Saturday, January 30, 2021

Hawaiian Avocado


Pictured above are five smooth skinned Fuerte avocados and one smaller deep green Sharwil avocado -- all from our yard.  Our Fuerte tree is mature and we've been eating Fuertes now for more than a month.  Our Kona Sharwil tree, though, was only planted a few years old and the fruit above is the first I've picked from the tree. That makes today a big day.

I am calling the Sharwil my Hawaiian avocado because the Sharwil avocado is what is primarily grown in Hawaii as a commercial avocado crop.  It is reported to be high in oil content and is "considered by some to be the worlds best" avocado.  One site says that USDA restrictions prevent shipping the avocado to the mainland for sale.   But, a Big Island grower says restrictions lifted in 2018 and they do ship Sharwils to mainland US.  Either way, I'm growing one here.

The Kona part of the name I get.  But "Sharwil?"  Apparently the avocado variety was first developed in Australia by Mssrs. Sharp and Williams -- hence the avocado name of "Sharwil."  Kind of disappointing to me.  I was hoping maybe it was a reference to Hawaiian royalty.

I haven't actually tasted a Sharwil yet.  The fruit pictured above is the first I've picked from our tree. Can't wait for it to ripen. 

Our Kona Sharwil tree has had some challenges.  Our Reed and Fuerte trees have done OK with days where we have unusually hot (116 a couple years ago) or cold (in the 30's for us).  However, the Sharwil is bit more delicate than those trees and two years ago it got badly burned.   It seems healthy now and I hope we get a bit more growth this year.  I planted the Sharwil and Reed at the same time and the Sharwil is now maybe a third the size of the Reed.  



  

Monday, January 25, 2021

New Years Eve - 2021


Like everything else, New Years was different this year.  On a typical New Years Eve, the day includes a visit to the Rose Bowl, to watch float decorating and enjoy all the preparations for the game and parade.  This year there was no parade and no game. New Years Eve could have been any other day of the year.  I saw a few tourists that were noticeable for their out of state school gear.  Otherwise, all I saw were the  normal joggers, walkers, bikers, and skateboarders. It was a beautiful sunny day.

So, instead of negotiating the crowds to watch floats getting their final touches, I walked around the stadium with just a few others around.  Turns out the Rose Bowl is a great place for pubic art.  Now good public art is fantastic.  But, in my opinion, too often public art just is not very good.  The Keith Jackson statue at the Bowl entrance is very good especially for those of us who remember Jackson's announcing career and even, like me, hear his voice in our head.  But, the Jackie Robinson statue is extraordinary.  It is the unusual statue and display that is itself worth the trip to see.  The statue depicts Robinson in the uniform and gear he would have worn when he played football for PCC in1937-38.  Of course, he was a four sport star at both PCC and UCLA.