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Hawaiian Coffee and Cacao Farm

Quote of the day: “Farming is a profession of hope” ― Brian Brett Yesterday I got a tour of a neighbor’s farm. It is not too far distance-wise from Akiko’s (maybe about a mile) but most of that distance is up. I grew up on a farm in Iowa. This was nothing like an Iowa farm. Hawaiian farming is totally different with the hills and rain and year-round warmth. In the next couple of weeks I hope to visit a taro farm and an orchard, just to see what they’re like. Jim and Connie moved here from Minnesota about 6 years ago. They Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Hidden Treasures

Quote of the day: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” ― Roald Dahl One of the benefits of staying in one place long enough to get to know several local people, is finding out about hidden places that are worth visiting but are not listed in the tour books. One such place is the beach I visited yesterday. Mishka, who works two days a week at Akiko’s and has been on the Big Island for Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Photography as Spiritual Practice

Quote of the day: “Life on earth is a whole, yet it expresses itself in unique time-bound bodies, microscopic or visible, plant or animal, extinct or living. So there can be no one place to be. There can be no one way to be, no one way to practice, no one way to learn, no one way to love, no one way to grow or to heal, no one way to live, no one way to feel, no one thing to know or be known. The particulars count.” ― Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are It has occurred to me that the Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Turtles, Of Course

Quote of the day: “And the turtles, of course…all the turtles are free, as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.” — Dr. Seuss, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories Yesterday was one of those perfect paradise days in Hawaii—beautiful sunshine, soft breezes, and time to enjoy them at the beach. While I was swimming at Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo, 3 wonderful sea turtles were swimming and sunning nearby. One of the turtles is a bold old soul, who likes to swim up to people. Fortunately I had my iPhone in my beach bag and snapped some photos of these beautiful creatures. Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Overcoming Resistance

Quote of the day:  Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember our rule of thumb: The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it. Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. That’s why we feel so much Resistance. Read more…

By Marilyn, ago