In the Footsteps of Rev. William Ellis was a musical program at Mission Houses. Andrea and I went with Joleen on Saturday, June 1.
Saturday morning I pruned and photographed this escambron bonsai while Andrea and Jolene did Zoom with Kilohana et al.
I photographed my bonsai bench in the front yard. Click the image to see the full resolution version.
I also repotted one of my kamani bonsai into a cement pot.
We arrived before 3:00 PM on Saturday to help set up.
Together the three of us set out nearly a hundred chairs.
Rehearsal.
After setup was complete we ate the chicken and rice food we brought.
We got seats in the front row. Photo by Andrea.
Metaphotography: taking the photo below, by Andrea.
Waiting for the show to start.
The opening oli.
The Reverend Ellis (Garrett Hols) watches a hula in 1823 on Hawai'i Island.
Greeting a visitor on the Big Island.
Beautiful hula. Video by Joan Rich.
Group photo of performers after the show.
Toru Suzuki Workshop Tree
I repotted my workshop juniper on Monday morning, June 3.
I put a sloping heap of potting soil in a round concrete growing pot.
I put the tree on top of the heap and then added soil to fill and watered it in.
The finished bonsai. It will be put into a fine Japanese bonsai pot in a couple of years.
Aikido Falling Class
Andrea had hula camp at MHC, so I went to falling class alone on Tuesday morning, June 4.
There is a small garden outside the dojo.
Setting up the mats.
Andrea at the hula camp with the stones for ʻili ʻili.
Tuesday afternoon I had my Zoom Writing Circle (by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) summer 2024 session.
Manoa Heritage Center Tour
On Wednesday afternoon, June 5, I gave a tour at MHC. Andrea had hula camp there most of the day, so I took some pictures of them.
Andrea took this photo of hula camp in the morning.
Jenny and Keala show how to twist a kaula.
They were finishing up lunch when I got there just after one.
Getting ready to reconvene.
The tour was for a woman and two keiki.
A lesson was underway when we got back.
Flying the flag on Thursday, June 6th, 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Normandy Invasion to liberate Europe.
Andrea at hula camp with keiki.
Andrea's Birthday
We held Andrea's birthday party a day early on Saturday evening, June 8th.
After Joan gave Andrea a lei, Andrea gave me a lei. Video by Joan Rich.
Happily attacking the bread. Photo by Joan Rich.
Carl and Andrea played together as children. Photo by Joan Rich.
I gave a lei to Laurel. Photo by Joan Rich.
And a lei for Randy, too. Photo by Joan Rich.
Andrea made yarn lei for everyone. Photo by Joan Rich.
Slava brought his copy of The Zombie Philosopher for me to sign for him. Photo by Joan Rich.
There was some discussion of the possibility of lychee this year. Photo by Joan Rich.
Andrea got a chance to relax with friends. Photo by Joan Rich.
Simina brought the beautiful chocolate cake. Photo by Joan Rich.
Randy and Gary observe from a distance.
The T-formation arrangement of tables seemed to work well.
Gary took this picture with my personal device.
Many conversations.
Everyone enjoyed the calm weather for the evening with a gentle breeze.
Three gentlemen: Matt, Gary, and Randy.
Andrea is ready with the knife while I got the candles from the kitchen. Photo by Simina.
Ready to start lighting the candles. Careful with that knife, Andrea. Photo by Simina.
Each candle is a decade. Two decades. Photo by Simina.
Four lit, four life highlight descriptions. Photo by Simina.
I led the singing of Happy Birthday. Video by Joan Rich.
Ready to blow them out. Photo by Simina.
I'm getting ready to take the photo. Photo by Simina.
Blowing them out. Photo by Simina.
Andrea got ready to cut the cake. Everybody got a piece.
Caroline and Bill came as it was getting dark. Photo by Joan Rich.
Slava returned with a second cake and it was all consumed too. Video by Joan Rich.
All the way from Texas, a center of the universe sign for Andrea. Photo by Joan Rich.
Hula Practice at Kilohana's House
Sunday the 9th, Andrea's actual birthday, we drove to Kilohana's house in Manoa for halau hula practice.
