Sunday morning, March 1, I photographed the bonsai bougainvillea that I had in the Rainbow Bonsai Club show last December.
My bougainvillea is blooming.
I photographed my bonsai ficus on Monday morning, the 2nd. This is one of the bonsai that I took to Gen and Eric's anniversary celebration.
The banyan is well developed but it needs some work on the roots, so I will prune it and repot it into a larger growing pot.
The bonsai ficus after pruning potting into a larger plastic growing pot. The aerial roots have been removed. Now to wait six months to a year
before returing it to the smaller Japanese ceramic pot.
Andrea and I attended our OLLI Writers Circle Zoom session Tuesday, March 3rd.
Eleven plumeria trees from seed for a bonsai forest, photographed Tuesday, March 3rd.
My parents' wedding at the Reeves ranch in Corral de Tierra in 1945. Dug up by Google from my backups. Click the image for the full resolution version.
Sign Waving at Waialae Iki
Andrea and I attended the anti-fascist event on Kalaniʻanaole Highway at Waialae Iki Park on Wednesday morning, March 4.
Andrea had the rule of law sign.
My sign said HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE.
Beth displaced Andrea with her honk sign.
Pickle ball players in the rain.
We went to Et Al. for breakfast afterward.
Later that morning I photographed the eleven tree plumeria forest in a concrete growing pot that I created the day before.
Getting ready to play tennis on Thursday morning, March 5, while Andrea gave tours at Mission Houses.
This bougainvillea in the bunjin style has finished blooming and is ready for the next phase of its existence.
Friday morning Andrea used her chainsaw to prune several trees.
The bougainvillea bunjin after repotting, pruning, and wiring. No root pruning was involved. In a 2017 Ryan Greer pot.
Andrea photographed me photographing the bougainvillea Friday afternoon.
I photographed the bonsai citrus on Friday afternoon. It has been growing with wire on for several months. It will be styled and repotted.
Saturday I unwired, pruned, and repotted the bonsai citrus into a plastic training pot.
Andrea finished the Monet puzzle that Matt and Diane gave us on Saturday afternoon.
Kamaʻāina Sunday at ʻIolani Palace
Andrea volunteered at Kamaʻāina Sunday at ʻIolani Palace on Sunday morning, March 8, while I stayed home and mowed the lawn.
The first halau performed for an hour. Photo by Andrea.
The Kinaʻu gate where Andrea assistjed. Photo by Andrea.
The second halau performed. Photo by Andrea.
House Fire Next Door
Andrea and I went for a before breakfast walk on Monday morning, March 9 and when we got back nine minutes later, the burned out house next door
was on fire again. Andrea called 911. We both grabbed garden hoses and did what we could until the fire department arrived.
Bird feeder camera: leaving for our walk.
Andrea came back at a run after seeing smoke from around the corner and used the hose on the side of the house.
I came back at a fast walk and took the back yard hose.
A neighbor came to see.
The fire expanded as Andrea and I fought it with garden hoses.
Ashley came from our other side to help.
Ashley got the third hose from the front corner and the fire department arrived.
Monday afternoon Somsak's brother Si came by to check on things. Click the image for the full resolution version.
Andrea was interviewed on Hawaii News Now TV by Mahealani Richardson.
Photo from across the valley.
Eric and Becky Visit
Andrea and I drove to the airport to pick up Eric and Becky on Tuesday morning, March 10. We went to Et Al. for brunch and then home.
We stopped at Longs to buy lei. View of Wailupe Valley from Longs.
Eric and Becky with lei.
With Easter ducky.
In Et Al.
Photo by Becky.
While we were eating I got a notice that motion was detected at our bird feeder cam.
I told Eric about how the spaceliner worked, so I showed him my spacesliner video. Space ship. Space liner. Produced January 3, 2022.
We went to the beach Tuesday afternoon, the tenth.
After swimming Becky and I went for a walk.
Eric joined us under the banyan tree.
Kahala Hotel Stay
Andrea and I stayed for two nights at the Kahala Hotel from Wednesday afternoon, March 11, to the morning of Friday the 13th.
We were on the ocean side (south facing) on the top (tenth) floor. Diamond Head in the distance.
Koko Head in the distance.
Looking into our room from the balcony.
Photographing the koa ukulele in the elevator foyer on the tenth floor.
