This Outta Keep Out The Ne'er-do-wells!

Old 70's photo from my days in Billings Montana

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Shibui

A Large Maynah Bird's Nest fell out of our

Hala tree during the night.  It is a large, beautifully woven piece. Two little feathers remain to tell me who the owner was.

We call the hala tree the Jurassic park tree.  The leaves are really pointy and sharp. It is native to Hawaii. The ancient Hawaiians used hala leaves (lau hala) to make baskets, mats, hats, sandals and in construction, for example to make roofs. Lau hala roofs can last up to 15 years while roofs made from coconut leaves usually last just 3 years  The dried seed pods were used as paint brushes.

The dried seed pods were used as paint brushes.

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Shibui

Ham Radio

This isn't a picture of my Grandpa's setup.

This past weekend was the Amateur Radio Field Day around the world. Here on Maui, they set up in a cow pasture near Hookipa Beach overlooking the ocean. Once a year, the local group join others and run tests for 24 hours.  They contact other radio operators across the globe. Here is a link http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2018/06/everybodys-talking-maui-ham-radio-operators-join-worldwide-communications-exercise/

For those of you who don't know what HAM radio is, amateur radio operators use a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere as a mirror for radio waves. Marconi invented it. It is a way to communicate with people when all other communication devices don't work, like cell phones, internet, house phones.

When I was a kid, my Grandpa Don would come home from work and spend hours trying to "dial in" to other operators around the world.  He had a desk set up in the living/dining room with a number of radios on this big table. He used a microphone to speak and had to listen hard for a voice. I remember watching him and hearing the scratchy voices of people from distant lands. It was like magic.  

A very fond memory every time I drive past the cow pasture.

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Shibui

Guy Talking on Phone Loudly ...

This morning, I was sitting in the waiting room at the ophthalmologist office.  In the room, was this older guy talking on his cell phone rather loudly.

He kept saying to the other person on the phone, "I need to have my eyes diluted."  

When I go to the ophthalmologist, my eye are dilated. Just saying.

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Shibui

First Day of Junior High ...

was the same story.

I was signed up for Boys' PE Class and Shop.  I didn't think shop was going to be too bad but Boys' PE. That would have been bad. As I remember it took quite awhile to get it all straightened out and I was off to Girls' PE and HomeEc! There is more to the story of my first day of Junior High but maybe I won't share it here.

I like how it says that I have to carry this card "at all times and must be shown when requested."  So 47 years later, no one, I mean no one, has requested that I show my YMCA Membership Card.

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Shibui

Cake

At the last minute, Mom calls me and says "Would you cut the Birthday Cake for your Dad"?

My response "Are you going to bring the serving pieces or should I use my switch blade?"

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Shibui

Interesting. I just assumed we were the fastest.

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Shibui

13 Egrets and a Couple of Chickens

helped me mow yesterday. Within 5 minutes of starting the mower, they show up. I don't know from where they come but it has been like clockwork for years now. Start the mower, feed the egrets.

They have their favorite spots in the yard that they wait for me to mow.  When I move to the side yard to mow usually only a couple of the egrets come over.  The egrets used to be very territorial, if a chicken came into their favorite area they would chase the chicken out. But they seem to have come to an understanding and they share. Then we have the magpie area which is more on the lower end of the yard. 

It is hard to get a good picture of them becasue they are contantly moving. If I stop and turn off the mower, they leave.

With mowing the yard taking 3 hours, I have a lot of time to watch egrets and solve problems.

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Shibui

Waiting for a New Electrical Meter

This last week, the electrical meter started to act up here at Kuloli. I am waiting for a new meter to be installed next week. We had guests and they left the "Farm" just in time! Only part of the house has electricity so I have power cords running from room to room and I am running only what I have too. I have the internet, microwave and the hot water heater. I don't have the stove, washer, dryer, overhead lights. I am sitting here with the coffee pot on a chair that is plugged into the same extension cord that is running my laptop with the internet. The orange cord is on the floor running from the office into the living room.  The fridge is connected to the one bedroom that has power and it is now making ice again, so my cocktails are still happening. Is it 5:00 yet?

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Shibui

Twenty-Five Cents

Last month, Jim and went to the hardware store. We took the truck and parked away from the store entrance. On the way back to the truck, we started talking about the price of gas when we started to drive back in the 1970's.  

I remember that when I started to drive it was 25 cents a gallon. Jim says it was 27 cents.

We had come to the conclusion that it was 25 cents in Montana where I was and it must have been 27 cents in Kansas where he was.

Just as we reached the truck and came to this conclusion, I looked down on the parking lot and there was a quarter! So 25 cents it was! 

Yesterday, I found another quarter in a restroom and I remembered the discussion. I usually find pennies. I'll take it!

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Shibui

Turnip

Turnip for What? Rutabagas and parsnips of course! It's the season for stew.

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Shibui

Finishing Touches

I am making sure each piece of jewelry is just right for the Dahlin Invitational Show this Friday and Saturday. 

If you are in the area and have the time, it would be nice if you would stop by. I would apprciate it.

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Shibui

Should have taken my airborne

Came back from Maui a week ago Monday. Great seat in premium class with free cocktails and a window seat but ...

there was a women in the aisle seat. Fortunately there was an empty seat between us. She was very fidgety. She had taken off her flip flops but rather than keeping her feet on the floor or putting socks on (like I do), she put them on the seat between us. Now to me when there is an empty seat that is kinda like the safe zone .. you can have half and I get the other half. Nope, not with this women. She took all. Then she started holding her feet and I don't know what all because my hoodie came up to cover my side view!

She keep fidgeting, pillow behind back, coat on, coat off, look at phone, put phone away, take phone out, flip flops in her bags, on the seat. 

Finally the food cart came and she ordered the snack pak. She ate the chips with the hummus dip but ran out of chips. Out came the finger to swipe the last little bit out and put it in her mouth. Now this lady wasn't a 20 year old but a 60+ year old! The whole time she was leaning forward and watching the digi-player of the people in the row in front of us. 

Then SHE COUGHED WITHOUT COVERING HER MOUTH! IN MY DIRECTION! Needless to say I caught a cold and was sick the whole BABE show. But I had the Purell and tissues and let my girls interact with the buyers.

I'm better now. Thanks for Listening.
Shibui

BABE 2017, We'll be there this weekend

with a whole bunch of new things. From beads to crystals, vintage saddle fobs and hand forged nails from Maul.

If you can make the show, below is a coupon for you to get in. We will be at booth 122. 

We specialize in found objects and different pieces and parts to make jewelry.

If you can't make the show, I am constantly adding the new and unusual to my etsy site. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShibuiDaughters?ref=pr_shop_more. Please stop in there or you can direct message me becasue i probably have just the thing you can't live without.

Here is the coupon for the show.

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Shibui

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

My dinner tonight!

In junior high and high school, once a week it would be Chili and Cinnamon Roll Day in the cafeteria. That was always a good lunch day.  Now I grew up in Montana, Jim in Kansas and our friend Beth grew up in Seattle. We all had them. So is it regional?  Did students on the east coast have them?

It has been on the news lately about why chili and cinnamon rolls were served together. Who knows but really who cares. It works!

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Shibui

Working on Some New Pieces

for the Dahlin Group Show the first weekend in November.

Stones, little glass beads and some metal. One little glass bead at a time.

Thanks for Listening
Shibui