My usual footwear of choice are slippers. Local people call them slippah. Mainlanders call them fl++ fl++. As a born and raised local girl, I refuse to refer to them by what I consider four letter words. Hummpfhh. So there you go.

Yesterday, I donned these comfy work worthy shoes to help out with my Master Gardener Ag in the Classroom project. It introduces 2nd graders to the joys of gardening. You must be quick on your toes when instructing eager and easily distracted 7 year olds. The kids keep you constantly moving. Large strides to reach the back group with handouts. Baby stepping over homemade newspaper pots. Crunching on spilled potting mix. Sure steps marching out to the field during the-surprise-(and it is always a surprise isn’t it?) fire drill.

This Shoe #2 by Ecco helped me perform my duties. A stylish workhorse but not too goofy to make you look like a geriatric fat ankled lost tourist. They were purchased for a soccer tournament/trip to Bellingham, Washington 4 years ago. Has it been that long? With nary a blister. I hope to wear them for at least another 4 years. Here’s a hint though, wear cute little ankle highs or peds as they tend to get a little shtinky.

Those 20 students had me flying like a “shoe lin warrior”. Part way through our presentation, I glanced up at the teacher whose smile knowingly acknowledged my prayer…”Bless you” I mangaged to utter as I leaped away to retrieve and refocus another animated 2nd grader.

Yikes thought I. Most women love luv LOVE shoes and I am no exception. With last year’s move and relaxed life requirements, I stopped buying footwear. Let me repeat that last sentence…I stopped (momentarily) buying shoes!!!!

It wasn’t too difficult. I see shoes that are cute… but where would I wear them and after those intial few weeks of fluttering crush and smugness…well, off to languish on the closet floor. My lifestyle is so simple here in Hilo. So simplified that I have not bought shoes in over a year. Not even slippers! which are ubiquitous here in Hawaii.

Now on to the wager. Picture an ice cold martini (2 garlic stuffed olives thank you), chilled white wine in equally chilled crystal glasses, a fantastic home cooked meal, and another bottle of sexy Zinfandel. After much spirited and animated discussion with equal parts laughter, my husband wagered that I had more than 50 pair of shoes. 50? that’s nothing, we all know ladies who claim to have more than 200. Yes, and some covertly acknowledge slightly more than that (wink wink). With all my clutter cleaning and donating and garage sales-I think that I have 50 or less. I know that I have 50 or less! Thus, the pinky bet.

So here forthwith, I offer a chronicle of my footwear. The bet is to include all shoes including garden clogs, soccer cleats, western boots, Minnetonkas and rubber slippah (of which all locals have at least 5). We shall see if I remain triumphant or humbled.

I present one of my favorite shoes. A deep chocolate suede ankle high boot by Soffit. Comfortable as all get out and the go-to shoe when I want to class my outfit and my height up a notch. I’ve travelled to the mainland. Transported on planes and trains and buses. Hardly a footsie complaint except a smit too tall a heel for city hiking and hurried airport trucking. I’m looking for its twin in red if they exist. So, shoe numbah one.

It’s usually wonderful to come home. Last night was no exception. Husband, kitties, dog, clean house, flowers, familiar furnishings…all put on their best to welcome me back. It’s only been weeks but it felt like months. These dahlias greeted me as I entered the front door. Living in Hawaii all my life has made me a self designated know-it-all expert on tropical flowers and assorted plants. I don’t know much about dahlias at all. And here they were, recently bought from the Hilo Farmer’s Market, nodding their brightly multicolored heads and looking amazingly like a Van Gough painting. My husband, aside from the dahlia bouquet also vacuumed the floors. Good job Uncle Martha. And had dinner ready! Somebody beside the cats and dog (and you) did miss me I guess.

My Oahu responsibilities exhaustingly completed for now, I zombie slept in until a blissful nine this morning. Yes, Happy to be Home.

As diverse as the flowers were so were the fascinated attendees. From the ‘geris’ in walkers to the ‘boppers’ in boots. From locals to International visitors to the locals visiting from Honokaa and Hawi and the Kona side all oohgled the luscious florals.

Cultivators to hobbyists. DSLRs to camera phones. Hundreds of happy folk and thousands of orchids.

 Orchids to purchase, orchids to sniff, orchids to admire from near and far.

Miniatures and showy healthy giants. All waiting for you at the Hilo Orchid Show. Friday through Sunday at the Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium. Admission is a reasonable $4. For hours of daydreaming pleasure a sure bargain. I know as I spent hours there this morning/afternoon. And got the t-shirt.

Don’t miss it. It was a happy filled place.

