May 2025 Journal Photos
May Day Protest at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol
May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi, but this year Andrea and I went to the State Capitol to join the protest against Trumpian lawlessness.
We parked on Punchbowl Street and walked mauka to the capitol. Here we passed the original state library building, now the archives.
We turned left at Beretania and stood in front of the capitol building.
It's twenty minutes before the five o'clock start time and the crowd kept coming for the demonstration.
We met our friend Gary there and his friend took this photo.
I stood in the shade until the sun got lower. Photo by Andrea.
The crowd kept building.
Our friend Beth was there giving out "Replace Ed Case" bumper stickers. The Democrat stupidly voted with Republicans for the unnecessary SAVE Act
that "solves" a nonproblem and makes it harder for people to register to vote.
We waved at passing cars and got honks and shakas in return. That's Gary in the tie died t-shirt.
Dinner at Arden in Waikīkī
Andrea volunteered at the Mission Houses while I worked on bonsai on Friday, May 2nd. We had a dinner reservation at Arden in the Lotus Hotel
that evening.
Andrea photographed this manu o kū chick in a kukui tree at the Mission Houses.
Kirsty brought cocktails for us.
Andrea had kampachi (fish) and I had lamb, with brussels sprouts to share. Photo by Kirsty.
A view of the park. Photo by Kirsty.
Photo by Kirsty.
Cheers! Photo by Kirsty.
Saturday morning I renewed my membership in the Science Fiction Writers Association. One must be a published author to join.
Pearl City Bonsai Club Show in Nuʻuanu
Andrea and I attended the bonsai show on Saturday morning, May third. We arrived at half past nine and I was impressed by the large number
of members present in their purple club shirts. There were lots of plants, tools, and supplies for sale, and some great bonsai displays
around the perimeter.
Crowding of displays seems to be a problem at bonsai shows in Hawaiʻi. I realize that space is limited in all venues, but perhaps clubs should
begin prioritizing quality of display over quantity. Critiques presented below are for displays that seemed to me to stand out and are in the spirit
of improvement, in which spirit I hope they are taken.
A good turnout with many helpful members. Andrea and I were impressed with the traffic directors in the grassy parking area in front of the church.
Several tables were dedicated to suiseki (videwing stone) display, a good addition to any exhibit.
A well developed jade tree moyogi in a nice Chinese pot. Critique: The tree is shown with wire on. The apex is slightly to the left of the base.
The pot is off-center on the dai. The slab dai is appropriate to the bonsai. The accent plant is too close to the bonsai. The pot is oiled and
burnished nicely.
Butonwood chokan (formal upright). Critique: Good branch placement but the tree does not appear to have a back branch. The accent plant is too small
for the scale of the bonsai, and needs its own separate dai. There is inexplicable blue tape on the dai. The pot is marred with tape residue. The
pot is slightly undersized and appears not to have been oiled and burnished.
A beautiful starflower moyogi. Good branch placement and the apex is over the base. The right sized accent is too close to the bonsai and should, perhaps,
be on the other side to better suggest the movement of the tree, which would also accord with the tree placement in the right side of the pot. The glazed
pot is of good size, shape, and color, but the pot should be centered on the dai.
I was well impressed with this formal upright. Critique: Good nebari. The tree may be better placed slightly more to the left of center in the pot, which is
the right size and shape. The pot appears wet with oil and would benefit from burnishing with a dry cloth. The slab dai is appropriate to the bonsai,
but the bonsai should be centered on the dai and the accent plant should have its own dai. The accent is too small for the bonsai display and too close
Some great small bonsai and shohin but the display is too crowded. The bonsai are all centerd on their dai, and unglazed pots are well burnished.
Accents are too big and are not paired with bonsai.
I created a separate page for my photos of the
Pearl City Show
Dinner with Faye
Andrea and I invited Paul and Faye over for dinner on Saturday evening, the third. Paul couldn't make it, but we had a nice chicken curry with
Faye and played dix mille (dice game) and skyjo (card game) afterward.
We had dinner under the lychee tree.
"Everything was delicious." —Faye
Chicken curry closeup by Faye.
Lovely chef, too. Photo by Faye.
Playing skyjo. Photo by Faye.
What the red hats really mean. From the Randy Rainbow video.
City Mill
Andrea and I went to City Mill in the afternoon on Wednesday, the seventh, to get plywood, potting soil, etc.
We found everything on the list and it's all in the cart.
Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com
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Last updated May 7, 2025 by
Dr. Richard Jeffery Wagner. Text and images copyright © 2025, unless otherwise attributed, all rights reserved.