Today at NTBG nursery I cleaned up a full table of plants -- weeding and organizing everything.
Unless you are very interested in rare tropical plants, gardening, etc. this may be exceedingly boring.
Started before 8am and finished about 3:30pm with a short lunch break. It was a not quite as repetitive as the fern cleanup, and thanks to some cloud cover the hot tropical sun was only full on for a couple of hours. A pair of ultra-light planes cruised overhead at least a couple of times. You can see exactly where I was working over at Google Maps (N 21.898677, W 159.502497).
The table held varieties of Munroidendron racemosum a.k.a. Polyscias racemosa or in Hawaiian pokalakala, an endangered plant that is endemic to Kauai. According to one source known specimens number in the hundreds. These were all young plants, just a few feet tall and none were flowering; grown trees can exceed twenty feet. Good thing I didn't know how rare these were at the time as they were a handful.
Fortunately, I managed not to damage any of them which was actually quite tricky. The plants are well established and tough, but range 2, 3, some 4 feet tall yet many are planted in tiny (3 or 4 inch) containers, so they are extremely "tippy". The plant is a long and slender round trunk with a bunch of thin branches of leaves developing toward the top. For some reason, the trunks tend not to grow straight but at odd twisted wavy bowed shapes which do not balance. Several were leaning against or bound to jury-rigged supporting twine tied between poles extending up from the table which I also repaired and rearranged as best I could.
To stabilize a tray of plants was challenging. Packing the tray of 3 inch containers with a five-by-five array was a stable base, but the plants were bushy enough that it was a chaotic snarl of branches, and the branches had a way of entangling themselves that was difficult to separate. Fewer plants to the tray was much more workable, but then each plant's base was wobbly and when one would tip the domino effect would cause others to lean or fall over as well. The off-balance branches could be aligned to lean together to the center (getting tangled) or turned to reach out away from the tray (entangling the next tray) -- nothing really seemed to work so I ended up with a little of all these techniques.
Some plants were identified by a numbered metal tag -- a six digit code for the species with a three digit unique number for each specimen. The majority just had plastic tags stuck in the container as are seen in commercial nurseries listing just the six digit number and name. I ordered the plants on the table in numerical order while weeding each pot. Given the unstable plants and support twine traipsing over the table it was quite a process shifting everything around into order.
It's good doing work totally unlike one's "real work" and while this isn't a "fun" job, at the end of the day the value of the effort is certainly clear. Since the roots of these plants are exposed and entangled with the weed roots this was all done by hand: no tools allowed.
One thing I'm curious about is why so much variation in the weeds -- some containers were solid weeds, others a few, and some had virtually no weeds. Same plants, potting, and other conditions. Actually, many of the weed-infested plants were easy to do -- just pulling out the tops the roots and everything came cleanly out. The really time-consuming ones were where there were many tiny weeds just sprouting, pairs of pinhead-sized leaves covering the exposed earth that had to be nipped out one by one.
December 28, 2012
December 27, 2012
Waimea Canyon Trail (II)
Today I did the Canyon Trail through to the end (3 miles one way) and then some with a nice early start at the trail head a little after seven. I did blow a lot of time going off trail and wandering in the woods but recovered and was back in town by 3pm.On the right is the canyon view from the parking lot where the trail head is - the hike itself is all on the left side. After crossing a side valley (out of view) the Canyon Trail heads out over the dry cliffs at the very left - lighter color with horizontal dark bands - proceeding along the top of that and then down over the far edge to cross over the Waipo'o waterfall (not much water, and can't see the big drop from the trail anyway). From there the trail leads around and up to the ridge atop the second darker mass (Ka'ou) on the left there coming out on the peak there are proceeding left off camera.
Pink Tape
Near the water there was a spiny-back Asian spider on the trail - with an early start, I hit the webs all the way. I made the mistake of crossing the stream that feels the waterfall upstream and then took a really sketchy looking trail - the best I could find - and proceeded up what became a steep ascent. I was just about to turn around when I saw pink tape trail markers so I continued on. Eventually the pink tape no longer appeared and I was clearly on animal trails, if that. The GPS track was useful (a) determining I was well off the trail, and (b) back-tracking to the water which I managed more easily than expected. The very steep parts were trickier going down of course, and actually I never saw the pink tape on the way back. No idea why someone marked that as a trail, but that pink tape should be removed!
In the murky water I spied a fresh water shrimp. The actual Canyon Trail
Back at the water I went back to the trail and crossed downstream, just above where the water goes over the cliff (but not so close as to be dangerous at all). The area where the trail crosses the water has several paths that are hard to figure out - I recall being turned around there before.
