Relocating to Puna

[pslamont]

Rob,
I have had a ball posting here on your site. It has been grand fun having all the responses and it has generated tons of visits from new friends here in Hawaii. You have been incredibly generous in hosting my saga. Of course, whatever you decide for splitting this adventure log is fine with me. I am thrilled that you will even consider keeping the whole log. I am glad others are finding it both informative and entertaining.

When I first came to Punaweb there were few entries. It has been a great joy to see it blossom with so many members and posts. Rob, great job!

Everyone else: Thank you so much for your support and friendship. I continue to enjoy your comments, interest, visits, etc.... keep it up.

AND, including Rob, I hope you all make it to the blessing. The more the merrier!

Pam Lamont

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

OH, this is so much fun! There are 7 baby chicks, not five. Mom protected them well the first day and even this morning when I gave them fresh water, she pecked wildly at my hand to keep me out! It has been sunny all day and this afternoon, mom has let the chicks out the door of the doghouse and down the ramp.... she scratched in the grass continuing to teach them to seek food. Around the dog house they went, with half wandering under it but she managed to gather them all up again. They are brave and even though she ushered them in to be cuddled they waited till she napped and headed right out the door, down the ramp and into the yard. You gotta love the little things in life and this one is bringing me great joy. Maybe I am being a kid again. Who knows, but it sure is fun.

The rest of the chickens have been making clucking noices all day and now the roosters are crowing. Birds are on the ground and in the trees, all around the cabin. They come from a rather stropped piece of lava in Fern Forest so thay are finding so much food in our soil and woods they are going crazy.... that and I put out enough "layer" food for several dozen chickens. We let them free range so I want them to like staying around.

Now that you are all belly laughing, just imagine my little old beagle/corgie mix doggie wandering around the yard peeking at these baby chicks. Mom doesn't let him near. He spends half an hour stalking 12 inches closer then she gets in between and scatters the little babies. I don't know what he would do if he caught one... am not sure he is even trying but like me, seems enthralled just to watch the cute little buggers.

Aloha from paradise... Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[mella l]

Thanks for the great little vignette Pam. Loved it and it did put a smile on my mug! The pleasures of rural life are where you find them, and you sure do put it to paper nicely. What a challenge for Gumbo, he just wants to be friends too!

mella l

[pslamont]

Must admit I am getting excited. My son is joining me here for the first time (from Manhattan, NYC) on Thursday and then Hubby will be flying in on Sunday. First time we have been all together in Hawaii.

Momma chicken has lost one chick and another appears to be weak/hurt. Realities of country/farm life I suppose. She is taking them out wandering in the forest all day and comes back to the doghouse at dusk. I make sure they have fresh water and some food, although it is clear she is teaching them to eat everything wild . The squeels of delight when she caught a worm were hilarious. The rest of the chickens are only seen at dusk for a very short time, ushered in and out by a couple roosters. I wonder how many more nests are out there.... I wonder if I will be the proud grandma to 40 or 50 chickens soon! Ah, well... plenty of room for everyone.

The piggies managed to stay out of the pen for two days and overnight too. I didn't see as much of them today playing as yesterday but they were still wandering around and playing some kind of chase game with the two dogs. Today it was hard to tell who was chasing whom!!

By three or four in the afternoon I wandered down to their pen with the last of this weeks Papaya ration, wondering what to do... and low and behold, here they came. I entered the pen, cut up the papaya and celery and other stuff and spread it out, and they came in happy as could be to munch. I calmly exited the pen closing the gate behind me. They seemed very happy to get their ration of pig food and two tubs of fresh water. They munches away while I put fresh straw in the pen. Ah, live f a pig..l. must be rough!!

So all is well io the Lamont Ranch. Dogs are behaving, pigs are tuciked in and chickens are fat and sassy doing their thing.

I am making the mental shopping list for the bit Blessing and Luau on the 22nd and hope as many of you will be joining us as possible. I have had an RSVP from a fair number and think we will be facing a great bash.

Some of my carpenters, my gardner and one carpenter's sons have announced they will camp out at the IMU on the 21st, do the fire and get the pig in the ground arund 3 am. That should be a party onto istelf. Anyone who wishes to participate in that portion of the ritual is welcome; just please let me know in advance.

This is forming up to be a wonderful week. I can just feel the warmth and aloha of you all around me and can't wait to share that with my little family.

I look forward to seeing you soon.
Mahalo and Aloha,
Pam Lamont

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[David D]

Hi Pam,

Deborah and I sure wish we could be there for the Blessing. We will certainly be there in spirit! Be sure to take plenty of pictures! We’ll be back in May and would love to come visit.

Best Wish on the next part of your Journey.
David and Deborah

[Karl]

Hello Pam ;-)
Now that you will get all that company in February,Pam, we have to have a second 'blessing' of your home when we all come to visit you in your 'RAINFOREST' Castle. If you are moved in by then, we will call it a housewarming party.
If not, it will be a 'Cabana' Boys PARTY.
31 days and counting....KarlJ....

[pslamont]

Speaking of Cabana Boys...

My son arrived from NYC today. How exciting for him to see his first view of our adventure. My carpenters apparently also awaited his arrival with a smile. When we got back from the airport it was dusk.. not quite dark. I expected everyone to have left for the day. We heard voices down at the big house an hour after everyone is usually gone. As we drove down the 600 ft driveway and hit the big curve, we made our first glance at the house and wouldn't you know.... those rascals had rigged up a Christmas Tree, complete with lights and balls on the roof of the house! I guess that made the house the present under the tree. Had to hug every one of them. I do love my guys.

Also, I mentioned to a friend that our water pump went out yesterday and that I had to go to Kona this morning to do a promised favor for a friend. I was bummed that my son would return to a cabin with no running water but it couldn't be helped; a promise is a promise. Wouldn't you know, these wonderful new friends came over to the cabin while I was gone, joined one of the carpenters and Billy the resident cabanaboy and they not only replaced the pump (I did have a new one here) but rerouted all the plumbing to accomodate the new, bigger water tank I had begun setting up. You gotta love this place! People just reach out to one another here in our part of paradise. It's so nice to have friends that just reach out to youl. I am blessed with the good spirit of this land. I will do my best to live up to the generous gifts I am receiving!

Aloha, Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

Good Morning everyone and welcome to a new beginning!
Our blessing went really well. The Kahuna was marvelous. Pig was incredibly good. Friends were plentiful and spirit was grand. Thank you all for your support whether in presence or thoughts.
We were told that if we got a little rain on our day of blessing it was a special blessing on our house. It did indeed sprinkle just before the Kahuna began his ceremony, then it stopped for us all to gather on the lawn, go through the events and head for food. It rained a good shot as dark came again. Guess we are twice blessed!

This thread will be continued in Relocating to Puna II.
Aloha and Mahalo... Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!