Monday, July 13
Ruthie and Melissa came this afternoon to put in a n addition to our garden. Now we will have plenty of umalau & obikola to m ake lelenga during our next stay in Marulaon.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Aaron & Benjamin to Eastern Russells
Sunday, July 12
Aaron finally got all of the kinks worked out to be able to travel to the Eastern Russells today. So, Benjamin, Aaron, Ezekiel, Chief Leonard and Patson (who owns the boat) left abround 5 a.m. to get over Louna for the Sunday morning church service. The day was windy and choppy, and their little motor boat bounced around as they sped across the waves. By the time they reached Louna, Aaron and Benjamin were soaked! Aaron, Ezekiel, and Leonard spoke briefly at the end of the service, and they all stayed to share a meal. They arrived back around three in the afternoon, tired and wet, but encouraged with the unity which is forming between the two sides of the Russell Islands.
Aaron finally got all of the kinks worked out to be able to travel to the Eastern Russells today. So, Benjamin, Aaron, Ezekiel, Chief Leonard and Patson (who owns the boat) left abround 5 a.m. to get over Louna for the Sunday morning church service. The day was windy and choppy, and their little motor boat bounced around as they sped across the waves. By the time they reached Louna, Aaron and Benjamin were soaked! Aaron, Ezekiel, and Leonard spoke briefly at the end of the service, and they all stayed to share a meal. They arrived back around three in the afternoon, tired and wet, but encouraged with the unity which is forming between the two sides of the Russell Islands.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
haleav
Saturday, July 11
Today, I bought some haleav at market. It's some kind of shellfish.
I asked Skita if she would show me how to open the shells and cook the insides, and she said she would. But later in the afternoon, she came by to tell me that she was leaving to go to another island for a Sunday School meeting, and that Nancy would help me with the haleav. (I'm still learning the Melanesian art of saving face and going through a third party.) When I went to find Nancy to tell her that I was ready, she had gone to the garden, but her sister helped us. It was harder than it looked! First, you took the knife and scraped some of the edge of the shell. Then, you inserted the tip of the knife into the scraped edge and wedged in the knife until you could easily slide it around and open the shell. Opening was the hard part, then it was easy to extract the meat. Benjamin and I poked ourselves a couple of times. I think I opened only three, and Nancy's sister opened most of them. She was an expert, and I enjoyed getting to know her as I struggled with the shells. After we had opened all of the shells, we boiled the contents. I also cut up some greens and squeezed some coconut milk. After the haleav were finished cooking, I drained them and put them back in a pot with the coconut milk and greens. I also started some rice cooking in coconut milk. While everything cooked, I learned that she had gone to school in Honiara to be a teacher, but had gotten sick and had to come back to Marulaon. She gave me the name and phone number of a cousin who lives in Honiara and can help us with our language learning while we are in town. I sent her home with a big bowl full of rice, greens, and haleav, and still had enough to share with another neighbor before we ate supper.
Weeding, Melanesian Style
Friday, July 10
Today we cleared more ground for umalau and obikola. Whew!
Friday, July 31, 2009
hanging laundry with a crowd
Thursday, July 9
Sometimes I feel like we live in a glass house. All of the windows are always open, so everyone can hear what we are saying, and we can hear what they are saying, too. However, they have learned the art of speaking softly, and we are still just loud Americans. Since all of the neighborhood kids have been on a school vacation, they frequently hang around our house. One of their favorite things to do is to watch me hang out clothes and tell each other to whom each piece of clothing belongs. So, as I hang up each pair of underwear, the little girls giggle and call out the name of the owner. It's a great chance to get to know the kids and another opportunity to get over my pride.
Sometimes I feel like we live in a glass house. All of the windows are always open, so everyone can hear what we are saying, and we can hear what they are saying, too. However, they have learned the art of speaking softly, and we are still just loud Americans. Since all of the neighborhood kids have been on a school vacation, they frequently hang around our house. One of their favorite things to do is to watch me hang out clothes and tell each other to whom each piece of clothing belongs. So, as I hang up each pair of underwear, the little girls giggle and call out the name of the owner. It's a great chance to get to know the kids and another opportunity to get over my pride.
escapee urio
Wednesday, July 8
Today at market, I bought some urio (coconut crab). Frequently when my market basket gets full with large produce, Aaron takes it back up the hill and brings it back empty for a refill. He carted it back and forth several times today and took the urio up as well (I even learned how to say, "Hold it well so it doesn't bite you!" in Lavukaleve.) When I finally came back to the house after gathering some more language data and visiting with friends, it was time for radio sked with SITAG. So I quickly started on supper so we could eat before Evening Prayer, and Aaron got on the radio. All of the sudden, the board that we keep learned up against the fridge (to prevent burns from the heating element) fell over with a clatter. I looked to see what had happened and found a huge urio climbing up the back of the fridge! I took over on the radio so Aaron could catch the crab - Aaron is great at avoiding the pinchers. He quickly captured our meal, and we found the vines and the !
bag that the urio had shed in its bid for freedom. Now we know to cook the urio right away so it doesn't have a chance to become an escape artist. Can't wait to tell our neighbors about this one!
