True Vine Farm, Kealakekua

(You may remember the tune "the little grass shack in Kealakekua Hawaii)?

I was born in California but wound up in Hilo, Hawaii around the end of 1978 after my folks sold the house I was raised in. Having turned a magical twenty, I packed my manically depressed, co-dependent self, (in addition to some nifty vices) and parted to the dryer side of the Big Island. I picked up a job as a waitress at the Kona Surf, during a temporary stay at the famous Manago Hotel in Captain Cook.
My life began to unravel pretty fast by then and it just seemed to careen out of control while my car ran out of gas one night. It died at the top of a mountain with a long scenic driveway. Nestled below, was a place called "True Vine Farm", a young Christian couple happen to been running in Kona at the time. They were producing a wide variety of both vegetables and fruit with over half of this acreage. I found the whole Island scene such a stark conrast from the smoggy fast paced city I was from.
There were a number of interesting folks living in what were basically shacks. But along with a breathtaking backdrop overlooking the entire Kona Coast, memorable sunsets went down on my uncertain life.

I crossed paths with many young people my age who appeared genuinely happy. They were always arriving further down the hill at YWAM (Youth With A Mission). There was an older hotel situated still further down in the the town of Kailua which housed many other Christians - whom they were affiliated with (pictured above).. I’m blondie on the far left.
They also happen to be running a restaurant (Tradewinds) next-door at the time, as well as holding services together on Sunday.
I can honestly say, they really reached out.. giving me employment while trying to point me in the right direction.

Kona hadn’t been built up just yet but changes were coming. Anyway, many transients came through True Vine and I of course was no exception. I sailed in carrying all my blues albums, make up, and a ton of nail polish!
I attended the Bible studies (part of the deal) and briefly stayed making some friends during a break up with my then boyfriend- until he poured sugar down my gas tank and I wound up pregnant before moving back in with him. Of course, that wasn't the end of the story...

Life really can pop up out of dead wood though-