I also recall from a previous hike a section of trail that really is only passable on foot. Earlier out hiking I have seen 4WD get surprisingly far on a trail, and ATV really cover ground that looks impassible, but this place I think motorized vehicles would be stymied. The photo at right is a little hard to tell, but the trail is rain-carved chute about shoulder width across and from two to four feet high on the sides. Maybe you could straddle that with ATV but it would not be easy. Then for good measure a good sized tree has fallen over this path, so you have to duck under the tree as it lies over the chute. Short of a tank, I don't think you can get through any other way.
Speaking of tanks, the helicopters in the canyon were nearly as load it seemed. I don't know if they were out in number for some reason or what but from 8am nearly all day long they were buzzing the canyon one after another. This one if the angle was better I could have read the tail number - which I think means it was way too low. The quiet of this remote place is an important part of the experience. In the woods you hear a buzz of insects, bird songs, the wind in the trees ... all completely drowned out by engine noise.At the turn around was a nice grassy glade so I took a break, rested, and did yoga - it fits with hiking surprisingly well and is much nicer outside that on a mat.
December 26, 2012
Audrey Sutherland
I first heard of Audrey Sutherland from an interview in the Hawaiian Air in-flight magazine. This week I finished reading her wonder first book and was thoroughly impressed in every way. Well written, it's part travel diary, part Hawaiiana, part philosophy and lighter musings, and overall a small window into her world of solo adventure to the very most remote remaining parts of the islands. Her treks are all the more amazing and insightful because she does it solo, with her own gear and supplies and entirely self-powered (except for getting to and from the island). She's an original and absolutely heroic.
Aud (as she calls herself throughout the book: solo travel books are by necessity monologues) is a lady who relishes a challenge. On an inter-island flight she spies the uninhabited north coast of Moloka'i, replete with sea cliffs and waterfalls, and is particularly drawn to explore it herself because there are so many hula'ana. As she explains, a hula'ana is a Hawaiian term for an impassible section of coastline, such as where there is only a cliff along the coast line.
Long story short, she shows up next summer on the island with a make-shift floating backpack rig -- this was before REI and high-tech gear was made, in the 1960s. "I scrounged a new rubber meteorological weather balloon, wrapped the camera, food, and clothing in it, rolled it inside a shoer curtain, put the bundle into an army clothing bag, and lashed it all to a lightweight aluminum pack frame..." I won't spoil the fun of telling how splendidly that worked out for her, in waters known to have plenty of sharks no less, but she did survive to write the book obviously.
Over the years she returns over and over again to this territory for time alone, to luxuriate in the exquisite natural beauty, and in no small part to test herself out there. She discovers an abandoned shack and over the years renovates it (carrying in and out everything herself) to because what she calls "Pelekunu Plaza". It's a quick read and chock full of her unique wisdom and creativity.
A beautiful quote near the end of the book encapsulates the lesson she has lived and narrated throughout. To me this rings so true, yet is so counter to the conventional wisdom, and the entire book is full of examples of exactly what she means.
Sutherland, Audrey, 1921-Padding my own canoe / Audrey Sutherland. -- Honolulu : University Press of Hawaii, c1978. |
Aud (as she calls herself throughout the book: solo travel books are by necessity monologues) is a lady who relishes a challenge. On an inter-island flight she spies the uninhabited north coast of Moloka'i, replete with sea cliffs and waterfalls, and is particularly drawn to explore it herself because there are so many hula'ana. As she explains, a hula'ana is a Hawaiian term for an impassible section of coastline, such as where there is only a cliff along the coast line.
Long story short, she shows up next summer on the island with a make-shift floating backpack rig -- this was before REI and high-tech gear was made, in the 1960s. "I scrounged a new rubber meteorological weather balloon, wrapped the camera, food, and clothing in it, rolled it inside a shoer curtain, put the bundle into an army clothing bag, and lashed it all to a lightweight aluminum pack frame..." I won't spoil the fun of telling how splendidly that worked out for her, in waters known to have plenty of sharks no less, but she did survive to write the book obviously.
Over the years she returns over and over again to this territory for time alone, to luxuriate in the exquisite natural beauty, and in no small part to test herself out there. She discovers an abandoned shack and over the years renovates it (carrying in and out everything herself) to because what she calls "Pelekunu Plaza". It's a quick read and chock full of her unique wisdom and creativity.
A beautiful quote near the end of the book encapsulates the lesson she has lived and narrated throughout. To me this rings so true, yet is so counter to the conventional wisdom, and the entire book is full of examples of exactly what she means.