Today at market, I bought some urio (coconut crab). Frequently when my market basket gets full with large produce, Aaron takes it back up the hill and brings it back empty for a refill. He carted it back and forth several times today and took the urio up as well (I even learned how to say, "Hold it well so it doesn't bite you!" in Lavukaleve.) When I finally came back to the house after gathering some more language data and visiting with friends, it was time for radio sked with SITAG. So I quickly started on supper so we could eat before Evening Prayer, and Aaron got on the radio. All of the sudden, the board that we keep learned up against the fridge (to prevent burns from the heating element) fell over with a clatter. I looked to see what had happened and found a huge urio climbing up the back of the fridge! I took over on the radio so Aaron could catch the crab - Aaron is great at avoiding the pinchers. He quickly captured our meal, and we found the vines and the !
bag that the urio had shed in its bid for freedom. Now we know to cook the urio right away so it doesn't have a chance to become an escape artist. Can't wait to tell our neighbors about this one!
molokita tree trimming
Tuesday, July 7
Last, week, Aaron began pruning the molokita (a sour orange) close
to our
house. He was trying to eradicate all possible sources of entry to
our roof
since we've discovered two rates in the last few days (and one more
trying
to get in during the night). Keeping the branches away from the
house also
helps cut down on the leaves that get trapped on top of the water
tanks.
So, he hacked away at the branches while the kids gathered over a
hundred
molokita. We had plenty to share, with enough left over to make
into juice
since they were all still green. I put the jug into the freezer to
chill it
quickly, but then I forgot to take it out until the next day when we
discovered that molokita slushy is quite nice! It's been fun to
share our
treat with the house girls after we've been working out in the sun.
Last, week, Aaron began pruning the molokita (a sour orange) close
to our
house. He was trying to eradicate all possible sources of entry to
our roof
since we've discovered two rates in the last few days (and one more
trying
to get in during the night). Keeping the branches away from the
house also
helps cut down on the leaves that get trapped on top of the water
tanks.
So, he hacked away at the branches while the kids gathered over a
hundred
molokita. We had plenty to share, with enough left over to make
into juice
since they were all still green. I put the jug into the freezer to
chill it
quickly, but then I forgot to take it out until the next day when we
discovered that molokita slushy is quite nice! It's been fun to
share our
treat with the house girls after we've been working out in the sun.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today...Monday, July 6, 2009
Outside my window...sun rising over the Pacific, the sky blazing in scarlet and reflecting in the clouds making everything in the house glow (I never get tired of the sunrises here).
I am thinking...how good God is to give us breezy sunny days and cool nights with rain to fill up the tanks and water the gardens, anybody wanna visit?
From the learning rooms...switching composers from Charles Ives to Igor Stravinsky, History - WWI, Sarah - using cause & effect in writing, multiplying & dividing decimals, Benjamin - creating a travel journal, addition & subtraction of compound units of length, Olivia - studying similies, numbers to 40, Katherine - beginning to learn her shapes with play dough & cookie cutters, lacing cards, and painting over white crayon shapes, Science - static electricity experiments and light bulb experiments
I am thankful for...how well Olivia's face has healed
From the kitchen...leftovers (tuna salad) from all of the fish I bought at market this weekend and the fish and lelenga that two different neighbors brought yesterday
I am wearing...denim sleeveless jumper, Olivia love the pockets because she can sort the clothespins by color and stick them in my pockets when we are hanging clothes outside
I am reading..."Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, and International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together" by Ron Hall & Denver Moore (break out the tissues)
I am hoping...and praying that we will be good neighbors, that we will manage our resources (food and money) well as many people have begun to ask us for things, and that we will have insight into the way our neighbors think
I am creating...the beginnings of friendships!
