And, because I track seasons using house-interior-as-sundial (good thing was clear this morning!):
the left-hand edge of the window shadow still has a few feet to go (to the left) before reaching Ka māuikiʻikiʻi o ke kauwela (summer solstice).
The mostly-quiet encourages us to muse and remember other Easter mornings, in our family, dressed up more than usual for church, anticipating one of the few holiday meals of the year. And yes, SentimentalBob is marking this day with food...Vinha Dʻalhos with roasted potatoes, macaroni pimento salad, a little casserole of mashed orange sweet potatoes with crushed pineapple and cinnamon, and...canned asparagus! No idea how that last made it to our table. In the old days they were fat spears of white, and now theyʻre long, slender, and green. Traditions. Traditions keep us centered and connected. Especially now. Something to focus on...foods, morning walks, like that.
Before, we used to dye eggs. I remember those packages of Rit or Paas dye, vinegar, etc. But now...again, thanks to Lisa and her talents, using all natural dyes, and playing with immersion times and concentrations...
HUAMOA KALAKOA
(hua=egg or fruit, moa = chicken; kalakoa = variegated)
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| Above, Left to Right, then Top to Bottom: |
ʻalaea, ʻōlena with lime, ʻōlena with baking soda, ʻalaea
ʻōlena, maʻo, maʻo, mauve petunia
red begonia, ʻukiʻuki, maʻo hau hele, pōpolo
ʻAlaea = red clay, ʻōlena = turmeric, maʻo = Hawaiian cotton, ʻukiʻuki = blue-fruited lily, maʻo hau hele = endemic yellow hibiscus, pōpolo = tomato-related endemic shrub with dark dark purple little fruits.
Amazing...
Oh. And since weʻre being celebratory, I was persuaded to post these. Lei kokiʻo (again, cultivated yard flowers) we fashioned for a friends wedding last summer:
And Lisa wanted to see this one again:
Though kokiʻo doesnʻt have a scent according to my nose, pīkake most certainly does, and is a favorite! Those ivory buds of jasmine (above) from treesflowers.com, were a favorite of Kaʻiulani, who appreciated peacocks (pīkake); flowers sharing the name.
The joys of scented flowers, perfumes wafting from early morning dew-laden blooms, or carried on warm evening breezes. Ephemeral delights... Please note, that my olfactory organs do not recognize pakalana, apparently because of a genetic defect.
I was visiting Ilima one time at Popo and Tūtūʻs house up Wilhelmina Rise. Popo had a trellis of pakalana by the side of the carport, and the flowers were in bloom. Ilima was picking, smelling, enjoying them, and so I picked, smelled and...nothing! I told her I had always thought that the colors and shape of the flowers were the reason they were favored, not thinking that "Chinese violets" should be a clue that they smelled good.
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| hawaiianleistand.org |
While weʻre on the topic of scented blooms, just as I was falling asleep last night, this popped into my head, written by Gordon Beecher and Johnny Nobel, one of those classic hapa-haole songs:
Besides my addiction to tiare and itʻs scented monoi coconut oil, other favorites follow, in no particular order; all with extremely pleasing fragrances. All are native or endemic.
Hōlei: a tiny flower, related to plumeria, also with a milky sap. A now-extinct species used to grow in Kīpukapuaulu. This is a Maui species planted in Kīpukapuaulu.
Photo by Alan Cressler
Below, for an idea of scale:
Kupaoa: tiny flowers, very delicate, kinda musky scent, formerly used to perfume kapa.
Photo by Alan Cressler
Maile: also related to plumeria, itʻs milky sap carries the fragrance, and is released when the young stems are stripped off (ʻuʻu) their woody cores.
Photo by Forest and Kim Starr
Pua maile: similar to pua hōlei if you look closely. Maile flowers are also tiny and easy to miss in the tangle of vines.
Photo from Wikipedia
Palapalai: a fern growing in dappled shade with a woodsy scent, used to honor the elemental Laka on the kuahu (hula altar) and worn by hula kahiko dancers.
Photo by Alan Cressler
Puapilo (or maiapilo): our endemic caper. Very delicate flowers open in the evening, and fade to mauve the following morning.
Photo by Bob
And we canʻt forget a couple of favorite imports.
ʻAwapuhi keʻokeʻo (white ginger): buds are picked at the stage above and manually opened before sewing into fragile lei.
Photo by Bob
And last, but certainly not least, freesia. These have been grown in Hawaiʻi nei for a long time, especially in cooler, drier regions ma uka, like Waimea, where they are fashioned into cherished and rare Spring lei. Chinese lilies, as they are locally known, are still scenting the breezes on the lānai at Kukuiʻohiwai. For you, HK:
OK then. The sun shines, the loft warms, and I must exercise and walk. Then cook the vinha dʻalhos. This time, pork: Make marinade in a pot: 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water. A palmful of salt. Stir to dissolve salt. Add: Several chopped nīoi (Hawaiian chilla peppa). A small head of garlic crushed and peeled. Add fist-sized (or a little smaller) chunks of pork butt. Soak for two days on a shady kitchen counter. Stir a couple times a day. No need be in the ice box. Vinegar and garlic kills the pilau stuff. Add red potato and bring to boil, then simmer for half hour. Skim scum. Drain meat and potato. Put on baking sheet or pan and roast for 40 minutes or longer, depending on how dry you want the meat. Mmmmm.
NOTE: this is the plantation-style vinha dʻalhos I grew up with. No fancy spices, wine, or what-la: Neva have! So as we are experiencing now, you make do with what you get...
Please: Stay Well, and appreciate all the good we DO have...
As always, with warmest aloha,
BobbyC
maniniowali@gmail.com
Thank you for these photos of gorgeous flowers and your wonderful accompanying descriptions and comments.
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