Today's practice was a dress rehearsal for next Thursday's performance.
Getting some last minute instructions from Kumu. They were marvelous.
Afterward we drove to the Honolulu Museum of Art and saw the Aloha Fashion display.
We attended the talk on Micronesia in the Doris Duke Theater in the museum.
We had lunch in the HoMA Cafe. The pesto BLTs were excellent.
Hula Camp at the Manoa Heritage Center
Andrea, with her halau, continued hula camp for keiki and adults at the MHC on Monday, June 10.
Andrea and Pat have the same birthday, so cake for both. Photo by Joan.
Yum. Photo by Joan.
Lei for the birthday girls with Kumu Hula Kilohana. Photo by Joan.
Fest Pac
On Tuesday, June 11, Andrea and I went to our falling class at the Japanese Cultural Center and then on to Fest Pac, Festival of the
Pacific, at the Convention Center. Entry was free and we parked at Ala Moana Shopping center and walked over.
We came in the back gate of the Japanese Cultural Center and helped set out the mats.
After the first falling class and before the second at 10:00 AM. We did backward and forward falls from standing.
The dramatic looking entry to Fest Pac on the main floor of the Hawaii Convention Center.
Each of the island groups had its own hale built for the occasion from invasive wood.
Entertainment appeared to be continuous.
We went to the rooms on the third floor too.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society had a booth.
Lots of great art. Click the image to see a full resolution version.
Photo by Andrea. We looked around upstairs some more then went down the long escalator, walked to Ala Moana Shopping Center, and drove home.
Hula Halau at Keeping History Above Water: Pacific Workshop at the Doubletree Hotel in Waikīkī
On Thursday, June 13, Andrea and I went with her halau to the History Above Water workshop at the Doubletree Hotel in Waikīkī
to perform hula. We had lunch afterward and stayed to hear Sam Gon's panel discussion on preserving island cultures in the face
of rising sea levels.
Andrea fixed eggs Benedict for our anniversary breakfast. We got a new toaster and a box of chocolates from the anniversary fairy.
Jill picked Joleen and us up in her metalflake red CRV and drove us to the Doubletree Hotel.
I tested the video recording mode of my Samsung phone with this ten second video while waiting for the rest of the halau to come.
The conference was in session while we waited for the time to perform.
My five minute video of Halau Hula o Mānoa with Kumu Kilohana performing with ka ʻeke ʻeke ohe.
We went down to the Hiking Cafe on the ground floor of the hotel for lunch.
People ordered and then came to the table to be served.
The whole halau. Jill and Joleen went around the corner and bought champagne.
The Pikake room filled up as the time for Sam Gon's panel discussion approached.
Sam led the discussion on preserving heritage.
The audience was attentive. Andrea and I took a nap when we got home.
I made a separate page for the
Above Water
photos and videos.
Anniversary Dinner at Roy's in Hawaii Kai
June 13th was our 43rd wedding anniversary. I had made a reservation for a table outside at 6:15 PM at Roy's and we arrived
right on time.
We both had Roy's Old Fashioneds. Delicious.
Cheers! Photo by Andrea.
Brandon, our waiter, took this one.
We had a special anniversary dessert. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution photo.
Close-up of the dessert.
Friday morning, June 14, I set up and tested the new toaster for our anniversary.
June 14 is Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of our flag in 1777.
On Friday the 14th, Andrea volunteered at Mission Houses and brought home volunteer gifts for us including this volunteer award certificate.
She got one too. We also got enameled metal cups and a sample printing from the press.
Father's Day
Father's Day was Sunday the 16th. Had a light breakfast. Andrea and I cut palm fronds. I did a full workout: dumbell raises, five dead lifts,
ten presses, ten curls, and five pull-ups.
The Father's Day Fairy brought a pop-up card and several specialty made in Hawaii chocolate bars. Photo by Andrea.
They came with a nice aloha bag. Photo by Andrea.
Four different chocolate bars. Photo by Andrea.
During lunch I discovered the fanfare music button on the pop-up card. Video by Andrea.
In the afternoon a water lily fully opened. Photo by Andrea.
