'Ole Pau Moon ... Hina half-way to Dark Moon

Mahina rose at midnight in a sky that is clear and dry, absent of clouds the heavens glitter with stars and planets. I am not positive, but as Ka La the sun readies himself for another day I think I saw Scorpio heading west. Soon Makali'i will bring the new year Makahiki.

Mahina is in her half-lit face, the other half lit now as she moves toward the Dark Moon. Among other indicators of the Fall season  Spiders make webs here and there and everywhere. Some long time tradition of relationship continues between the Equinox and Spider Season. Spider spins the hei ensnaring food and making story. Haumea throws her net into the sky to plot things. Make net, throw net, make story, tie things together.

Do you spot Spider and her hei? (click on the image for a larger look)

There is a new medicine story being spun for Equinox, it may be something that interests you, as one story ties to another, and another and another. I am tying stories, making story about Spider Season here.  That link will start you off.

La'au Pau good time for gathering and making medicine

Beautiful fall la'au pau day for gathering medicine plants. This year I am becoming more familiar and respectful of the many medicine plants that live where we live. Because my life depends upon learning how they live, survive and thrive in this place (where I live, too) my personal kilo practice becomes stronger and specific.  Over and over again this past weekend we heard kilo practitioners from across the Pacific say just that, "when your life depends on it, kaulana mahina (the Hawaiian Moon Calendar) becomes more important to you!"

I found a site called 'Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Wildcrafting.' Another way to practice Malama 'Aina and the Honorable Harvest.

These look like cherry tomatoes, but they are Wild Rosehips I gathered out at the South Whidbey Tilth this afternoon. I'll be researching over the 'ole moons to learn how to use the rosehips. 

Usnea or 'Old Man's Beard' grows on old limbs and trees near our tiny houses. I started gathering at the start of La'au po, and filled a pint glass jar of the lichen (part algae and part fungus) today.

Early in September I started looking for Mullein as la'au lapa'au for lungs and asthma after the long burning season of forest fires. Today the dried Mullein leaves were dried enough to make my first quart infusion.

An ounce of home-dried Mullein in a quart jar filled with filtered water and tightly capped overnight. Tomorrow I'll stain the infusion (because Mullein has lots of hair that can irritate the throat). 

The Usnea I gathered in a pint jar and filled with vodka. In 6 weeks I will have a tincture

Our 'ohana and community of the South Whidbey Tilth went to the three-day 'Aimalama Lunar Calendar Conference. Via 'live stream' we were in such great company. Today I wrote a summary and submitted it to the organizers of 'Aimalama  including our mana'o and feedback after having the first-time exposure to kilo in action. Like making and gathering la'au lapa'au the process of noticing and recording what you see and how you see plants, birds, water, winds, weather where you are is slow and steady, and cumulative.

While we root ourselves here on this island, Whidbey Island, we envisioned 'being there' in Hawaii while living here. It was a dream to dream together with the teachers, heroines and 'aina that are so dear to us. We did it, and if you're interested the summary of our experience will be posted on our HO'OMOKU site soon.

'AI MALAMA happening now

Streaming live from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in Honolulu ... 

 We brought the internet cable to the South Whidbey Tilth campus on Whidbey Island. And turned a small cozy place into a fragrance free zone for connecting to this incredible weekend of sharing about Kaulana Mahina.

Humble beginnings ... he puko'a kai 'aina my mother Helen Mokihana and my aunty Lily must be laughing out loud to see that I am still stringing clothesline and using clothespins to make tents, to make house!

 That's the screen and desk top we brought from home to set up this Remote HUB to be part of this first ever gathering of Pacific practicioners of kilo and timing based on the Hawaiian Lunar Calendar.

 There's our sign-in sheet with harvest crops to provide some privacy:)

 An outside shot of the Pavilion strung with clothesline and hung with clothespin. Ha'aha'a in action.

 Part of our 'Aimalama gangeh. Jude (L) our benefactress (funding our dream to bring 'Ai Malama to Whidbey), good friend, goat woman, teacher of children where 'Garden is the Curriculum'; Pete my main man; and Prescott our main South Whidbey Tilth 'Golden Pig'

Wahine li'i (small but mighty ones!)

Mahalo na aumakua. This is a weekend of great abundance. 'Ai Malama.

Equinox and 'Ole Pau

Yesterday's Autumnal Equinox was beautiful. In the sky at Sunset Mahina marked the halfway point. We created ceremony, grateful to be. I wrote about the homemade ceremony of Equinox here.

Earlier in the day a huge flock of Geese flew very low above us. I watched as the leader changed, it was a memory marker for Pete and me. We came together many seasons ago when the Geese sounded. Yesterday I felt the gift of connecting, or reconnection.

The Birds are back. We noticed that they were missing during most of the summer. Too dry, their source of protein (bugs) dried up, too. They were somewhere else. Through the Quonset window I see Sparrow is back, "It's good to see you," I say to her.