"The only real security is not insurance or money or a job, not a house and furniture paid for, or a retirement fund, and never is it another person. It is the skill and humor and courage within, the ability to build your own fires and find your own peace." -- Audrey Sutherland
Microlepia strigosa var. strigosa
Today I volunteered at the NTBG McBryde garden nursery, cleaning out the overgrown ferns (palapalai in Hawaiian, a.k.a. Microlepia strigosa var. strigosa). I don't know if intentional, but this is a great job for a beginner as the live plants are extremely hardy so it's hard to do much damage.
The gardens are very exotic and beautiful and the nursery is home to all kinds of strange and unusual plants (though the ferns I worked on are quite common). The nursery includes a hot house, and cold (slightly cooler) house, a mist room, shade and sun areas.
These small ornate feathery ferns are used extensively as ground cover in the Limahuli garden so the nursery is always producing lots of it. Working from 8am to 3:30pm (when they closed) with another volunteer we almost got through three tables or approximately 500 containers. There was a lot of variance in the effort to do one container: about half we fast (half a minute) but many took more time, probably the ones that had gone the longest. A few were so overgrown there was hardly any new growth at all in them. Counting the trays of 25 completed in the time I was there it works out to about two minutes each: I guess time flies when you are having fun.
Each container held a clump of plants in various stages of life: my job was to pull out the old dead stalks to make way for new growth, along with cleaning out any rubbish that had accumulated or, rarely, weeds. In the nursery everything is grown on crushed lava rock gravel (not in dirt) in an effort to avoid soil bacteria infections. Ferns of course bind tenaciously to the rock base and hold it in a tight mass usually. Any fern more than half shriveled went -- while many dead ones broke loose easily so required more effort or in some cases cutting with pruning shears.
One nice practice at the nursery is that all tools are cleaned and disinfected without water with each use. The pruning shears I used were in great condition to show for it. Here's the procedure:
The gardens are very exotic and beautiful and the nursery is home to all kinds of strange and unusual plants (though the ferns I worked on are quite common). The nursery includes a hot house, and cold (slightly cooler) house, a mist room, shade and sun areas.
These small ornate feathery ferns are used extensively as ground cover in the Limahuli garden so the nursery is always producing lots of it. Working from 8am to 3:30pm (when they closed) with another volunteer we almost got through three tables or approximately 500 containers. There was a lot of variance in the effort to do one container: about half we fast (half a minute) but many took more time, probably the ones that had gone the longest. A few were so overgrown there was hardly any new growth at all in them. Counting the trays of 25 completed in the time I was there it works out to about two minutes each: I guess time flies when you are having fun.
Each container held a clump of plants in various stages of life: my job was to pull out the old dead stalks to make way for new growth, along with cleaning out any rubbish that had accumulated or, rarely, weeds. In the nursery everything is grown on crushed lava rock gravel (not in dirt) in an effort to avoid soil bacteria infections. Ferns of course bind tenaciously to the rock base and hold it in a tight mass usually. Any fern more than half shriveled went -- while many dead ones broke loose easily so required more effort or in some cases cutting with pruning shears.
One nice practice at the nursery is that all tools are cleaned and disinfected without water with each use. The pruning shears I used were in great condition to show for it. Here's the procedure:
- Brush off any loose dirt.
- Spray the tool with alcohol mist.
- Scrub with a rough sponge.
- Wipe off alcohol with a clean rage.
- Lightly spray with WD-40.
December 25, 2012
One Month Here
It's been a month that I've been on Kauai having my sabbatical/adventure/experience. This afternoon I took a long walk down the beach from Waimea to Kikialoa harbor, about halfway to Kekaha to the west.The beach stretches for miles from the Waimea River west. Here the sand is dark reddish, not surprising as the place name "Waimea" means red water and the dirt up the mountain is strikingly reddish as well. Walking along the edge of the reach of the surf the sand is firm and supports weight, but one sinks into the the dry sand making it much harder to walk in.
My time here has definitely gone beyond "vacation" and this daily life has become normal. So far I have made some connections and learned some things, but am still getting started. Definitely I need more something to keep me busy, though I have been enjoying the leisurely pace of life with no impending commitments.
So far no great insights or deep realizations. Since I didn't plan this very much I can't say that it is or is not according to plan. I will say that this is definitely the right thing for me to be doing now, and the right place for me to be now. You can't ask for more than that. Happy Holidays!
December 23, 2012
HDR
I'm playing around with HDR photography just a bit. It's a digital post-processing technique that uses multiple exposures of the same scene (ideally, tripod mounted identical shots) taken at different exposures. Essentially, for shadows it uses the over-exposed image, for highlights the under-exposed, effectively extending the dynamic range of the camera sensors.