Looking at the mauna lua (two mountains), Koko Crater and Koko Head. Photo by Andrea.
A hana hou cocktail with dinner. It was good. Photo by Andrea.
Eric got the paper the next morning. Birdfeeder camera.
Pointing out a misty painting on the tenth floor. Photo by Andrea.
At breakfast on Thursday morning in Plumeria Beach House.
Coffee. Photo by Andrea.
Food photo by Andrea.
Going out for a walk after breakfast.
We went Ewa and crossed the footbridge at Kahala park.
Andrea photographed some guests for them at the gazebo by the waterfall.
The man reciprocated and used Andrea's phone for photos.
The weird architecture of the hotel built in the 1960s.
Our waiter photographed us at lunchtime. We split a Caesar salad and a pizza. I had changed my shirt after getting it wet on our balcony chair.
View of the pool below our room. Photo by Andrea.
There were shells in shadow boxes over our bed.
We gave Becky and Eric a tour of the hotel when they came for dinner. They loved the orchid stairway. Photo by Andrea.
In the lower lobby. I had bought new shorts in a hotel shop. Photo by a staff member.
After dinner.
At breakfast Friday morning. We left early due to the arriving storm.
Friday night we played cards by lantern light after several power failures that day.
Bonsai Blueberry
My blueberry bush in a large pot was flooded out by the storm so I put it in a bonsai pot.
Pruned and repotted on Sunday the Ides of March, photographed on Monday. It is beginning to bloom.
Saint Patrick's Day
March 17th fell on a Tuesday this year. We invited Paul and Faye over for a Saint Patrick's Day lunch.
I played tennis in the morning. Arriving first, I photographed green Diamond Head.
Aiko, Steve, and Patrick arrived and we played doubles for an hour.
Andrea prepared corned beef, cabbage, and other vegetables for lunch.
We played dice after lunch. I won, first to ten thousand.
We played bocce after dice, boys against girls. Boys won two out of three. Later there was mist on the mountains. Andrea talked
to Wayne across the street about a large chain and lock thrown against the tire of his car. The police came and nothing could be done.
Shangri La Tour
Andrea and I went with Becky on a tour of HOMA's Shangri La, the Doris Duke house at Blackpoint.
Becky dropped Eric off at the airport and met us at HOMA (Honolulu Museum of Art).
A bronze sculpture of trees outside the men's room.
Waiting on the front benches for the tour bus.
In the entry hall of Shangri La.
The garden stairway.
A small room off the bedroom.
The central courtyard with mirrored columns.
Looking toward the beach, pool, and playhouse.
Off limits areas were roped.
The cove that Doris Duke had built.
A view of the lawn and buildings.
At the second lecture on the ceramic tile installations.
Persian inscriptions.
Persian inscriptions.
I made a lunch reservation at the HOMA cafe for when we returned.
And of course a visit to the gift shop.
Demolition Next Door
Demolition of the ruins of the house at 666 Lawelawe St. began the morning of Thursday, March 19.
Backhoe in motion. Birdfeeder camera.
Going out to check in a light rain. Birdfeeder camera.
Becky put up plastic sheeting to protect us from dust.
Photo by Andrea.
Mele Night at the Plumeria Beach House at the Kahala Hotel
Andrea, Becky, and I had dinner at the Plumeria Beach house restaurant at the Kahala Hotel on the monthly "Mele" night, Thursday, March 19.
We arrived ten minutes early and watched the dolphin trainers for a few minutes.
We enjoyed the buffet dinner.
The performers were getting ready to play soon after we arrived.
Kuʻu Ipo was the MC.
A sound check mele.
Photo by Becky.
A two minute video.
Becky had a Keoke Coffee. Photo by Andrea.
A closer view of the band.
A three minute video.
Friday morning Becky and I checked the rain gauge. Video by Andrea.
Team Magma at the Hawaiʻi Regional FRC
Andrea and I went to see Team Magma (FRC 3008) at the Hawaiʻi Regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) at Saint Louis High School on Saturday, March 21.
Saturday morning Becky and I checked the rain gauge again for 5.1 inch. Video by Andrea.
We arrived in the gymnasium just as our team was finishing a competition on the blue alliance.
We walked to the team's pit area.
We talked to Mr. Silver and Mr. Kwok.
We saw the robot in the pit.
