Happy New Year!

This morning, we headed up to the wilds of the Ko'olau mountains (off of old Pali highway) to gather some good luck bamboo and evergreen for a traditional Japanese Kadomatsu or "gate pine". The arrangement is supposed to be placed at the entry way of the home to bring in good luck, strength, and fortune in the New Year. Since they can cost a pretty penny (anywhere from $25-$200), we decided that in order to bring in a brand new decade in true Barron/Garbisch style, it would be a great idea to make our own!

Here are dad and Will leading the way down the bamboo path where we harvested our plants. Mom and I met a mongoose and several million mosquitoes along the way...small price to pay for good luck.
Above are some sweet smelling ginger flowers at our front door to bring in some sweetness to our home this next year. Not a Japanese tradition by any means, but sounded good to us!
Here are the three kadomatsu just barely started...one for mom, Nick and us.

And here is our finished kadomatsu at our front door (the orange is from our tree out back and represents wealth and prosperity). We hope it brings good luck to us and to all of you in this new year! Have a wonderful 2010!!