Add this to the very long list of things we don't appreciate until they're gone- well pumps.
Four or five (out of I think, six) local wells in our area have all recently been rendered inoperable over the last year. As a result, while the months-long repairs take place...most of the west side of the island is on an emergency, mandatory water restriction. No car/boat washing. No irrigation. Short showers.
That means I'm like a middle-aged, Amish woman (of Asian descent...I'm sure there are many) every morning, hauling buckets of rain/gray water to dump on our parched plants. For the first 3-4 days I excitedly used our rain barrel water (we had 100+ gallons), until they each dipped below the halfway point. At that point we had to get creative and started to collect our gray water as well (dish washing, washing machine, shower), which has helped double the amount of water we have available each day.
It's definitely no fun taking short showers, not to mention inconvenient and tiresome hauling out a dozen buckets of water around each day...but interestingly- I haven't felt that put out. Mostly I've felt industrious. Green. And grateful that we still have running water!
Last night was one of the most exciting I've had in a long time...because it rained. Our depleted barrels refilled (Hallelujah!), and because it rained for such a long time- I didn't have to haul buckets around! I felt like a bona fide, country farm hand this morning as I happily surveyed all of the rain that had soaked our soil overnight (while chewing a piece of straw I'd tucked into my denim overalls).
A year or so ago we installed the rain barrels in case of a natural disaster (tsunami, hurricane) or man-made disaster (our own impulsive Trump, crazy N. Korea's Kim, evil ISIS). Because we'd invested in so many fruit trees, organic fertilizers/pesticides/herbicides/fungicides, I hated to see it all go to waste without at least, a small fight. Having a modest supply of surplus water would at least extend the possibility of survival for us. I never would've imagined that five failing well pumps would be the first test run of our very basic survival system. I also never could have predicted that this would happen at a time that our garden is at the best shape it has ever been in. So many things have been growing lately- oranges, tangerines, lilikoi, green onions, basil, cilantro, corn and eggplant.
But I can appreciate this test run. I now know how about how long the water will last us if we just watered our existing, fruiting plants (a week and change with frugal use). We now also know how much gray water we can produce if water is still running (the equivalent of about three 5-gallon buckets/day? It also inspired us to remember the importance of drought-resistant foliage/shrubs (crotons, baby!), as well as to make plans to remove yet another section of lawn and replace it with a dwarf mango tree. Lawns may be pretty...but they sure aren't practical (since we're not exactly outdoor sports people) or Earth-friendly.
Switching gears a bit...last night was the fourth of July, so we left the homestead and hopped in our saddles for a ride to town for the annual parade/fireworks. We were with four of the kids (the fifth is in Japan), so that made it worth the crowds.
It's definitely no fun taking short showers, not to mention inconvenient and tiresome hauling out a dozen buckets of water around each day...but interestingly- I haven't felt that put out. Mostly I've felt industrious. Green. And grateful that we still have running water!
Last night was one of the most exciting I've had in a long time...because it rained. Our depleted barrels refilled (Hallelujah!), and because it rained for such a long time- I didn't have to haul buckets around! I felt like a bona fide, country farm hand this morning as I happily surveyed all of the rain that had soaked our soil overnight (while chewing a piece of straw I'd tucked into my denim overalls).
A year or so ago we installed the rain barrels in case of a natural disaster (tsunami, hurricane) or man-made disaster (our own impulsive Trump, crazy N. Korea's Kim, evil ISIS). Because we'd invested in so many fruit trees, organic fertilizers/pesticides/herbicides/fungicides, I hated to see it all go to waste without at least, a small fight. Having a modest supply of surplus water would at least extend the possibility of survival for us. I never would've imagined that five failing well pumps would be the first test run of our very basic survival system. I also never could have predicted that this would happen at a time that our garden is at the best shape it has ever been in. So many things have been growing lately- oranges, tangerines, lilikoi, green onions, basil, cilantro, corn and eggplant.
But I can appreciate this test run. I now know how about how long the water will last us if we just watered our existing, fruiting plants (a week and change with frugal use). We now also know how much gray water we can produce if water is still running (the equivalent of about three 5-gallon buckets/day? It also inspired us to remember the importance of drought-resistant foliage/shrubs (crotons, baby!), as well as to make plans to remove yet another section of lawn and replace it with a dwarf mango tree. Lawns may be pretty...but they sure aren't practical (since we're not exactly outdoor sports people) or Earth-friendly.
Switching gears a bit...last night was the fourth of July, so we left the homestead and hopped in our saddles for a ride to town for the annual parade/fireworks. We were with four of the kids (the fifth is in Japan), so that made it worth the crowds.
Happy Fourth, y'all.
This week has been a little different for us in that Rich has been getting up to work in the 4 o'clock hour, and I've had my two nieces with me for a couple of days (because my parents are sick). I will tell you that I clearly have amnesia, as I'd forgotten how hard it is to carry around an infant all day (and in the heat of summer!). Plus, I've never had the added challenge of also having to care for an active toddler. I truly don't know how mothers do it without going cuckoo. I had ZERO time to do anything other than care for the kids- forget about getting actual work done, cleaning up the mess, or cooking halfway decent meals. I have a thousand times more empathy for mothers who are in this situation. All I have energy to do at the end of each day is cry, suck my thumb and eat fistfuls of macadamia nuts. Mothers of multiples are truly selfless wonders (which is why I do not lump myself into that category). Today I had four children total (Ry's cousin was over too), so I learned that you *can* pee while carrying a baby if you need to! ;-) I know...many many women do this every single day, but I had 300% more children than I'm used to, and I am not a good multi-tasker.
So this week, I am grateful for:
- having nieces and nephews that add to the bounty of my life (since I'm too chicken to have had more than one)
- gorgeous fireworks shows (paid for by generous community donors)
- living in a free world/democracy
- free rain drops that fall from the sky
- not being born Amish and/or indoor plumbing/irrigation systems
A'men.
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