These are a few of my favorite things.

My new friend Kelly asked how the blogging was going... and I told her I stopped. She said I should start again. And now that we have internet (3 days now!) I feel like maybe I will. Blogging is turning out to be harder than I thought.... to be honest, it feels really vulnerable. Many of the things I would blog about involve or include interactions with other people, and it feels so personal to share things that anyone could read. I'm realizing it doesn't have to be a journal or diary.... but a blog. See that? I can evolve.

So. What do I want to tell you about tonight. Maybe I will make you a list of all the things that make me happy about our life here in Hawaii.

1. We are making really great friends. Kellie, Jesse and their boys live right down the road from us, and we can walk to their house. We have plans to build a dwelling on their land. Like Johnny said, you can see whales jumping from their porch. We already feel like we've known them for much longer than a month. Jesse and Kellie, not the whales.

2. Yesterday, I took Lily and Gabe on a walk, and on our way we picked our snacks right off a tree. Tangerines! They were delicious. I love that Lily and Gabe get to eat food right from the source.

3. Today the rain came down so hard it was hard to hear each other talk. Gabe opened the door, walked right out to the edge of our patio and just stared. He seemed so mesmerized, not scared, not excited, just in awe. I stood in the door and watched him for a long time. It woke something beautiful inside me. I love rain. I love Gabe.

3. We have a tiny christmas tree. Johnny got it from a lady he did some work for. It's a little charlie brown pine, in the pot. We'd like to plant it on our friends' property and watch it grow. The best part is that we decorated it for less than 2 dollars... between gifts, thrift store finds and second hand tinsel.

4. As you probably know, I love feeling (palpating) bellies with babies in them. God must know that too, because there are a quite a few pregnant mamas who are happy to let me feel their babies. It's been really fun to do, just for fun.... so relaxed and happy I am to be in this phase of enjoying. (I think that sounded like something yoda might say?)

5. Lots of good reggae on the radio here.

6. We have plenty of work.... more than enough actually, we have been turning down a few jobs even. Our days are super full all of a sudden, Johnny and I piecing our schedules together and taking turns being home with the kids. Whoever is at home can walk to the park, store or library. Or do laundry. The kind of work we've been doing: we are both doing part time office work for a local Dr.who practices natural medicine. Johnny's been doing handyman work, as well as window washing, which could be a full time business. Cleaning vacation rentals when we have time. It's pretty laid back work, but it's physical too, which feels good.

7. We've heard that Kohala (especially Hawi and Kapa'au) has some of the cleanest air in the WORLD. I believe it. It's amazing how clear and clean the air feels. The breezes here are lovely. Tradewinds are something I never knew I loved so much. Such an amazing feeling to have a breeze blow right off the ocean into your window. Speaking of which, our windows are always open! I love that.

8. I feel inspired here. Music is integrating into my life again. I've played with quite a few people, just for fun.... or at the Kava bar in town. I've really missed playing the past few years. I wrote a new song a few nights ago.

9. Every Saturday is the Hawi farmers market, under the banyon tree. Everything from Kohala greens, which are so delicious, organic and cheap, to used clothing and handcrafted jewelry. Its everything I have ever wanted a farmers market to be. People just pull up in their truck, and sell their produce right off the back. No snobby farmer's market fees and prices. Things really are affordable, and all the vendors make a kind of circle around the grassy area, and the kids all run around.

10. Since it's a small community here, Lily knows just about every kid she sees now. So every outing we go on pretty much guarantees that she will see a friend. I love that.

11. There's not a single stoplight or chain restaurant for 20 miles.








12. Avacados grow on trees. and you can just pick them right off and make guacamole.

13. Wherever I am, things are never absolutely perfect, and I keep learning more about love. Which is all I need.

Love, Dani