Merry Christmas with lightning

Seems like not long ago I wrote about thunder and lightning being an unusual event here in Hawaii. That's is what we still are told and, I guess, like all weather events around the world 'shit happens'. So this a.m. as at least 3 dozen of us gathered to take our early Christmas morning paddle lightning flashed out over the ocean. A long 7-8 seconds passed before we hear mild thunder but it was enough to keep us ashore. Too many people and too many boats to take a chance. Not all was lost though as the after paddle brunch was just held a little early. As we were exchanging holiday greetings and eating at Kahaluu beach the clouds moved further out and another beautiful day appeared.

Oh yes, now back at the farm, I am still unpacking. I think this is going to be a longer job than usual because I keep getting so many interuptions. Like yesterday when friends called and asked us to join them snorkeling and then lunch at Big Jakes BBQ. Who could pass that up?

I miss being with the grandkids. This is one of the first times we have not spent Christmas in Michigan. I think there was only one other time and that was at least 20years ago that we were in FL for Christmas with Ron's parents. So family is constantly on my mind today. I called all of them earlier but didn't get the greatest connection on the cell phone so right after this blog I'm calling again. I'm thinking we all need a webcam now so I can enjoy the presents being opened with them. And no, Glen & Shirley, we do not miss the snow. Okay, snow is nice, but to me the warm ocean is better!!!

Whales and other noteworthy happenings

Yes! We saw a whale yesterday! Paddling out from Kahuluu beach area we saw the water spout so we stopped and watched the tail several times and then a full breach. Beautiful for such a large mammal. Whale season is here as they come to the warm Hawaiian waters to birth their young and some to breed for next years return. Ron is absolutely excited as he picked and pulped our first very own round of coffee. Picking season is basically over and the former owners received the whole crop already. Since se needed stock to continue selling Kona Lisa Coffee we are buying what is called the parchment from them (very expensive way to do it). Anyway there are pockets of areas where the trees are still producing ripe beans that the pickers missed or felt the area too small to bother. Ron picked 113 pounds Mon and 126 pounds Wed. We did our first pulping by ourselved (successfully). Yesterday after the last batch fermented we rinsed them and loaded them off the converyor and on to the drying deck. Mondays coffee is already there drying (takes about a week). I had saved this blog to draft to finish later but this is now way later. At least a week has passed. Last Thurs. I was rear ended by a flat bed coffee truck. Luckily I am okay. They took me to the hospital as I had quite a whiplash and did xrays. I was plenty sore for about 5 days but again I feel very lucky. Now,Dick, you know why I haven't blogged in a few days.
Meanwhile, we have bagged the coffee (it looks beautiful) Ron picked more, that is now drying. We got about 26 pounds of parchment from the 113 cherry. Then you loose more when it is milled and roasted. And that is from a full day of picking. You can see why we will be hiring a crew to pick next year for picking season. We are still moving in and unpacking. We knew we brought too much and now we are lookin for places to put it all, but we love being down here now. Last night we ate our first dinner out on the lanai and celebrated. Oh my, less than one week till Christmas and very, very few cards went out. Well, there's always next year! Hard to believe Christmas is already here sitting here in shorts and tank top. Winter is here though, we don't need the fans on and I did pull a blanket up during the night a few nights (windows are always open). We will be sharing Christmas cheer with a few freinds on both Christmas eve and day and will be thinking of all of you (our friends and relatives) and wish you could be here too!!!
p.s. One more thing, our coffee WON 1st place "Peoples Choice Award" at the Sat. market coffee tasting 2nd anniversary. There are seven coffee vendors there and the customers vote. We are new there so we were very excited to win. Today I'd better get busy making a sign for the market and getting something ready to put up on our website. Always something isn't there..............??

Time to blog

Our container arrived, was unloaded, Ron painted almost the whole inside of the house, I packed coffee for Christmas orders and washed windows. Not bad for a weeks work. And all while we were having a bit more rain than the norm. Luckily the farm sets in an area that didn't get flooded but plenty of other places did. Of all the islands Maui seemed to get hit the worst. We are now driving back and forth between the condo and the farm daily. I love the drive and am actually going to miss it when we move down there. To me it's one of the prettiest drives in the whole state. Oh yes,we'll still get to drive it just not daily. Actually we have already had people stop by the farm and we aren't even totally moved in yet. A Japanese couple came by and wanted to buy coffee but that day I had it all up to the condo waiting to take it to the market the next day. Then a few days ago a couple came by with a fellow I recognized. He is one of my customers from the market and he had brought them down as they wanted to see a live operating coffee farm. And coincidently they had met Kelli & John at a luau in Honolulu the week before. K&J had told them about us and of course Mark & Jen's friend John knew us. Mark & John are both photographers so we saw pics of K&J at the luau and John made me a CD already of the visit. I'm getting so good at packaging so this year I've sent the Christmas package to Mich and TN and getting ready to send some more. Maybe if I get that done I'll get to writing out Christmas cards......Ah, don't hold your breath. So to all Ron & I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And lastly there is a nice article about Kona coffee in the newspaper. Here is the link http://starbulletin.com/2007/12/09/news/story08.html. Sorry you have to copy and paste, I haven't figured out how to make this blog take links yet.