I am hearing...Katherine's little feet padding down the hall as she searches for her Daddy (she's an early riser), Aaron in the kitchen as he makes the coffee, the bell calling everybody to morning prayer
Around the house..getting ready to varnish the floors, the chief, Leonard, continuing to work to finish the beautiful porch rail
One of my favorite things...snaggletooth kids (update - Olivia lost another tooth today, that tooth has been hangin' around for weeks, but she dropped it in the coral gravel under the house and can't find it)
A few plans for the rest of the week...making more play dough with Olivia (the last batch we colored green and scented with wintergreen - it's lovely), transplanting the chinese cabbage and tomatoes to the southern part of the yard, preparing a new section (hard work with the pickax again) on the northern part to plant more obikola (cassava) and umalau, planting more melon and papaya (the first planting didn't grow) today, sunning the mattresses and pillows, celebrating Solomon Island Independence Day tomorrow
Outside my window...sun rising over the Pacific, the sky blazing in scarlet and reflecting in the clouds making everything in the house glow (I never get tired of the sunrises here).
I am thinking...how good God is to give us breezy sunny days and cool nights with rain to fill up the tanks and water the gardens, anybody wanna visit?
From the learning rooms...switching composers from Charles Ives to Igor Stravinsky, History - WWI, Sarah - using cause & effect in writing, multiplying & dividing decimals, Benjamin - creating a travel journal, addition & subtraction of compound units of length, Olivia - studying similies, numbers to 40, Katherine - beginning to learn her shapes with play dough & cookie cutters, lacing cards, and painting over white crayon shapes, Science - static electricity experiments and light bulb experiments
I am thankful for...how well Olivia's face has healed
From the kitchen...leftovers (tuna salad) from all of the fish I bought at market this weekend and the fish and lelenga that two different neighbors brought yesterday
I am wearing...denim sleeveless jumper, Olivia love the pockets because she can sort the clothespins by color and stick them in my pockets when we are hanging clothes outside
I am reading..."Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, and International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together" by Ron Hall & Denver Moore (break out the tissues)
I am hoping...and praying that we will be good neighbors, that we will manage our resources (food and money) well as many people have begun to ask us for things, and that we will have insight into the way our neighbors think
I am creating...the beginnings of friendships!
I am hearing...Katherine's little feet padding down the hall as she searches for her Daddy (she's an early riser), Aaron in the kitchen as he makes the coffee, the bell calling everybody to morning prayer
Around the house..getting ready to varnish the floors, the chief, Leonard, continuing to work to finish the beautiful porch rail
One of my favorite things...snaggletooth kids (update - Olivia lost another tooth today, that tooth has been hangin' around for weeks, but she dropped it in the coral gravel under the house and can't find it)
Independence Day Weekend
Sunday, July 5
We had a great weekend! At market on Saturday, we bought some bananas (sa torov) and some umalau in addition to lots of other fish and fruits and veggies. I continue to be amazed at how God provides fresh foods for us to enjoy and to keep our bodies healthy. So, I got to make potato salad and banana pudding to eat along with our hamburgers and watermelon to help us celebrate America's Independence Day. The girls cut start shapes out of some red, white, and blue foam, and we set some vanilla scented tea lights on top to decorate our table. We have been praying that God would help each of us find at least one good friend here in Marulaon. Each of the big kids played ALL afternoon outside with neighborhood friends. We heard lots of laughing!
We had a great weekend! At market on Saturday, we bought some bananas (sa torov) and some umalau in addition to lots of other fish and fruits and veggies. I continue to be amazed at how God provides fresh foods for us to enjoy and to keep our bodies healthy. So, I got to make potato salad and banana pudding to eat along with our hamburgers and watermelon to help us celebrate America's Independence Day. The girls cut start shapes out of some red, white, and blue foam, and we set some vanilla scented tea lights on top to decorate our table. We have been praying that God would help each of us find at least one good friend here in Marulaon. Each of the big kids played ALL afternoon outside with neighborhood friends. We heard lots of laughing!
Then, today, we had some boxes from the States arrive on the Bikoi. What a treat! Those of you who write letters and send boxes certainly encourage our family and extend our longevity here. Almost every day we tell the kids, "This box of pudding came from so and so", or "These muffins...: or "These bandaids..." Thank you for taking the time to choose things you know we will enjoy and for paying the postage to get your package all of the way to the Solomons.
Healing kids
Wednesday, July 1
Benjamin and Olivia are doing great and healing well. Lots of questions from neighbors, though! It's given me a great opportunity to share how I pray for my kids every day.
Benjamin and Olivia are doing great and healing well. Lots of questions from neighbors, though! It's given me a great opportunity to share how I pray for my kids every day.
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