Just another day in paradise

I took a ride out to the North Shore this morning with Nico. Checking out another shave Ice stand for my "Holo Holo" blog. It was out in the middle of nowhere and right across the street from the beach area called Sharks Cove  Nico nocked his shave ice over again. That's the second time this week he's done that. I think he is getting tired of testing shave ice stands with me.

I had their Grilled Ahi with Teriyaki Sauce and Pico de Gallo over it. Delicious. We took the food over to the other side of the road to watch the waves.

This is what you see from the shave ice stand

As I sat on a large rock and Nico walked around taking his own set of photos I enjoyed my food. Nico was too busy picking up plants, rocks and the run of the mill treasures on the ground. He was to intrigued to eat. 

I started snapping photos from where I sat and could not stop. The beauty of the ocean was like popcorn. Once you take a photo you just can't stop. 

It's just water but throw in a little foam and it becomes mesmerizing 

From blue to blue

As I look at the ocean I ask myself, Why do I find it so hard to do this? I must leave the house more often

The waves just kept coming

It was like a step back in time

Then Nico got into the picture. He was pulling up a long piece of grass

Then you turn around from the ocean and this is what you see. Reality. But if you look on the top of the mountain you can see a big estate. That was once owned by Elvis Presley 

Time to go and thankfully we head away from the traffic that is now backing up

We pass the Dole Pineapple Fields as we head to Wahiawa where I am going to go to the egg farm to get some eggs

We drive down the street appropriately named Palm Avenue

We pass a cherry blossom just coming into bloom

And we head down the road that leads to the egg farm

The Egg Farm

Then it's home again, home again, jiggity jig

Had a grand day, Max was waiting at the door and Nico then went off to his other grandma's to get the ants out of his pants. I took a long nap.

GRASSES, FLOWERS AND TREES, OH MY

Gently, an herbarium sheet of the Perrottetia sandwicensis or the olomea plant is opened before me.  I’m looking at more then just a plant. I am looking at a plant that was gathered in 1779 by David Nelson. Nelson traveled on the Discovery, the ship that accompanied the Resolution, commanded by none other than Captain James Cook, to the islands of Hawai’i. This would be Captain Cooks third and last voyage as he was killed on the island of Hawaii. On board the Resolution, as Cook’s sailing Master, was the infamous William Bligh, whom Nelson would later accompany, on the ill fated Bounty, to care for 600 Breadfruit plants.

Whipping out my camera, I ask tentatively If I can photograph the sheet. I want to photograph this little slice of history if only to vicariously touch this person and his experience at that point in time.

Perrottetia sandwicensis called olomea

 I am at the Herbarium Pacificum at Bishop Museum. Clyde Imada, a Research Specialist in the Botany Division of the Natural Sciences Department, is my guide. Hearing of of a project that the Botany Division is planning, I’ve come to find out what it is all about

         

Clyde Imada amongst his mounted plants

Clyde appears to be quiet and unassuming but his sense of humor peaks when he tells his wife Pumehana (who works in the Vertebrate Zoology Division) that I am here to interview him for the National Geographic. His enthusiasm shows as he introduces me to dried mounted plants, explaining about the types of makaloa, a sedge that grows on the islands. He shows me the sedge called kohekohe, deep red at the base, used to create designs on the famous Ni’ihau mats.  I see plants preserved in jars, photos of plants as they looked before drying and a wonderful wooden box, called Box Lamott, that was made specifically to hold mounted ferns. 

Box Lamott 

Clyde smiled when he told me that he did not especially like to garden. He liked to hike and identify plants. I thought this was odd but he soon explained the difference between a horticulturist and a botanist.

Clyde first got his degrees in cartography at the University of Hawai’i. Then he went back and got a second degree in horticultural technology. He has been at the Herbarium Pacificum for 25 years.

The Department of Natural Sciences was recently given funding for a project that will bring the Museum from the inside to the outside, so to speak. Through the Education through Cultural and Historic Organization (ECHO), Allen Allison (Vice President, Sciences)has conceived a program in which the majority of plants on the grounds will eventually be replaced with native and canoe plants. 

