On January 12, 2011, the state of Hawaii officially banned plastic bags from stores. What a concept!!! If you forget your own bag, you can buy one at the stores, but, it will cost you. I am not sure what it will cost, as I carry a bag with me wherever I am, be it on the mainland or on island.

I finished up all my clay for the Raku class, and delivered this past Saturday to the high school. On the 24th or 25th we will be glazing our work, and on the 28th, Saturday, will fire everything. And it will be an all day affair, from 7AM until everything is finished. My work is very simple, and most pinch pot style. They will be given as gifts if they survive the Raku fire goddess, who demands her tithe also. Perhaps those of you reading this will be the lucky recipients of one of them. Of course that means that they will have to survive getting to the mainland!

The chicken population has decreased, and we don't have so many roosters crowing at all hours. One hen has hatched out about eight or nine chicks, but she is very elusive about bringing them around. Several days ago, I was awoken to the dogs barking right under my window, and the hen and a couple of the roosters literally crying for help. They had come in from the back way, and were trying to get the chicks. Fortunately others in the house heard the uproar also, and the dogs were quickly sent on their way. Then the mother hen started rounding up her babies who had scattered. She found them all. And yesterday, Jordan caught one of the hens who gets into the compost bucket and spreads it all over the place. He and I drove it up to where the others had been let loose. So now there are only two hens, and about 3 roosters. Poisiden still rules!

In the late afternoon this weekend, I heard a crashing sound along the fence. I was out on the east liani painting the coconut I was sending to my nephew John, for his 50th birthday. I looked up, and there in front of me, scared to death, was a young wild deer. The deer here are all wild. It was the first one I have seen. They have spots on their backs like Bambi's, and don't get very big. Over-population is becoming a big problem, and they are hunted, just like their counterparts are stateside. I have had some very good venison here on island. Of course, never at Artie and John's table! The poor deer could not figure out how to get out, and fortunately he would not have been able to do so in the front of the house. Had he, he would have been attacked by the six dogs who live kitty corner from us. They are a menace, as far as I am concerned, chasing moving cars, barking at everything, and going after chicks. One of them nipped me when I fell the other day. I have no idea what came out of my mouth, but I am sure it was not nice! As neighbors, Artie and John say nothing. The dogs are are small and black and white. They do go in at night, and some days they aren't seen at all. Back to the deer...he wasn't there the next day, so he found his way back out.

Do any of you know what a pomolo is? Well, I didn't, until A & J were gifted one. How wonderful. They are the original from which grapefruit was born. Pomolos are huge. At least eight inches in diameter. The outer peel is greenish-yellow. They have a pinkish-white fruit, which is sweet and succulent. We have fruit every morning, mixed, and that pomolo was part of the mix for three mornings, for four of us. The skin on each section is really inedible, and just peels off. Then we break up each section. The grapefruits we know were bred from the pomolo to fit the climate in the states where the trees are grown.

Today we served lunch to twenty-odd Road Warriors (formerly Elder Hostel) who were visiting the island and learning its history. They came to the Sugar Mill-Museum where one of the islanders, who is also a botanist, biologist, farmer and many other titles, spoke of the history of Hawaii and plant and animal life of the islands. We served the foccascia sandwich which everyone loved, as well as the pear walnut torte. Nobody could believe that it was all raw vegan, except for the bread. It was great fun.

Just now I have been introduced to our third roommate, Peter, from Yugoslavia, who was here two years ago. He is a photographer, and is going to be here a couple of weeks photographing people and places.

Tonight it is a full moon, and five or six people are expected to join the crowd to play the drums and percussion instruments in the back yard around the fire. We may or may not see the moon, as I see clouds thickening in the sky.

Life is good.
Adieu, adios, mahalo,
I love you all,
Sally

Oh, yes, last night in the shower, I had a small visitor. A small tan-pinkish gecko was hurrying up the shower wall to get to the window. He was so cute!!