“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

– Theodore Roosevelt

Saturday/Creative Day: Last week we went to the museum for Theater Class and I was so happy that got restarted. This week we went to coconut island with a pop up tent, three chairs, fishing poles, boats, towels, extra clothes, water bottles, the first aid kid, it was just about right for pulling in the wagon and it seemed like enough stuff. The kids had a blast playing in the water, I liked my new long sleeved shirt so I could be in the sun a lot, together with my hat I was able to tolerate the extreme sun really comfortably in the water pulling the boats for the kids. We could use a longer rope… My kids had a really fun time playing with the other kids on the beach and I was happy to see them having such a fun time. My son walks a little too far for a four year old, but in only one year he will be expected to be all by himself at school so maybe it’s good he feels growing independence? I feel at ease at coconut island that’s why I like it more than the other beaches I go to, knowing the kids are not escaping helps me enjoy the day even if I have to cross the bridge with our stuff I like being across the bridge, it makes me feel like I’ve escaped the real world just once a month.

Sunday/Faith Day: Last week I did a lot of gardening, moved the bench that my dad made for my grandpa, rearranged the cider blocks and added gravel in. This week I sanded the wood for the bench we are making for Earth Day and stained it, it took a lot longer than I expected, but that’s how wood work seems to be. We made crepes, it was nice, we eat simple foods a lot of the week it was nice to eat something fancier and have a pretty relaxing day. Woodwork can be really relaxing after you know how to use the equipment, I like watching the wood get smooth when I sand it. I like looking at the color change when I stain it. Staining wood reminds me of the first time I stained wood for a garden trellis that was really beautiful. The garden I made it for fell into disrepair when I was pregnant, my husband always complains but he didn’t and won’t understand how draining it is to be pregnant and working full time, there isn’t time for everything in one life, making room for one thing costs another thing. I feel upbeat working on something for Earth Day I have loved Earth Day since attending a beach clean up/festival when I was a preteen.

Monday/Unity Day: Last week I looked over my old Google Keep Notes and noticed how my values shifted. This week I had had to get out the door early, drop off an extra mattress, drop off cinder blocks for Earth Day and then I made curry at home. I’ve made enough soups and curries now that it’s not too bad anymore. Getting the broth right is still not set in stone, but at least the rest is okay. I laid the weed cloth for a larger road way, split up bamboo orchids, repotted fairy gardens, fertilized with bokashi. We did some cleaning, vacuum/mop the floors, washing blankets, stuff like that. I’m proud of my daughter being so good at cleaning. My daughter took a math test, she is okay in 3rd grade math, 2 years earlier than the school system here would have started her, I’m glad she is with me or she wouldn’t be getting the education her brain is ready to get. I feel tranquil working in the garden, I get into a good flow and the day passes quickly, but with a feeling of satisfaction, joy, and peace. I really like feeling tranquil after feeling tense and chaotic so much during my life.

Clutter Fight Club: This week I added things in, adding the right things in can help let the wrong things out, I believe that.

Made with Lucid Chart (Free Online Chart Maker)

This week I didn’t need to update my goals, because nothing is “done” but I did make progress on the watermelon, the ohia, the mamake, school, organizing, and the side roadway. A reasonable amount of progress, I feel pretty good about it.

Tuesday/Self-Determination: Last week I felt disconnected and when I reflected I realized I was unhappy with a lot of large things about my life, my spouse, my lack of owning a house, my lack of even having a plan. The USDA approved our People’s Garden Status today I was so happy, it meant a lot to me to be officially part of something that aligns so much with my own values. I was really inspired by the whole project, it helped me think about what assets my garden has to offer (picnic table, bench, relaxing bird sounds, room for a walking trail, good climate for berries, good learning environment for kids, native birds to watch and good area to grow native plants, pretty views) vs what is holding it back from being safer or more accessible (lack of separate bathroom, parking, safe pathways).

Wednesday/Collective Work Day: Last week went over some paperwork at an informal directors meeting. This week we went rock climbing, it was a nice first field trip for the scout group. I really enjoyed the climbing, but I prefer rope climbing and outdoor climbing to bouldering or indoor climbing. I still need to learn how to use the climbing equipment that we got, ascenders, ropes, harnesses, I’ve used them when someone helped me, but I haven’t set them up for others. I miss that kind of exercise in my life where it doesn’t feel like exercise, but I can still use some of my body, like rowing, archery, climbing, I like high intensity and then rest, I don’t like steady exercise like walking, hiking, running at a steady pace. I do like jump rope and boxing and high intensity workouts that are shorter. I hadn’t exercised in so long I forgot that I do actually enjoy it. It was a joyful day seeing the kids climb and climbing, some of the little kids didn’t climb much, but it was cool they mostly got to be included.

Thursday/Cooperative Economics Day: Last week I was excited my daughter was ready to start a fairy garden. This week I wanted to shore up the side wall of the fish pond, which was collapsing. I was thinking about how to do it and I remembered a conversation with a friend about how circles become hexagons if the side walls compress and it led me to my fix.

