All posts tagged: Hawaii

‘Iolani Palace: The only real palace in the United States

Hawaii today is the 50th state of the United States of America, but in the 19th century it was an independent monarchy, recognised by all the major powers in the Pacific. Despite the proximity of the United States, and the influence of New England missionaries, the Hawaiian monarchy continually looked to Europe as a model. In 1824 the 2nd king of the Hawaii was the first to travel to Europe, and while his trip ended badly, the Hawaiian fascination with travel and Europe continued. Queen Victoria was godmother by proxy to the only child of Kamehameha IV. Kamehameha V had travelled extensively in the US and Europe before becoming king. In 1881 King Kalakaua became the first monarch (of anywhere, not just Hawaii) to circumnavigate the globe as he visited Japan, China, Siam, India, the US, and pretty much of all of Europe. In Europe Kalakaua was extremely taken with the grand palaces of the European royalty, and was determined to build a grand palace in Hawaii. While in Europe he ordered furnishings, and on …

Duck attack!

Published by The Dreamstress

My parents have flocks of ducks on their farm in Hawaii, and every time I go home for a visit I pester them to put a clutch of eggs on to incubate. Their ducks are mainly khaki campbells and mallards, but they keep a few muscovy ducks (muscovy are to ducks what donkeys are to horses – they can breed, but their offspring will be sterile ‘mules’) as mothers. Muscovy are much better mothers than many other duck breeds – they are devoted nest sitters, and intensely protective of their young. My parents let their muscovys (and muscovy-cambell hybrids) create nests and lay a clutch of sterile eggs, and then they swap them out for fertile khaki campbell or mallard eggs. On my last trip home they started a clutch of eggs the week before I arrived, to hatch the week I would leave. I waited and waited, and the darn things didn’t hatch. On my last weekend Mum and I went away to Kalaupapa (if you haven’t read that story you really must), and …

Cotton in Hawaii

Published by The Dreamstress

As a child growing up in Hawaii I remember occasionally finding a cotton bush in someone’s yard, and being fascinated by them. I would pick the cotton and use it to stuff little dolls pillows. So I was aware of cotton in Hawaii, but it was definitely a novelty. On my latest trip back I noticed cotton bushes everywhere: in yards and semi-wild along the road. Once again, I was fascinated. Had someone started a trend for cotton as a landscape plant? Had one bush seeded successfully across the island? Had the wet summer provided the perfect conditions to start a cotton boom? I meant to stop and take pictures and investigate a bush so that I could tell you about it the whole trip, but there was always too much to do, and I was too busy. Then, on the way to the airport to fly home we stopped at a neighbors house, and there was a cotton bush. So here are my extremely rushed, 11th hour, cotton images. The bush itself isn’t that …