chris and valerie: Midsummer 2023

This has been a bit of a whirlwind of a year so far!

Between work getting more intense for each of us (and what with Valerie starting a new job), and managing a 2 acre farm property during one of the wettest winter/spring seasons ever, and Valerie tearing up her knee surfing, much less with life on this planet being what it is... It's been crazy.

But we've had good times throughout.

Some highlights...

We roasted a sweet little piggie and had friends over. Patrick brought homemade blue corn tortillas, Cindy brought desert, everyone had a great time, and the lovely local organic Kurobuta pig was glorious.
We took a few trips to Honolulu (for fun and also for medical stuff). We found a hotel we like (thank you Laylow!). We ate some amazing food (big mahalos to everyone at Pig & The Lady, Mud Hen Water, Nami Kaze, Podmore, Fete, Ginza Bairin, and all the other exceptional places we ate in town). And by the way... the food scene in Honolulu is very good right now.
Our long-lost friend Courtney showed up for her honeymoon and dropped by to say hi (and eat pig).
Valerie had folks over for a Lei Day party and everyone learned how to make lei from an amazing local artist.
Kavin came to visit, brought fresh tortillas, and spread good vibes.
Our fruit trees continued to bring joy and abundance to us, our friends and neighbors, and the entire community (one day we dropped 5 gallons of lychee off to the local hui at Kalihiwai for distribution).
We're still meeting new people, making new friendships, and becoming more and more a part of this place. We went to a super fun graduation party on the beach in Hanalei.
Valerie got a super sweet new surfboard (right before she sadly tore up her knee).
New stuff continues to be planted and grow, and in some cases thrive. Valerie found a plum tomato that does really well - and makes great gazpacho and red sauce. Our chili peppers are monsters that produce more chili peppers than we can use. And we'll have more lilikoi than we know what do do with before too long.
Valerie's knee is healing up and the doctors say she'll be surfing again by the end of the summer!

Life is good.