Lots to Do

Side Wall Collapse from Woodrot

I Want to Add a New Shallow Part

I really enjoy using cinder blocks, they are pretty strong. I leveled these for the pond so eventually when I put rocks on top those rocks will be able to sit in the water evenly with support on the bond board “shelf”. It looks like I will need 2 more loads on cinder, 15 fit in the car okay at a time… I’m so short I can safely make it under the cave area but I will be as careful as I can and kind of clear out the area as I go so I can get and and out without tripping. When we moved to the Big Island we did not know how much the weather was different than Oahu… It’s Call of the Wild kind of weather… Of like a hot Scotland, it demands rugged (or smart/flexible) construction or it’s going to break your sh*t. Now that we know that we can deal with that, we have strong wind strength to deal with, extreme moisture, extreme UV, frequent earthquakes, non-earthquake earth shifting from the volcano caldera dropping nearby, VOG fumes rusting metal ext. I feel energized when working with cinder blocks.

Friday/Purpose Day: Last week I got inspired by the Portland Oregon Japanese Garden and bought onions. This week it was great to visit a friend and see my daughters adopted chick “Eggy” and brush some goats. I don’t seem allergic to these goats, I wonder if I am allergic to only one kind, but not another? We had some kids sleep over, they were good and slept not too late and were good about leaving early in the morning for Earth Day, so that was surprising easy. I felt really grateful visiting my friends house because they are so welcoming and the kids have so much beautiful and fun to take in there.

GARDEN CLUB GOALS: Adventure Garden: Plank Road, Milkweed (six). Front-Front: Spouting Mamake.

Jungle Garden: Central Garden further mulch and garden bed weeding. Practice Ladder Knott. Test Ladder.

Tropical Garden: Organize Plant Starts.

Farm Garden: Central Clearing, Moon Arch, Veggie Beds, Solar pump pond.

FARM TOGETHER GOALS: Starting mamake, ‘Ohia (0/100), sandalwood, koa, corn, watermelon and strawberry.

PROJECTS: Waterproof mortar for pond repair. Backyard road.

CLUTTER FIGHT CLUB: Demold living room. Declutter my bedroom items.

Last Year to This Year

Last Year: I was doing good for the community more than before, but at the cost of my healthy, my family time and my home organization.

I learned this last year: א (alef), ב (beit) , ג (gimel), ד (daled), ה (hei), ו (vav), ז (Zain), ח (get), ט (tet), י (yod), כ (kaf), ל (lamed), מ (mem), נ (noon), ס (sameh), ע (Ain), פ (pey), צ( tsadik), ק (kuf), ר (reish) , ש (shin), ת (taf).

This Year: I am struggling less when I leave space for me and my family in my own week, even if others complain it’s very necessary for me so it’s the only choice I can make.

VALUES REFLECTION REMINDERS:

SAT Creativity thinking of new ways to do better. Changing the venue for boating really worked well, the new area has room to swim, but it’s in the harbor so the water is pretty tame. There is a bridge but we got a wagon to cross the bridge so that made it reasonable. SUN Faith in myself. I sanded a bench for Earth Day it may be a small thing, but it was something I didn’t do before, I learned how to do it. Starting creative projects is always emotionally draining, to decide what project to invest in among so many, to learn how, it feels like you risk a part of yourself more than just money and time. Like you put yourself into your work. MON Unity, feeling comfortable in a family. I am starting to take a leadership role more at home, I want to take care of the home and garden and make it nice for the kids to inherit and also for us to live in now, it does mean I have less energy for friend and community stuff, but I knew I needed to shift towards taking care of home for a long time, I just didn’t know how or when it would happen. My dad is kind of realizing that he will need to hand over some stuff as he ages and I am starting to pick up some of it and attempt to work as a team even though it’s daunting. TUE Proactivity, know what I want. I am motivated to get my life in order because I want to fix and run the People’s Garden here at my house, it means so much to me to be involved with a real community garden, it’s an honor to me. WED Teamwork smarter group work. We went climbing for a birthday it was helpful to see which kids were able to follow directions more or less, and which ones were not, so now I know which ones are candidates for more difficult climbing physically/mentally and which are not right now. THR Connection, sharing my passion with the world/accepting others gifts. I needed to fix a wall at the fish pond, my dad paid for the materials, a friend gave me an idea on how and I did the work (to get started at least) it felt like a good team effort in a way. FRI Purpose know what I can do. I feel pretty sure that the garden is the way forward for me to blend what I like and what I can help others with, I think that’s my purpose this year and maybe someday it will change but I feel that repairing and opening the community garden is my fate right now and also the next right thing for me to consciously choose like it’s both fated and chosen.

Live – Lift – Love

Live – I feel really alive when I build things, I want to stay within my limits, but I really enjoy the process.

Lift – I helped out a bit with a birthday event, even though I hate kid birthday stress, it’s a hard balance to help but not get over extended. It takes some thinking and pausing to stay green or yellow but not go into the red zone.

Love – I love that the ponds are getting renovated, they can be beautiful but we did need to work a bit more and put a bit more effort to get to a good stopping point again.

🧗