Clyde and Napua Harbottle (Collections Manager, Botany) are in the process of working on themes that would incorporate plants and Hawaiian cultural and natural history.  Among the host of plants that might be included, mamake was used medicinally and for bark cloth, and is the host plant for our native Kamehameha butterfly;  makaloa, used to weave fine mats; a restored kalo lo’I; or even a grove of wauke that could be tended for kapa-beating classes at the Museum.  Many plants could fill the grounds that would complete the authenticity of the museum. 

The plan at this time is to start on Phase 1, which will commence near Hale ‘Ikehu. It was even suggested that the Hale might be converted into a classroom to be used to teach how to use these plants as the Hawaiians did in their everyday life.

One of the ECHO requirements is that the vender chosen to do the job must be willing to participate in a internship in which high school and college-aged students will be able to participate in planning all stages of the landscaping. This is to be a community participation project.

This first stage of the program will have to prove viable to continue to receiving funding from ECHO. It is hoped that groundbreaking will begin sometime in late January or early February 2010.

Clyde expressed a hope that the community might embrace the opportunity to actively participate in bringing this project to fruition. Volunteers will be needed to help to clear the project area, plant, weed, and create signage and a self-guided garden tour brochure.  Once the landscaping is installed, there will also be a need for people who might want to adopt an area and help to maintain it. 

The environment for the kanaka maoli is just as much an artifact as what is contained in the museum. An immense part of their life was dependent on what they grew or harvested from the native landscape: Food containers, clothing, household objects, fishing and hunting equipment, weapons, medicine and of course food. In the Museum all that is shown can be connected to all that is grown.

This project will add so much more to our garden tour and to the museum. Maybe we can even plant the olomea and add the story of the Discovery to tell our visitors.

Sometimes you Win

After sewing for two months straight, the day finely arrived for the craft fair. My wonderful daughter got up early with me and headed out to Haleiwa where she helped to set up my table and display. Nico was with us anticipating all kinds of adventures and meeting of new friends. Poor little guy, little did he realize that, he would be sitting in a chair playing his DS pretty much the whole time.

As I parked my car after Chris and I had unloaded everything to our assigned spot I could not but help to be impressed with the beautiful colors that lit over the tent where everyone's displays were. Even the dirt had a nice color to it.
Chris started in organizing the table, pinning the hanging Santa's up front, putting the pumpkin dolls off to one side and then hanging the angels to the tree. If you click on the photo it will give you a better look.

I had to but look as she went to work. She was on a mission and had a plan in her head and I only needed to step back and keep out of her way. I don't often do craft fairs but I must admit I really am happy that she comes along and helps me out as I am always at a total loss when it comes to setting up.

So while she worked and Nico played his DS I decided to see what was going on around the grounds.
I came upon these church members getting ready to uncover an imu. You can see the steam coming out of the underground oven that they had made to make kalua or roast pig. These were mats on top of the imu that were spread over banana leaves.
Here you can see the banana leaf up close as the steam rises out of the ground.
Once the banana leaves were removed there was a wired mesh that you can see here that was covering the pig that was wrapped in tin foil. This is more of the modern way of roasting a pig. In actuality these are pork butts that have been wrapped in tin foil unlike the traditional pig that you would see whole in the ground at this point.
And of course you know what these are but I just loved the looks of this bunch of bananas. Who does not associate the fruit with Hawaii? So I thought I would just throw that in.

After walking around I went back to my booth and got down to the business of the fair. It was held at Queen Liliuokalani church. Named for the last ruling monarch in Hawaii who used to visit the church whenever she came out to stay at the hotel in the area. The tent was set way back from the main busy road in this tourist town and though they had signs out in front very few people came into the fair.

The Church had put a lot into the fair, having The Royal Hawaiian Band play, singing and hula. But it was not enough. Maybe if the fair had been in the large area in front of the church where they had an antique car display it would have been visible from the road and perhaps there would have been more walk in traffic.

The two venders that I spoke to did not do well. Nor did I. But I will say, the venders who did do well were the ones with the food. And I think that I spent most of my money in their booths. I did sell a few dolls in the end but not enough to make a dent in the mass that I had sewn.

All was not lost. Again I was able to take photos, such as this one, of this adorable little girl waiting for her turn to go on stage and do her dance. They start training very young and are impressive to watch.

And the older ones are just as impressive and graceful. So I went home with just about as much as I had come with. But I have other orders that I can fill from this stock and the rest will go on to the children at Kapiolani Hospital. As always when I do a craft fair I do it with these children in mind. If I don't sew for the fair I sew for them. It's a win, win situation.

