TUESDAY'S TEXTURE 072710

This is a detail of the Mulch that we make. Each time we trim the smaller plants and branches, we cut it up, collect it in a large barrel and use it to spread around new plantings to help keep the soil most, to prevent weeds from coming up as well as acting as erosion control.

TUESDAY'S TEXTURE 072010

We are a little behind on TT postings, but we've been a little swamped here at CFC.
Last week the TT post was non-existent and today's is just late. Hopefully this extended TT post will make up for it.

What you see here is the Kalanchoe Beharensis or Elephant's ear Kalanchoe. We have a few of these growing in the yard and the prehistoric looking stalks are spiked and resemble a very tough resin.

The adult plant in bloom

The small flower which bears no scent.

New sprout after flowering.

A small portion of the stalk.

KISS MY GRITS

I have been looking for these since we moved to Maui 3 years ago. Sure we have polenta on the island but I have never been able to find Grits. I just happened to look up while I was browsing the candy aisle in K-Mart the other day and there they were.  THE CANDY AISLE? REALLY? Can't wait to whip up a batch.

I like mine with salt, butter, lots of pepper and a little sugar.  Sometimes just cheese, salt and pepper will do. How about you? How do you like your grits... other than kissed?

UP-GREYED

Our old car was named Amy after Amy Sedaris...
this one is named Jerri in honor of her Strangers with Candy character, Jerri Blank.

John and I had lightly discussed trading in our car for a new one but never really did much about it. One day we were leaving Costco and I just happened to pick up a brochure on their Auto Program. John came home and reviewed it online, typed in our info and bam.. we got an e-mail from the Island Honda Dealer. We let them know what we wanted... something with a few more bells and whistles but not super fancy. This Wednesday we got a call saying they just received this brand new Charcoal Grey (or as they call it Polished Metal Metallic) Element in. We had an appointment in town on Thursday afternoon so stopped in and took it for a test drive.

There was nothing really wrong with our Blue Version but we thought let's just see what kind of numbers they come back with. The trade in value was quite a bit more than what we owed on the blue one and with the Costco deal as well as lower interest we ended up driving home in a new car with a lot of fun features. All for a much lower monthly payment.

See, you just never know how much money you can save by just stopping in and asking a few questions.

TUESDAY'S TEXTURE 070610

Tree Bark

LOCAL WRAPPERS

I finally got around to scanning these two wonderfully retro pieces that have been laying around the office for almost a month now. The top is from one of our local bakeries that is just as stuck back in time as this label suggests. Komoda's has the distinction of being one of the oldest businesses in Makawao center. They used to cater to the GI"s back in the 40s when there were base camps set up all over upcountry Maui. You have to get there early if you want one of their delicious long johns or conn's favorite, the coconut danish. And when I say they are stuck back in time, I mean that in a good way. There are fewer and fewer places like this in the islands that are "living history" and have a certain charm in their no frills way of doing things.

The Ono Cones box is a great display of late 60s typography and the layered silhouetted background "landscape" is so simple and we love the colors. Unfortunately, it's ruined by what seems to be a haphazard addition of the pink "Sugar Cones" box. Which, by the way, is set in squished type... Typesetting design rule: don't squish type! Use a condensed font that is designed to be used in tight areas. And especially don't squish a serif font. How about the "12", fancy right?