MONSTERA

Since I’ve mentioned it twice, let’s finish with Monstera first.  It is a member of the philodendron family and although Monstera itself does not climb very much around Hakalau it does at the lower elevations.  The large vines that do climb 60 feet up around us are 3 or 4 other species of philodendron.  Generally they lack the widows and slits of the monstera leaf but still have very stout vines averaging 2” diameter.  I’ll try to get some pictures soon.

I guess it is getting to be fall around here.  We still get up to 84 or 5 f. when the sun is out but the mornings have gone from an occasional shower to two or three showers per hour.  Usually I would work through showers in rubber sandals, shorts and short sleeved shirt but lately it has seemed a bit too much for that (.3 inches to 9:00 this morning so far).  So I guess I’ll stay in and write instead.  But it is still 74 out and will be very nice to be outside as soon as the rain stops.

Last week we finally got the hazardous Cook Pine topped.  This frees me to finish the terrace for the additional garden space.  I am building the terrace wall from the invasive weed logs I took down in the orchard even though I know they will rot quicker than I can visualize.  The terrace wall had steel posts in front of it so as the bottom ones rot I can easily add a new layer to the top.

Having the pine topped also frees us to have solar hot water installed.  Yes, I said “installed” as in by professionals instead of myself.  The reason for this major departure is that there are so many solar credits available here, 30% federal tax credit, 35% state income tax credit and $1,000 utility company rebate plus free financing, that it can be done professionally with a guarantee for about the same price that it would cost me to do it myself.  Then if it needs work in the future when perhaps I won’t be as able it will be relatively easy to have it fixed.  With these credits and the high power cost here, the ‘pay back’ time will be 2-3 years.  Those of you in the Northwest would get the federal credit, free financing, and exemption from state real estate tax on the increase in your home’s value but I don’t know of any utility credit available and Washington has no income tax to credit.  Besides you get a lot less sun and have cheaper power costs so I expect your “pay back” time to hot water would still be about 6-7 years.  If someone has the current figures for Washington please send them.

Over the weekend, besides working on our garden, we visited the nearby HAWAII TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN at Onomea Bay.   It is situated on a steam and comprises 1.25 miles of trails on one side of 71 private acres.  This was a great help in identifying some of the species around our home but includes plants from all the tropics.  We probably saw 20 species of Heliconia (part of Monday’s work was cutting back the orange 7’ variety that keeps trying to bury part of our driveway) and 50 species of orchids.  Myrna has posted some pictures to her facebook page (under Therese Reed) which I think are cross posted to mine if you do that.  But regardless of a person’s interest level in botany, this park was well worth the time just for its remarkable beauty.

On Sunday we visited the gardens of our realtor and learned more plants and brought 5 home to our crowded half acre (I think I know a vacant lot where I can plant a couple trees).

On Labor Day we attended a potluck/softball game at the local playfield.  Turned out they are a mellow group of about 30 people of all ages who we will be doing things with in the future.   Hope you had a good weekend too!   Rico