Growing Resilience - A Thesis

In the long months since our last blog entry, I started an MSc in Environmental Management at the University of Auckland. My research attempts to assess the social and ecological resilience of the commercial vegetable production industry in a small catchment in the Franklin District (an area south of Auckland). The outdoor vegetable production in this area is nationally renowned both for its fertile soils and for its extensive environmental management challenges. Resilience - the ability of a system to return to a previous stable state after some sort of disturbance occurs - has been used in other areas around the world to address complex social ecological problems such as those faced by the vegetable production industry in the Franklin District. In July and August 2009 I undertook my field work in the Ngakoroa (pronounced Nak-a-row-ah) Catchment. Here are some of the photos taken during this work: Thanks to Benji and my Mom, the data processing is moving along swiftly so far!

XO, K

Dreamgirls of Bollywood.........The Musical

The dream, the drama, the dance. Dreamgirls of Bollywood.........The Musical is coming to your town. And now we can say in all honesty, don't miss it!



Cheers,
K & B

The Aftermath

At approximately 13:00 AUKT on Thursday, 26th February 2009, Mr. Benjamin dropped his master's thesis off to be bound in hardcover. The following photographs faithfully record the aftermath of this auspicious event.

Clearly, there has been no time to do dishes.

Six empty "V" energy drink bottles in the recycling bin suggest either an addiction or a number of very long nights.

Note the "V" on the far right hand corner of the desk - this brings the total number to seven. That we know about.

All is well.

Love,

K

Southern Summer Bounty

Don't worry, summer is coming for the rest of the world soon enough! But to tide you over, here are a few photos from our summer harvest down under.

XO, K & B

In another life, perhaps...

Both Kate and Benji have been engaged in some serious writing projects these past... eight months?! Cripes. Think about how much we've missed out on. Why, in that time...

...we could have moved into a new house!

Why, Benji could have gone all the way to China...














...and, briefly, Japan!














And think of the countless hiking trips we could have taken to the Waitakeres and Hunuas?

Maybe we could have gone home for the holidays again!

What about a trip to the Far North (where we possibly could have jumped off of sand dunes)?














Perhaps the Hare Krishnas could have taken control of Auckland!














We could have canoed down the Whanganui River! We can dream, can't we? Tune in two weeks from now, when Benji finally finishes his thesis and gets back to writing on the blog!

Cheers,

K & B

P.S.- What about Halloween? Party on, Wayne! Party on, Garth!

POST-DATED BLOG #2

An Interisland Love Affair

With the semester over and the overall clamminess of Auckland rising at a dizzying speed, we decided to trade in our seriously soggy aroha for some seriously sunny aloha and beat feet for Hawai'i.

For the first half of the trip we stayed in Waikiki, which was both as obnoxious and sickeningly enjoyable as I remembered. For those who weren't previously aware, I attended the University of Hawai'i for my undergraduate degree, so like Central Ohio for Kate, Honolulu is my second home. During the first few days of the trip we visited a number of my favorite haunts, including Leonard's for malasadas, Magoo's (I will not call it The Varsity) for beers and poke, and the tracks and trails of Manoa Valley.

Of course, for those who don't know, Hawai'i isn't all pastries and cold fish. Believe it or not, there are also a number of really excellent beaches. While our first obligatory stop was Waikiki, much of our time on O'ahu was spent between romping in the summer waves at Makapu'u and then lounging at lovely, lazy Lanikai. A day trip around the island also took us to the picturesque Waimea and Hau'ula, leaving us absolutely zero time to spend at the hotel pool.

WARNING: EX-PAT RANT The return to the 'merika was definitely an eye-opener. For example, despite continued indications of recession, the fact that your average Safeway now appears to be halfway between a Wal*mart warehouse and the lobby of the Bellagio was more than enough reminder of that indominable American economic strategy of convenience, consumption and luxury. It was nice to be able to afford some sliced turkey, which typically costs around $12.50/lb in Auckland, but it was hard to imagine that it's cheaper because of the vast number of turkey farms on O'ahu. OK, rant over.

After a few days on our own, Jessica, having been delayed in Boston, joined us in our beach frolicking, and we celebrated her birthday with snorkelling at Hanauma Bay and dinner at Keoni's. The next day Kate and Jess took on Waikiki and all it's charms while I got around to a little research at the Bishop Museum and the University. Soon afterwards, Bill and Ellen made our party complete, and we made our way over to the Big Island.