I Pledge Allegiance

On 9/11 our Nation was in distress. We had been attacked without even being aware that we were under siege. A total surprise. But our flag was still standing. 

Hawaii awoke in the early morning to the news and like the rest of the world we watched as the events played out live on our televisions. As the week wore on Flags began to appear on the back windows of trucks, waving from antennas and pinned to clothing. Though the United States flag was not upside down our nation was, indeed, in distress.

 I am reminded during Hawaii's 50th statehood celebration of a time when Hawaiians too started to display their flag as a nation under siege. Store bought flags and little pins created to take advantage of ones patriotism during 9/11 were easy enough to attain. But I am not sure how many quilts were created in display of one's love for their country.

The quilt that is shown above is one of the treasures of "The Bishop Museum." It once belonged to Hawaii's last Queen, Liliuokalani, who was dethroned by US big business. In the late 1800's Hawaiians realized that their islands were slipping out of their hands. Quilts, such as the one above started to appear. 

 People started hanging quilts on four posters above beds so that they could say they  slept and awoke under their flag. 

If you notice on the quilt, the four outer flags display an intact canton. But the inside flags show the canton upside down. This particular quilt was sewn during a time when the queen had been imprisoned and the Hawaiian flag was forbidden to fly by the Provisional Government that had taken over the islands. 

Now if you were one of the flag waving Americans that appeared as the Towers went down you well know the feeling of someone trying to take away your country. This is exactly what the Hawaiian people felt as they stood powerless against a crafty, cunning and scheming group of men who had successfully managed to overthrow their Queen. 

The Hawaiian people never wanted to be annexed but for the wishes of their Queen they did not rebel. They remained peaceful and ever hopeful that the islands would be returned back to their Queen. But President McKinley  signed the Annexation Treaty and  although ordered to revert to her married name of Lydia Dominis, she was still the Queen to her people and together they protested the Annexation.

In this day of sound bites, and spinning the news, when you see people of Hawaii talking about the delightfulness of becoming part of the United States,  ask yourself just who are these people and would the Hawaiians rather be pledging their allegiance to their own flag as  their quilts indicated or did they truly want to become americans as the spin doctors of the provisional government contested?

If you would like to read more check out http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Queen_Liliuokalani#Republic_of_Hawaii_is_established

Madeline Awong's Mango Bread

Whistling from the kitchen a tuneless song, my mother in law would happily cook and bake. I remember the Portuguese soup with lots of kale, baking with large chunks of fruit inside her upside down pineapple cake and brown mango bread with large pieces of orange mango to contrast. 

In her memory I would like to share this recipe for Mango Bread. I believe the secret to its greatness was the fact that she never diced the mangoes but crushed them so that with each bite you would get a wonderful taste of the fruit. 

Mango Bread

2 C flour sifted

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup sugar

Mix and form a well in center

add

3 well beaten eggs

3/4 Cup oil

2 Cup Mangos mashed

1 tsp vanilla

Nuts and raisins are optional

Mix and pour into greased pan and Bake at 325 for 1 hour

No Fun in the Sun

Double click photos for closer look

I promised Nico that I would take him to the beach. So we left Kunia and headed for Haleiwa on the North shore. The traffic was bad and I could not pull over to take photos so I just stuck my camera in the window as I drove along and snapped. This is us heading into Haleiwa town. 

Nico kept watch on the weather out his side of the window on the right of the car. “Grandma it’s not raining on my side, it’s only raining on yours” he said with hopes that it would be clear when we arrived at the beach.

We passed the Golden arches of McDonald’s which was arch-less due to the towns prohibiting them from putting it up so that the fast food joint would not look out of style with the town. That was the only way they would allow the restaurant to open. 

We passed the Market place where my favorite clothing store is, Silver Moon and Cholos a good place to have Mexican food. And the sun was still on Nico’s side of the car but just barely. 

Then we arrived at the beach. The sun was shining above so Nico and I made it down to the Sand. I did not take my camera down there so use your imagination. I did not want to take the chance that I would get sand in it. 

