Trip to Hilo Farmer's Market

This is taken from the parking lot of Hilo High School.  I was waiting for my son to finish his Math League meet.  The big tree in the background is a mango.  The smaller tree in the middle of the picture is a kukui. 

 This is the Pacific Tsunami Museum in downtown Hilo.  I have never been in it because it costs a lot!  However, the man who was the inspiration for it, Uncle Bob "Steamy" Chow has come to the school to talk about his memories of the two 20th century Tsunami several times.

 

This is purple sweet potato and kabocha pumpkin from the Market.  Yum! 

 This is lilikoi and papaya.  I want to take some of the seeds from the likikoi and plant them.  Lilikoi is also called Passion Fruit.

Orchids - no oncidium, so I didn't buy any.  Oncidium are my favorite orchids.  

 Hilo Bay and Coconut Palms.  There is a parking lot under the coconuts, so the county guys have to keep taking down the coconuts.  A coconut falling on your car is no joke. Right beyond the coconuts is the Bayfront Highway.  Every once in awhile, the highway gets closed for high surf.  It looks very flat and placid today, but the waves have gotten up to 25ft - and that wasn't a tsunami!  When the tsunami hit in 1946 and 1960, they went about a block further than I was standing when I took this.  In fact, there used to be stores past the coconuts, but they were all washed away.

In spite of whining about having to go down to town when I have so much work to do here, I thoroughly enjoyed myself in downtown Hilo while waiting for my 16 year old.  I went to the Farmer's Market and bought kabocha, Okinawan sweet potato, lettuce, papaya, lilikoi, persimmons, and green onions.  I visited a new book store and splurged on a new book for the eleven year old.  I actually spent $4 on a frappacino - which was 1/4 of what I spent on a week's worth of fruits and veggies.  I haven't had a store bought coffee in almost a year.  I visited Garden Exchange and bought diatomaceous earth.  I think I might get a better deal at a different store....have to look into it.  

Time to get gardening and baking - well, after I clean animal pens.  No farrier, so just as well I didn't lock in the horses anyway.