The technique first requires that the shots be aligned precisely - or if not identical, manually lined up. With my little tripod I was able to take some good sequences that align well. Next there are a bunch of different algorithms each with a number of settings that I don't understand yet at all.
For now I just chose a few that look interesting, in full original 6M pixel resolution. Neither looks like the actual scene. I like the sky in the first one especially. The second one looks like it was shot at night in a full moon perhaps.
The technique first requires that the shots be aligned precisely - or if not identical, manually lined up. With my little tripod I was able to take some good sequences that align well. Next there are a bunch of different algorithms each with a number of settings that I don't understand yet at all.
For now I just chose a few that look interesting, in full original 6M pixel resolution. Neither looks like the actual scene. I like the sky in the first one especially. The second one looks like it was shot at night in a full moon perhaps.
Christmas Ohana Dinner
Tonight I was invited to a family Christmas dinner in the neighborhood here in Waimea. Very informal gathering of twenty-some extended family. Everyone introduced themselves and I chatted with many different local folks. Aletha from the visitor center was very kind to invite me. The spread was impressive, my favorite was grilled fish, but included salads, potatoes, rice, several meat dishes, pickled beans, cole slaw, and several desserts. Everything was delicious, I had seconds and took home a plate.
Among the guests I met Helen who used to run the Hanapepe Cafe. She mentioned several bakers she has helped start businesses after closing the cafe. One was Midnight Bear Breads who she says make very good breads in her kitchen at the cafe. We talked about break baking and she was interested in the yeast starter that I use, so I gave her some. She will take it to the bread bakers and I will look for them next Friday at Hanapepe.
Among the guests I met Helen who used to run the Hanapepe Cafe. She mentioned several bakers she has helped start businesses after closing the cafe. One was Midnight Bear Breads who she says make very good breads in her kitchen at the cafe. We talked about break baking and she was interested in the yeast starter that I use, so I gave her some. She will take it to the bread bakers and I will look for them next Friday at Hanapepe.
Waimea Christmas Parade
Given the distinct lack of snowy winter weather, folks here make up for it by going all out Hawaiian style for Christmas. On Kauai, Waimea may well have the biggest celebration of all. All afternoon, chairs appeared along the main drag (Kuhio Highway) parade route but by late afternoon the police had shut down traffic, and in the town center they began a community raffle ($10 topped the bidding for the First Place Gingerbread House).
Over forty parade entries featured mostly electrically lit floats of varying size and shapes, along with bands, marching ROTC, baton twirlers, Santas, and more.
Big presences were the PMRF (Pacific Missle Range Facility military installation out past Kekaha) and Pioneer (high tech plant genetics) both of which are well-funded and want very much to engender good will with the local populace. Many churches, community groups, and local businesses turned out with in some cases quite elaborate floats. The parade began just as dark fell so my efforts to shoot photos were largely doomed: I was able to shoot some later as the entire parade lineup was parked and available for viewing at the other end of town later on. Some notables:
- PMRF drove their very high tech fire and rescue vehicles in the parade.
- Grove Farm mounted their small gauge steam locomotive on a truck trailer for the parade [video, 0:30].
- A fancy Angry Birds themed float (no moving parts though I'm sure they considered it).
- "Hogs vs. Dogs" a.k.a. the Annual Island-wide Dog and Knife Tournament.
Riding on the back of the last parade vehicle were my friends from the West Kauai Visitor Center, Aletha and Carrie. They had helped organize launching the parade vehicles in an orderly fashion from the west end of town and managed a ride back to town. After the parade there was a musical performance on a nice big stage trucked in for the occasion. Mostly Hawaiian music of course, with some Christmas music and some eclectic selections as well. Throughout the show, kids had congregated in the open area in front of the stage, running around, jumping at the bubbles (from machines set up there), dancing and what have you.
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| Benjamin at far end of the stage |
The highlight of the night - and did I ever miss a YouTube chance not video taping it - was when the band invited one kid up on stage. "Warriors #30, you've been tearing it up on the asphalt there. Come up on stage and dance this next number for us." Benjamin (8) came up looking a little wary at first, but when the music started he began to do his thing and the audience loved it. Encouraged he showed us his moves, the band loved it and was having a hard time not cracking up, but kept on playing. A lady ran up and gave Benjamin a dollar, and then more people followed suit, and by the end he got a tremendous ovation. The band thanked him, joking, "You count that money, Benjamin, and later you tell Uncle how much we made."
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