Palehua
Woke up today to the sound of wind in ironwood trees and a breakfast of spam fried rice, fresh papaya, and orange juice.
Took a walk around with Tim, Mom, and Erin; bigger party arriving over the weekend, something like fifteen? Checked out sites located in the old survey, then took in the view of Nanakuli from the edge of our property. On the way back I proved my worth by discovering a system of agricultural terraces and adjacent rock pile, now officially known as Angela's Field. :D After that we just kept tripping over more terraced areas until eventually we gave up on marking them and decided to return at a later date so we could just get home to our poke and beer already dammit.
Being me, I was busy identifying all the plants. The climate and plant communities are very similar to Kealakomo Waena, where I spend half my work days, which is convenient; I guess I've become something of an expert in disturbed Hawaiian dryland ecosystems. We've got partridge pea, rattlepod, indigo, molasses grass, natal redtop, lantana, Cristmas berry, guava, etc. On the native side we have a'ali'i, ilima, uhaloa, and akia; on a previous trip I found ala'ala wai nui. (I used the common names instead of the Latin. You're welcome.) It got me thinking all day about what could have been there before, what we could reintroduce, based on what I know of other dryland communities. Imagining what this place could look like fifty years from now.... <3
That's about all I'm feeling up to typing out on my phone. Ought to go to bed anyway, long day tomorrow; I'mma wear my Indiana Jones hat for increased archeology mojo. Goodnight all!
P.S. Guinea grass is the devil.
Took a walk around with Tim, Mom, and Erin; bigger party arriving over the weekend, something like fifteen? Checked out sites located in the old survey, then took in the view of Nanakuli from the edge of our property. On the way back I proved my worth by discovering a system of agricultural terraces and adjacent rock pile, now officially known as Angela's Field. :D After that we just kept tripping over more terraced areas until eventually we gave up on marking them and decided to return at a later date so we could just get home to our poke and beer already dammit.
Being me, I was busy identifying all the plants. The climate and plant communities are very similar to Kealakomo Waena, where I spend half my work days, which is convenient; I guess I've become something of an expert in disturbed Hawaiian dryland ecosystems. We've got partridge pea, rattlepod, indigo, molasses grass, natal redtop, lantana, Cristmas berry, guava, etc. On the native side we have a'ali'i, ilima, uhaloa, and akia; on a previous trip I found ala'ala wai nui. (I used the common names instead of the Latin. You're welcome.) It got me thinking all day about what could have been there before, what we could reintroduce, based on what I know of other dryland communities. Imagining what this place could look like fifty years from now.... <3
That's about all I'm feeling up to typing out on my phone. Ought to go to bed anyway, long day tomorrow; I'mma wear my Indiana Jones hat for increased archeology mojo. Goodnight all!
P.S. Guinea grass is the devil.