Project 365, #178: Dove in the Rain.

This was taken from the front porch where I’m staying, at full zoom on the wires the cross over the street.

I’ve been wanting to get a photo of the various birds that perch there, but they always seemed to fly off before I could. This time, the dove was so focused on the rain that it didn’t leave until another bird startled it off.

Project 365: Doggy Triptych.

I’m house- and pet-sitting again…

#175: Happy Doggy!

She’s adorably taken to grinning for hours every time she sees me come over.

 

#176: Sleepy Doggy!

Napping on the area rug, where she spends most of her day keeping an eye out in case something interesting happens outside.

 

#177: Porch Doggy!

Sometimes in the morning, she’ll asked to be let out just so she can lay here and sun herself.

Project 365, #174: Bone Alter.

Post-Solstice, I rearranged my pagan alter again. This was due to having completed my individual study of the four classical Elements in my Bardic course from the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids.

My last alter had been dedicated to Fire. Now it was time to bring all four Elements — Earth, Water, Air, and Fire — together, and also start bringing back other influences in my sacred space.

Some of these objects have been featured before, generally as part of other projects or things I was creating, or as features of my alter. Some have not. There is at least one story (if not more) behind each and every item shown.

In a couple weeks, my alter will get packed away entirely as I get ready for a vacation, and when I come back to Hawaii in August a new alter will be created, and possible photographed. But for now, this is the form my dedicated space to the sacred and the spiritual has taken. Enjoy!

Project 365: Summer Solstice Triptych.

#171: Cupcakes again!

Yup, I’m addicted.

These were my best to date, according to how much Mum and Dad were both raving about them — and not just when they were eating them, either! They were still talking about these yummy coconut flour cupcakes the next day, too.

These are a slightly different variation that the previous ones I did. For a start, they are chocolate. I added orange extract and orange peel, among other things. Dad said right away that they reminded him of the chocolates we used to get that were shaped and flavored like oranges — that you would whack on the table before eating to split into “orange” slices. Since this was the flavor I was trying to recreate, it was a perfect compliment! I also added coconut flakes over the top. They had a fluffy-fudge kind of texture and richness.

 

#172: Summer Solstice!

The Summer Solstice is the 21st or 22nd of June in the Northern Hemisphere, depending how you calculate it. Its significance is that it’s the longest day/shortest night. This was much more noticeable in North Idaho, where I grew up; but even in Hawaii there’s a slight chance. My family traditionally celebrates the Solstice on the 21st.

Since these three photos were taken on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, I decided to create a theme by mixing the tradition of the Solstice with the tradition that the energy of a Full Moon is felt on both the night preceding and following the actual night.

Also, remember the photo of the herbs and flowers I gathered for a Fire Ceremony? These are they, the centerpiece of my outdoor pagan alter. I spend most of the afternoon doing ceremony for the special day. It was quiet and magical and perfect.

 

#173: Pad Thai Salad.

A new dish I created, to much success. I mixed up my usual Pad Thai sauce using fresh-squeezed orange juice. Then with the sauce I sauteed onion, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, daikon, basil, and pineapple Mum grew on the farm. I served it over a simple lettuce and green onion salad, and it was delicious!

Project 365, #170: Hilo Farmers’ Market.

Hilo Farmers’ Market is, I believe, the biggest of the many Farmers’ Markets on the Big Island. It takes place right across from the bus station, under tents that cover about three city blocks and are a permanent fixture downtown. There’s always a few venders there, but the real market days are Wednesday and Saturday.

Coming here on Wednesday has become our favorite time and place for getting fresh island-grown produce. This day I bought a gorgeous head of lettuce, some truly beautiful bell peppers, lovely eggplants and zucchinis, some amazing basil and green onions, a couple bunches of delicious bananas, and possibly something else I’m forgetting, all for twenty dollars (mostly in one-dollar bills).

I LOVE farmers’ markets!

Project 365, #169: New Family!

Meet Spot’s new babies!

The most colorful set of piglets yet, and the highest number of live births, too. 15 lovely mixed-breed piglets; down to 11 after the fist couple days, but everyone seems to be doing fine now.

Aren’t they just the cutest little piglets ever! We’ve got calicoes and leopard-prints and black-and-whites and pinks…basically every color combo for pigs we’ve ever seen and then some.

The piglets are so cuddly and soft when they’re newborn! We couldn’t resist.

Project 365, #168: Piglets update.

These are Big Mama’s babies, growing fast at about two-and-a-half weeks old.

This photo shows off the piglet set-up Dad does in the pens. The fencing in the corner gives them a space Mama can’t get into. That’s where the babies are given their own food to play with and learn to eat, and their own water feeder (the blue thing hanging down) to learn how to drink — all while they’re still nursing.

At five weeks, they’ll get weaned from Mama and have the pen all to themselves. And she will get very happily moved into her own place, and can finally stop having the kids jumping all over her!

Project 365, #167: Mum at Work.

Mum hard at work in the back room, finishing her first book. It’s going to be about our farm, and how we use the Korean Natural Farming Method; basically, the long version of a farm tour, complete with photos (some of which I took!). This photo was taken for the 16th of June, for those of you keeping track of how far behind I am on my posts…

As of today — the Summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere — she has finished writing, editing, and formatting, and is now waiting for the first proof to be sent from the self-publishing branch of Amazon.

I’m so proud of her for being a soon-to-be published author! Keep your eyes open for later updates about “Hubbell’s Hog Heaven & Liz’s Happy Hens: A Farm Tour. Korean Natural Farming In Pahoa, Hawaii.” By Elizabeth Cannon.

Project 365: Quadruple Cupcake Catch-up.

(These are the four photos I skipped to bring you yesterday’s cupcake triptych.)

#161: Spider Lilies.

I helped Mum plant and mulch new spider lily starts, to add to the fence-line in the front yard.

#162: Massage School Total.

I added up all my expenses, including tuition, books, my massage chair, sheets, oils, etc — basically, everything I could think of that I wouldn’t have spend if I wasn’t using it for massage — and this is the grand total: half of which is already paid for itself with tips and donations for giving massages.

#164: Sock Dreams order!

I’m really excited about this; Sock Dreams is a great company, and these leg- and arm-warmers will not only look super cute (yay for rainbows during Pride Month!), but will also protect me from evil ninja mosquitoes!

#165: Further Baking Experiments.

My attempt at coconut flour Yorkshire Pudding was less successful but more entertaining than the cupcakes…

Project 365: Cupcake Triptych!

These are going to be slightly out of order from sequential dates, but I couldn’t resist!

I’ve been baking a lot lately, all coconut flour recipes, and of course I’ve been taking pictures of what I make. So, I ended up with a few cupcake/muffin pictures… And decided to put them all in one post…

(PSA: Do not drool on your keyboard. It will get sticky.)

#160: Lemon-Coconut-Vanilla Cupcakes.

This were insanely yummy, a perfect desert.

#163: Breakfast Muffins.

I honestly can’t remember all the stuff I added to these, but they had almond nuts and orange extract and cinnamon and were basically the best thing ever to start the day.

#166: Bookclub Cupcakes!

Lemon and spices, with coconut flakes on top. Naturally, they were delicious!