Now Nico was only to walk and collect shells on the beach so I did not bring him a change of cloths and towel. But he begged to just put his feet in the water. My reason for not wanting to take him into the water was, 10 years ago with my son;s boy, Alex we went to the beach when he was just a year old. The water was calm while we let the waves role up and lap around our feet. A rouge wave came up and I had no option but to life Alex up and while in my arms turn my back on the wave so as to not let it hit him in the face. It lifted us both up as I held on to him and just dropped us flat on my rear end. I’ve had a messed up back since then. 

I am so afraid of it happening to me with Nico I just won’t take him in. I have to go to a beach where there is no wave action. But this beach does have waves. Well anyway. Nico decide to just jump in the air while we are wading and lands flat into the water and is now all wet. 

So I had to let him play in the san in hopes that the sun would dry him off so we could go home. As luck would have it the cloud from my side of the car caught up with us and it rained. 

Trudging up the beach with a very unhappy Nico, we headed for the car.

I took one last photo of the boat harbor before the clouds burst and off we went

As you can see my cloud connected with Nico’s cloud and this was the result.  

I thought I would go down a road I had never gone down and It was quite nice in a country sort of way.

This was the view from the road.

And this was one of the houses on the raod. The only thing that would make Nico happy was to know that he was going to get a treat. I took him to Zippy' in Wahiawa, bought him a cream puff and lunch. Of course Lunch was to be eaten first . This was implemented after much arguing.  

And here is Nico in the restaurant happily waiting for his macaroni and Cheese while he colored. Thank goodness it rained on both sides of the car on the way home or I would have had him arguing to get back to the beach again. 

Please Don't Respect Me

Please Don’t Respect Me

I’m turning gray. No, I am gray with a topping of died hair that is turning gray again. I try to look dignified as my hip catches while getting out of a chair. While walking, I try to stand as tall as I can to take the pressure off my messed up knee so I don’t limp. Walking in heels is out of the question because I fall in the most public of places.

In other words, I’m getting old. I’ve reached the years of used to be. I used to be able to bike a hundred miles, I used to run, I used to jump and skip. I used to be young.

Now this isn’t a complaint. I’m fine where I’m at in time. I just think I don’t want respect.

Here in Hawaii, respect is a big part of the culture. You never go to someone’s home without taking some kind of offering, be it fruit, cooked food or dessert. This is showing respect for the other person’s hospitality. You always take off your shoes before entering their house and you never return from a trip without bringing gifts back for family and friends.

Children are taught from infancy to call adults, Aunty or Uncle. That is showing respect. The little children may not know who you are but they will always address you properly.

Often I’ve heard people who visit the islands comment when addressed as such by a wide-eyed, big grinning, gap toothed child. “Don’t call me that! I’m not your aunt.” It always seems to be women who complain. They’ve come here to enjoy the “Aloha spirit” and culture and right off the bat they interject their own culture. No respect!

For me, I loved it. I felt that my relatives were increasing and I was accepted in the islands. There aren’t as many “locals” as there used to be. There are more immigrants then people born here it seems. Large populations of military, tourist and investors have had a big affect on the Hawaiian culture.

Nobody leaves bags of mangos on their yard wall for any passerby to help himself or herself to. Rarely is anyone given a lei upon arrival to the islands, and it is the exception more then the rule to hear “Hi Aunty” from a little child.

Now I hear “Thank you Miss Karen” more then not. How did the South creep in?

Getting back to the old bones and falling down problems I mentioned. I say I’m fine at being on the autumn side of my life but maybe I don’t want to be reminded of it. When I was a young adult I loved being “Aunty” and I absolutely love to be aunt Karen to my nieces and nephews.

But there is another type of respect shown by the young adults I didn’t mention. Young adults always address those heading into their senior years as Aunty or Uncle also. The first time it happened to me I felt mixed emotions. Wonderful, this young man probably in his late 20’s, thinks of me as a local. Then my heart sank. I’m an old lady. He was showing me the ultimate respect that you would show someone of my age. Was I that old?

I’ve since been addressed as Aunty many times. Even the waitress who is my age! Addresses me as Aunty. But there is one more sign of respect to come Oh lord; I hope it won’t come for a long time. Though I am a grandmother I just don’t want to hear it.

Tutu. A very respectful name indeed for those heading down the geriatric road. It means Grandma, great grandma, old indeed. I’ll never need a calendar to tell me how old I am or look, as long as there are well brought up local children. I just wish I wasn’t’ so worthy of their respect.