There was a new team from Molokaʻi.
Andrea stopped to talk to the pit administrator.
We went to the top of the stands to watch a match.
One match of the competition.
On the way home we stopped at Times in Kaimuki to buy papaya. They had none, but we bought some bentos.
Saturday evening we had mai tais and a dinner of bentos.
Becky Baked Sourdough Bread
Becky Baked sourdough bread on Sunday, March 22.
Photo by Andrea.
Video by Andrea.
Farewell Dinner for Becky
We invited Paul and Faye over for dinner on Monday evening, March 23, to say farewell to Becky. She leaves Tuesday morning.
Monday afternoon view out our office door. Photo by Andrea through the screen.
Wailupe Stream Monday afternoon.
Photo by Becky.
Neighbor Joleen joined us and photographed back.
The Emerging Technologies Committee of the SFWA, on which I serve, sent this useful
FAQ for writers.
Some excerpts:
"Wholly AI-generated text without modification is not copyrightable."
"Be aware that some book prizes/awards will consider your work ineligible for entry if you use AI in any way, including the cover.
Some readers and online communities will also exclude your work from consideration if there is AI use, known or detected."
Becky's Departure
We had corned beef hash for breakfast and then we drove Becky to the airport on Tuesday morning, March 24.
We took a walk around the block before breakfast. Photo by Andrea.
Rainfall measurement Tuesday morning.
Andrea and I had our Writers Circle Zoom session in the afternoon.
Somsak's Arrival
Somsak returned to 666 on Wednesday morning, March 25.
He left his belongings on the sidewalk. 8:11 AM. Click the image for the full resolution version.
His estranged wife Jill showed up soon after to talk to him. 8:28 AM. Click the image for the full resolution version.
Ashley talked to the policemen who arrived.
The police then parked in front of 666.
The two officers of the law talked to Jill. Click the image for the full resolution version.
Later he was sitting by the fire hydrant. Photo by Andrea.
I pruned the bonsai hau tree I repotted in July of 2025 in preparation for repotting, March 25.
The formal upright (chokan) hau tree from seed, potted into a concrete growing pot in July, 2025,
before pruning. Repotting into a Japanese ceramic pot to be performed later.
I pruned and repotted the bonsai hibiscus on Friday morning, the 27th.
Rainy Friday morning (0.17 inch). Photo by Andrea.
The bonsai hibiscus before pruning. It has been growing in this oversized Japanese ceramic pot since December, 2022. Last pruned in October, 2025.
After pruning.
After repotting into a right sized concrete growing pot.
No Dictators Rally
Andrea went to the No Dictators, elsewhere called No Kings, rally at the capitol, on Saturday, the 28th, while I stayed home to mow the lawn.
Early morning cardinal at our birdie cam.
Photo by Andrea. I don't like calling people a "fink." I have friends with that name.
The MAGA bomb threat (that's all it was) moved the crowd down to King Street. Photo by Andrea.
The all clear came around noon and the people moved to the capitol. Photo by Andrea.
West Side Story at Diamond Head Theater
On Saturday afternoon, after the No Dictators rally, Andrea and I went to the matinee performance of West Side Story at Diamond Head Theater.
We parked at KCC and walked across the street at the corner with a crossing guard.
Diamond Head.
Just a plain curtain to start.
We were seated at a window table at Arden after the play.
Photo by Chris, our waiter.
The restaurant was well patronized on a Saturday night.
Spring Awakening at Mānoa Valley Theater
On Sunday afternoon Andrea and I went to the matinee performance of Spring Awakening at Mānoa Valley Theater.
Sunday morning I photographed my mango tree from seed before starting styling work.
We went to Mānoa early and shopped at Safeway and Longs.
We put our purchases in the trunk of the Leaf and went into the theater entrance.
The stage set was just a jumble.
A spotted pigeon was captured by our bird feeder cam while we drove home.
Tennis
I played tennis at the Kilauea courts on Tuesday morning, March 31, while Andrea gave a cruise ship tour at the Mission Houses.
Karen, Aiko, Steve, and Aiko.
Dorothhy came a little later.
I photographed the bonsai mango in training that I styled on Monday. It has been defoliated, except for the very top, wired
into a curvy shape with three different sizes of wire, and repotted into a larger painted growing pot. After it leafs out in
a few weeks, I will cut the top.
Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com