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grass, it is truly a piece of paradise. It is up in the mountains
where the air is cool and the trade-winds blow, yet only fifteen
minutes from the best beaches in the world. It also has some
of the nicest
people. “Lucky we live Waimea”, we often tell each
other.
We live right “down town” in what we call “the
compound”. On one side is our house and on the
other that of my parents, Mary and Oiva Koski, with the
garden in between. We designed and built them using as
much sweat equity as money. Our children were only 3
and 7 when we moved in, and my Grandmother was still
alive and living with my parents. We have been here over
15 years and over time our garden has been nurtured and
encouraged until it is a delight to all who come through
our gate. The big yard is shaded by a huge olive tree
that drapes its branches like a willow and dapples the
grass with shadows. The back left corner is filled with
an ancient jacaranda, that turns lavender for three months
a year. We have a Tahitian lime tree that produces fruit
year round and friends often stop by to pick a bag as
we can only use so many.
We have a big round table in the middle of the yard
under the olive where my father teaches “Quality
Loitering.” He says he’s learned it from
the cats. That table is often a gathering place. When
one of us goes out with a cup of coffee it doesn’t
take many minutes before we are all out there, including
the cats. We all enjoy a break and a chat in the shade
of the tree surrounded by all the flowers.
My mother and I share a studio, which is a big room
at the top of her house sporting to many peoples surprise,
a cream colored rug. She says it helps to keep us neat.
It is wonderful to be able to work together. She is
a great inspiration, as well as a great artist, and
I have to scramble to keep up with her. In fact, I
gave up years ago. She can out-paint me any day.
Our daughter, Megan, who is now 22, lives in Stockholm
where she works for a major fashion house. Our son,
Kris, is off to Vancouver, BC for a while, so all our
closet space now belongs to me (you have to look for
the bright spots where you find them). My husband,
Bertil, one of the world’s nicest men, was the
curator for the Historic Homes and Art Collection of
Parker Ranch. Many people know him as he greeted over
250,000 people in his thirteen years there. He retired
about three years ago to pursue our e-commerce business.
It is wonderful to have him home with me full time.
We are truly blessed.
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