This Friday, September 25th the 'AIMALAMA LUNAR CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE takes place in Honolulu. The Pacific wide gathering of practitioners and individuals who are reviving and renewing their relationship with lunar timing in everyday application offers a unique opportunity. In addition to the in person participation of conference attendees, a remote hub facility allows people to watch the panels of practitioners via 'livestreaming' on the internet. My husband Pete and I are excited to be participating as a remote hub site here on Whidbey Island.

FYI ... it may be too late for you to register as a remote hub viewing site, but, here is the link if it is not too late.

Between the eclipses, 'Ole Ku Moons for gathering pine needles

There was an eclipse on the New Moon and a total lunar eclipse will happen with the Full Moon coming up next week (September 27, 2015) . Plenty of give-and-take and retakes happening as Saturn moves from one sign (Scorpio) to the other (Sagittarius). One way of looking at it is we collectively move from a time (2.5 yrs worth) of investigation (Scorpio) to a period of exploration (Sagittarius).

Personally, after a summer of illness and acknowledging the sacrifices being made (by the Forests' burning) I appreciate the slow breakthrough of ease I begin to feel. Slowed to the pace of a wild snail, my world becomes smaller not for the first time, but, smaller and closeted. I turn in, and come to know the Nature of Nature here where I live.

Today the Winds are strong.
Trees sway, a robust hula.
Pine needles rain down.

They do every year around this time turning the Forest floor golden. This year my attention is more attuned to the golden rain. I stop, stoop, and gather. Good exercise for dumpling women.

I hope to gather enough of the beautiful palm-size needles to make my first pine needle baskets. We'll see. The needles are beautiful, and many different colors from green to many shades of gold and reddish-brown. Hulo! Hurray! Never too old to stop, stoop, and gather miracles. Mahalo!

Pehea kakou? And what falls where you are?

Kane and Lono Moons ... times for gratitude

As the malama nears her end, the old cycle ends and the new is yet to come. Our kupuna were wise in their observations over time noticing and recording (through chants and oral tradition only) everything happening where they lived. In the same way Indigenous people have done since they took their first steps on two feet on Papa Hanaumoku (Earth) or surfed waves from the great Moana nui (ocean) it is that first committment -- to be where you are planted -- that begins a life of Indigeneity.

These photos were taken where I live. Every one of these small miracles is taking place within footsteps from my futon/writing table/cook top.

 The tops to small jars dry next to the heater this morning, one part of a two-piece container that will store freshly-juiced Wheatgrass Pete has grown, or ...

 a jar filled with Plant Herbs and Plant Medicine topped off with Vodka or Brandy to be an extract weeks later as I learn the gifts and relationships that have waited. Six seasons later, I have introduced myself and begun friendships.

 Some friends have traveled with us from place to place, from one island to another. These stones, pohaku li'ili'i hanau were given to me by my elder cousin Mokihana. With time I learn their ways these stones who give birth if I am watchful and respectful. The reflection of the Fall-colored Brackens connects me with the reality of change in all life.

 Peach is one of the friendships that is growing beautifully, gratefully for me. When I needed to calm and heal the 'assault' of forests burning, I was led to the big old Peach tree in our lower orchard. She has so much to give; I needed to open my heart and my ironically congested ears to those gifts.

 When I'd finished picking that paper bag of Peach leaves, our Hen friend Rygel has feathers molted all over the lower orchard floor. I picked up a few. Beautiful. Hens don't lay eggs when they molt. But, they leave feathers.

 Plates and bowls fill with plump green grapes. We pick them and eat them up. Yum! Also on the orchard floor is another Plant Medicine, Usnea or 'old man's beard.' I am new to the identification and making of medicine from Plant Medicine, so I will check with other Human friends who know about the wild medicine. But. I think the beard of white lichen is Usnea. Usnea is one of those gentle yet powerful medicine plants that could be the ally I need for strengthening my lungs, and building my immune system, in this place where we both live.

 The Peach leaves I gathered this morning had the kiss of morning dew on them. They are drying in the sun before I bring them in. If they dry wet, there's the high probability of mold. Not good for me.

 This is a collander of Peach leaves that have been drying for a week or more.

This collander of Peach has been drying for almost a month. I use four leaves in a cup of boiling water for tea. Add ginger and turmeric for heat and a little Buckwheat honey. Yummy stuff.

Mahalo Akua Kane and Lono your generosity ... your life-giving gifts so appreciated.

'Ole Pau Morning

Mahina looked beautiful in her pear-face, teardrop, lightbulb shape this morning. I think it was the camera mo'o playing with me; I like a playmate!

Fall is coming. Crisp morning temperatures in the high-40's. Plenty of rain again; burn bans have lifted. Pyro-maniacs burn huge smoky fires outdoors. 'Aue, poho, the air quality!