As a sidenote, the last two photos were amazingly enough  of miniatures! Teeny tiny wee little cuties.

Summer welcomes August with a smile and I am still smiling too. I returned from an overnight visit to an organic coffee farm devotedly run by my friends Hillery and Eric. We had been talking of this visit for…say…15 years (!) so it was eagerly anticipated and long overdue. Much like this new post-but then that is another story. We chatted and prepared dinner and chatted and sipped so long into the night then awoke late to breakfast and a quick farm tour that amazed me so. And I forgot to take pictures of their incredible place in the forest in the clouds.

When I returned home to Hilo I snapped these portraits of the sweet scented roses and tuberose from Hillery’s flower garden that were brightly perking up our guest room and which she so graciously sent me home with. Next time if I am so lucky to visit or stay[hint] again…I will take more photos and you shall be lucky too.

Seven Polynesian voyaging canoes arrived in Hilo from Aotearoa (New Zealand) this past Thursday. These 2 photos are of the canoes’ departure.

I took a ton of pictures and would love to post more, but looking outside on this glorious summer day has kicked me in the trousers and made this post ever so brief as the warmth and breeze is drawing me to close up the darned computer and go and bounce along outside. I hope you will too.

If you are expecting to read about sexy and salacious randy-bouts STOP reading NOW. My short trip to Oahu this past week was filled with errands, appointments and many items to check off my must do list. It wasn’t all filled with swimming, snacking, wine drinking, staying up late, visiting friends, laughing, catching up, more swimming, dining, eating, shopping, sipping, lunching and party going…really…

I did a gypsy sleep around this trip and was lucky enough to spend the 1st night at my mother in law’s ocean side house where she has set up a very “beach-housey” (read charming yet spartan) guest studio. And THIS my friends was the wake up morning view from my porch. And yes, I stared blissfully and yes, I sipped strong coffee with half & half-the supreme coffee treat (yay), and yes, I went swimming and yes, I went swimming again.

As I was gingerly walking into the chilly spring fed ocean I glanced over and saw that I had another bathing beauty for company.

Honu. A turtle. She had just opened her napping eyes too.

Don’t worry, I didn’t get close. The honu is a protected species and it is imperative that humans keep their distance! In fact, it is law so be aware. No petting or (horrors!) sitting astride a Hawaiian green sea turtle please!  But ahhh, the luxury and technology of the telephoto lens. In fact even in closeup, isn’t this turtle girl beautiful?

My little neighbor Bodi is only 9 months old. To celebrate his 1st Boys Day I created this cute little fish. Japanese custom is to honor all the boys in the household by dispaying carp, usually by stringing paper carp and flying them kite style outside, either from an upright pole or horizontally on a rope.  Since we have such a strong Japanese influence in Hawaii, this charming custom was widely observed. You don’t see as many families flying their Boys Day carp as much as we used to. Maybe they’re swilling tequilla and grinding guacamole and taquitos to celebrate that other Southern California thing…uhm Cinco de Mayo. OK, that was a little shnicketty, but may I suggest that we combine the drinking custom since that really appears to be the enthusiasm driving the Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Really…ask any bar patron what event they are truely observing. I’m guessing that 95% don’t know. Anyway, maybe we can start a fusion celebration of the two holidays and we can sip sake and dine on…wait, I think I got it…California roll sounds appropriate, with the avocado/guacamole-rice or how about taquitos wrapped in nori. True Fusion. Or how about Blended Sake instead of Margaritas? Just a thought.

I digress.

This little fish was a quickie gift yet still special. I used vintage crotchet for the fish scales that Bodi’s mom’s Grand Aunt had hand crotcheted over 50 years ago as an edging to a pilowcase. I slipped a chopstick through an appeture and marched over to their house waving the handmade gift in one hand and a 6 pack of Kirin in the other, hungry and happy to share a plate of Nachos with friends.

I’ll post later “how-I-made-it” info.

After a fairly busy week; setting up my twice a week booth at the Hilo Farmer’s Market, sewing my YesinDede AlohaWare, attending to my intellectual and social ‘culcha’ with lectures at Lyman Museum on Mauna Loa by a renown volcanist and viewing a most enjoyable University of Hawaii at Hilo performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee…

The week’s chores, power walks, meetings and working in the garden have all taken their toll. Not just me mind you, but the entire family.

Really, there is but one choice and that is to find a cozy spot, be it The Mommy’s underwear drawer or the favorite doggie bed, or how about right here right now on the rug.

Or a few deserved winks where I can snooze yet still have time to smell the gardenias. We all love a sleepy Sunday. Happiness loves company!

Please bestow Acts of Kindness whenever and wherever you can.