower. 7” avocados on tree. Plenty papaya still green…”
Avocado fruit measures about 7” in diameter now. I anticipate it will be humongous by the usual harvest time in August.
Plenty papaya
~ Rebekah Luke
From the studio garden and the neighbors’ gardens—this morning’s harvest of ulu (breadfruit Maafala v.), maiʻa (banana), avocado, and calamansi (a citrus). Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
“Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.”
– Henry Alford, 1810-1871
The avocado, calamansi, and Hawaiian chilies are from my garden. So abundant!
Rebekah’s Studio 
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