Andrea and I both went to falling class on Tuesday, June 18, the last of eight classes.
The first thing is to set up the mats.
Before lunch I had my first How to Get a Literary Agent Zoom class (by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) summer 2024 session.
Tuesday afternoon I had my second Zoom Writing Circle (by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) summer 2024 session but I didn't get a screen shot.
We saw these stratocumulus clouds on our walk on our Wednesday morning walk, Juneteenth. Photo by Andrea.
Andrea with her halau on Wednesday. Photo posted by Kilohana on Facebook.
The S & P five hundred has been soaring along at all time highs this month.
The Hawaii Bonsai Association for our July show, at a new venue this year.
Ke Kani o ke Kai
Andrea and I went to the only concert this year at the Waikiki Aquarium, Ke Kani o ke Kai (The Sound of the Sea).
The flyer for the event.
We arrived early and were joined by Hope, Jill, Trevor, and Jolene at the head of the line.
The halau that won Merrie Monarch overall performed hula.
Photo by Andrea.
Anthony Pfluke. Photo by Andrea.
A group of five young men called Crossing Rain performed song and dance routines. Photo by Andrea.
The space was packed.
View from behind the hedge.
Selfie by Andrea.
Crossing Rain at the signing table at intermission. Photo by Andrea.
The boy band was swarmed by girls.
Bobby and company kani ka pila.
Life in Aina Haina
Between special events, life goes on in the Wailupe Valley.
Andrea took this great photo on a walk in the valley on Saturday the 22nd at mid-morning.
I had my Zoom philosophy meetup on Sunday afternoon.
Monday we went for haircuts at the Manoa Supercuts, then I got my blood drawn for my upcoming meeting with my oncologis, and we had lunch at
California Pizza Kitchen. We both had salads. The blood test showed continued absence of prostate cancer.
Tuesday morning I completed a 500 day streak in Dualingo Hawaiian.
Later Tuesday morning I had my Zoom OLLI class on getting an agent and getting published.
Tuesday afternoon I had a tour at the Manoa Heritage Center. A person on the tour took my photo.
Sunset Seminar at the Kahala Hotel
Tuesday evening, June 26, the seminar was "Growing Up Fast: A Land-Based Coral Nursery for Restoring Hawaiian Reefs"
by Samara Neufeld, Coral Restoration Technician at the Division of Aquatic Resources Hawai‘i Coral Restoration Nursery.
Andrea and I stopped on the spiral staircase for a selfie with the orchid wall. We made our way past the humans swimming pool to the Sunrise Cafe.
Alex from Malama Maunalua, in the blue shirt, was there, and gave me the high sign.
Andrea took this photo of me taking the photo above.
Alex came by our table and said hi to Andrea.
Teresa, a member of my OLLI Writing Circle, was there with her friends.
The outdoor screen was a little hard to see.
The audience filled the space. Click the image to see the full resolution version.
Samara gave a great and informative talk about how coral is bred in tanks and then planted out to repair reefs.
The screen became a little easier to read as the sun went down.
Granddaughter Lilli in a swim meet in Virginia on Thursday. Photo by Malia.
Andrea performed with her halau at the Huapala Senior Care hula show on Thursday, the 27th.
Oʻahu Cemetary Pupu Theatre "How Sweet it Is"
Friday evening, June 28, Andrea and I went to one of the several performances of Oʻahu Cemetary Pupu Theatre "How Sweet it Is", with the theme
of sugar growing in Hawaiʻi. The five lives portrayed mostly near their tombstones were Baldwin, Campbell, Cummins, Ladd, and a 1920 sugar striker.
The periodic event was put on by the
Hawaiian Mission Houses Museum.
Exploring the cemetary before the event which included a bento and two complimentary drinks.
There was a good turnout at the starting point of the Oʻahu Cemetary chapel.
The photo Andrea was taking above.
We were in the orange lei group and started with number two, Henry P. Baldwin. Andrea made the five colored lei for the Mission Houses.
Nearly ready for the James Campbell performace. Guide Sabrina is wearing the orange lei to identify our group.
Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com