Could Colorado be the Ying to my Hawaii's Yang...?

Hmmmm.... not sure yet, but will spend the next full month in the Grand Junction area finding out if I want to take this path. I love the climate there, the abundant opportunity for many outdoor activities, the growing season, the fruit and food, and even a new lavender industry - perfect.

every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end OR I am so thankful for this past year

Oh so true... with the holidays just around the corner I guess I've become a bit reflective over this past year. I look back to where my life was a year ago today and I am SO THANKFUL to be where I am today. Yes, it's been a long, rocky road full of heart ache and happiness, feeling completely hopeless and then singing from mountain tops. I've lost a lot, and I mean a LOT, (all just "stuff" in the end anyway) but gained WAY more. And today, yesterday and tomorrow I am happy, very happy to have walked the walk I've been on this past year. I am thankful I'm getting through, I've gotten through, and I'm still excited about what the future will bring.  I have myself to thank, I have been my best friend.

I've had a year of many renewals, many old friends visiting, good friends from grade school, high school and beyond. I'm so thankful for reconnecting with many of them and thankful we have all made these efforts after so many years. Love you all.

I've had my family come visit over the summer, ALL of them, and my kids, it was great and am so thankful for those precious times. Love them ALL so much!

I'm thankful for my little dog, my little girl, she's been there for me and with me, good days and bad....

I've also got to spend a little precious time with my little grand son, and Teagan's little family... Jackson (Bubbins) is oh so sweet. I am so thankful he's in our lives. My only wish would be to see him more, he changes sooo quickly.



I've renewed a relationship with an old boyfriend, "unfinished business" or "when old boyfriends become new again" whether timing was right or not, life happens quick and we aren't looking back. It's all been very exciting, fulfilling, and satisfying and we are both so happy to have found each other again.  He's been a needed distraction, and now great support and a relief from reality at times... not to mention sexy and extremely satisfying in EVERY way. I've needed this. It's helped me to emerge from darkness, darkness that was there for years in an unhappy marriage and prior to my post-divorce days. I am thankful for fate, and for Scott, love you, the way an old friend loves, the way an SO loves, the way a lover loves... <3

I've had a lot of GOOD laughs along the way... belly laughs.... laughter, the most healing dose of anything out there!

I'm currently at peace with my lot in life. I feel extremely thankful and strong again... strong enough for the Crazy Pineapple Dream... even if it is all by myself... :-)

Dirt or lack there of...

I've been thinking more about options for no, or very little soil in relation to growing food. When I was on the island last time I noticed many, many houses had several potted plants placed about in their landscape, most in the black plastic pots you bring plants home from the nursery in. I thought they must not have the time to get those plants in the ground just yet. But now I'm realizing that many folks on the island garden in containers as a permanent option, likely because the lack of soil on certain parts of the island. I plan to do a post on soil building as I've assembled a bit of info on that and some of the different methods and mixes. But for now I'm just wanting to say that there is a lot of food that can be grown in containers. This past summer, I didn't have time to get my potatoes in the garden, I had started them in those large black plastic nursery pots that trees come in.... there they stayed until I harvested them as new potatoes. They were delish! Not sure I will ever waste the space of planting potatoes in the ground again. And harvesting them was a snap, just turn the pot up-side-down and shake off the dirt, no more cut up potatoes on accident.

Li Hing.... again.....

A friend from the island sent me a package of Li Hing Powder and I'm curious about different ways to use it. This particular site http://tastyislandhawaii.com/blog/2010/01/18/li-hing-everything/ had lots of good suggestions, and a GREAT post about experimenting with it. I think I want to try it on popcorn next.....

Dreams.......

Is it wrong to dream so much about a life different than one's own.... a life filled with pineapples, tropical breezes, jungle, beaches, well....

I want one of these....

and I want to grow one of each, well, not really that's probably not realistic, but what a great resource.

Can be found and ordered through  http://www.hawaiifruit.net/V2posterweb.gif

Just because I love small spaces

and want to save these pics for future ideas.... I found these on http://www.tinytexashouses.com/  I love how they incorporate antiques and recycled building materials into their designs. Something like this would def need some modification for the islands, such as larger windows for airflow. The pics are not all of the same little house, but ideas gathered from some of their designs.