The thing about the Big Island is that it is, among other things, much bigger than the other islands. We spotted the enormous but ambigious peaks of Hualalai, Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa sloping skywards as we flew into Hilo. Our first couple of nights were spent in Volcano, just north of Hilo, at a lovely bed and breakfast in the rainforest.

Kate, presented with the stimuli of brand new natural surroundings, could hardly contain herself in her quest to identify and understand the function of every plant, bird, and lava flow we encountered. We tramped merrily through Kilauea Iki crater, with it's steaming vents, pioneering plant species, and Kate explaining the different formations of a'a and pahoehoe lava we came across. Then we spelunked the depths of the Thurston lava tube, and drove around as much of the Halema'uma'u crater as we could without asphyxiating on the sulphurous discharge coming from the active volcano.

After roughing it in Volcano, we headed for rest and respite on the Kona side, via Akaka Falls and Waimea. The falls were a sight to behold, nestled in some greenery pulled straight from Dr. Seuss. We also marvelled at how different the Waimea plains were from the lush, geologically fickle Volcano or the deep incised valleys of Lapahoehoe. The Big Island was definitely full of surprises for us, and after a long day of driving, we were all surprised and relieved to find ourselves face to face with the lovely sand and surf at Hapuna Beach.

We reveled in the gentle, rolling waves as the sun began to set, and as it dropped beneath the horizon we found ourselves driving through a landscape was completely foreign to all of us, even those of us who knew Hawai'i intimately. The coastal plains in North Kona are covered for miles with the jagged, earthy remains of a massive lava flow, and the vog that hangs in the air veils the massive dimensions of South Kona's slopes. We stayed the next few nights in a lovely bed & breakfast in Captain Cook with an "enthusiastic" owner, taking in sights such as the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau and the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotnical Garden.

Additionally, we seemed to find green sea turtles just about everywhere we went. According to the endangered species act, it's illegal to touch or harass the turtles in any way; that being said, it's almost as if the turtles knew this, and wanted to get us in trouble.

Recognizing the needs of those still at the whim of jetlag, we left Jess and the 'rents to rest for a day, and took to the roads. Our first destination, Waipi'o Valley, was quite possibly one of the most beautiful places either of us had ever been. A steep descent along the valley's edge put us down in the wet interior of the valley, where taro is grown in pond systems like it has been for centuries and only a few houses are nestled among the verdure. From here we followed a muddy 4WD trail along the river until we met with a lovely cobble beach, with an unbelievable waterfall falling into the sea. Kate and I carefully made our way to the base of the falls, feeling the force of the falling water and soaking up the fresh spray. It was truly magnificent, and I'm sure will remain very special to both of us.

After Waipi'o, we took a quick run back to Waimea for lunch and then it was off to our second destination: the Onizuka Observatory at Mauna Kea. This required a trip halfway down the Big Island's Saddle Road: a long, rough stretch of road that runs through the steppe between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Luckily, we'd rented a jeep for the occasion, and it definitely proved useful as we bounced over some of the most incredible pot holes I've ever witnessed.

When we started the drive up, which was not steep but very long, we began to feel the effects of our altitude in the form of some light dizziness. Mauna Kea is the world's tallest mountain, though most of it is underwater: measured from it's base it's over 33,000 feet tall. The observatory sits 9,000 feet above sea level, but since the mountains are so wide and shallow-sloped, it's hard to appreciate the height. Clouds appeared as distant blankets over the long slope of the saddle, and massive volcanic cones looked like pock marks on the landscape.

The wearing on of the day and the possibility of altitude sickness gave us enough reason to leave the summit for next time, but the ride home at sunset was worth it: amazing views of Hualalai and the sun's glare off the broad ocean in the distance made up for any vistas we may have passed up.

Our final full day in Hawaii was mostly geared towards celebrating the thirtieth wedding anniversary of Bill and Ellen (coinciding nicely with someone else's first anniversary). We started with a lovely kava ceremony at the bed & breakfast, followed by a renewal of vows and champagne toast at an amazing beach they had discovered while we were touring.

We had the beach to ourselves as we shared fond wishes and maybe a couple tears with the happy couple, and then moved on to a fantastic dinner with sorbet for dessert. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable trip, and we're left counting the days until we return.

Aloha,

Benji