This Easter weekend heralds the excitement of upcoming travel from Hawai’i to Europe. From the Studio, DH Pete and I will join our dear friends Becky and Susan on a Viking River Cruise on the Danube, going east to west across Austria.
Pete and I booked a similar cruise some years ago. At that time we went from west to east and in winter when it snowed every day. The Christmas markets and the gluwein at each stop were highlights!
We have already lined up friends to take care of our house and our dog JJ. For sure, I will keep you posted on http://www.rebekahstravels.wordpress.com. That’s my companion blog.
It’s going to be so much fun. My bags are packed! Here’s my BFF Becky with the Easter Bunny:
Some days like yesterday are bittersweet, yet worth mentioning.
In the morning I attended the memorial service of my eldest living first cousin, Doreen Chong Yuen, age 95. She was the daughter of my mother’s eldest brother, Uncle Kim Fong Chong, and Sarah Yap. I joined two of my 3G cousins at the service, Nathan and Audrey Helen; the three of us are children of the three youngest members of the 2G Chongs. (Are you following?!) 2G is the second generation to be born of immigrants from China. And my grandmother gave birth to 15 children.
Everything was maikaʻi (good), but it was a sober reminder that I won’t live forever. If cousin Doreen’s long-life genes are from the Chong side, I look forward to many more good years.
Doreen Chong Yuen
In the evening I attended my friend Cynthia’s new-moon soirée for a sharing of things we each wanted to “release” and “manifest.” We each wrote two lists and burned them in the campfire, one at a time.
Lovely gathering on the night of the new moon
Cynthia’s current challenge with breast cancer was the impetus for the gathering. She wanted to be with friends, I felt, so each woman’s friendship circle widened; there were women who we had not met previously.
We shared a meal, recipes, wine, and health experiences, too.
A few days ago, Nohea Gallery at Kahala Mall reconnected me with a past art buyer of mine.
Now “older,” by chance Susan found herself browsing the gallery while waiting for her ride.
She asked Nadja the sales rep about me, so the Gallery took her phone number to give to me.
Baobab
Susan had bought my “Baobab Tree” oil painting that she watched me paint on location at Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu many years ago.
The baobab tree, if you recall, is the tree that the little prince in Le Petit Prince disliked for all the leaves it dropped and that he had to rake up.
According to Susan, she was really broke at the time, but her husband said if she really liked the painting she should sacrifice and buy it.
And so she did. It made me happy to hear Susan say the painting hangs prominently in her home.
You may wish to check out the upcoming Windward Artists Guild show for which I have chosen to represent the town of Kaʻaʻawa. It runs April 2-30, at the newly renovated Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden Gallery. The Meet the Artists reception is from 12:30 to 3:30 pm, April 6, 2025.
“Good Morning Kaaawa!”“Morning Destination”
Choral art
These days I’m enjoying another kind of art — choral art, that is, I sing in a community choir. Our choir director apologizes for the ear worms from rehearsing the catchy tunes weekly!
Upcoming concerts are:
March 2, 4 pm, Kawaihaʻo Church, Community Choral Festival, six choirs, freewill offering in lieu of admission charge.
April WCS Spring Concert, April 27, 2025, at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 148A Makawao St, Kailua, Oahu.
We celebrated the new lunar Year of the Snake variously at the Studio.
My “Jin Dui Sisters” group of five friends scheduled a midday meal in Honolulu Chinatown a while ago, and I am excited to meet up with them in a few days.
The Jin Dui Sisters
LISEE (red envelopes) are in order for dear ones younger than the giver. In our rural neighborhood, we also fed the dragon some money.
Li see
Then, of course, traditional foods: JAI (a vegetarian dish that I didn’t make this year), GAU (a sweet, firm and sticky pudding made with sweet rice flour), and savory JOONG a.k.a. dragon boats filled with rice, seasoned fatty pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms and peanuts.
GauJoong
I brought out my tea cozy so we could enjoy a hot beverage all day long. The basket was a good idea for the couple of days when stormy weather knocked out our electricity!
Hot tea
May your rice bowl be full this new year, and blessings always.
Happy New Year 2025! I’ve stored away 90 percent of the Christmas decorations, which didn’t take long because for this holiday DH and I went “minimalist”—just two artificial trees that we took down in less than 10 minutes! There are only a couple of gifts to give very belatedly to friends who we will see for dinner in a few days.
My affirmation for the new year is to write my Facebook posts in ʻŌlelo ʻŌiwi, the Hawaiian language. I remembered the reason I began Hawaiian classes six years ago was that I wanted to understand what my Hawaiian-speaking friends were writing! And, after all, the State of Hawai’i has two official languages—Hawaiian and English. Bank checks may be written in Hawaiian, and the courts of law allow it to be spoken.
So, it’s not just an affirmation. It’s a challenge to myself. Stay tuned! You may subscribe to this blog, and then if you don’t like it you may unsubscribe.
Christmas aloha from all of us at the Studio. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We are looking forward to holiday time with family and friends. The cookies are baked and ready to give to neighbors on the lane. There are already presents under the tree, but what will Santa Claus bring?
Earlier this month when relatives from Pennsylvania were here, we hosted a kanikapila (let’s play music) at our place with guitar, ukulele, bass, dulcimer, tambourine, and egg rattle.
I sang in the Windward Choral Society concerts and have been helping out with retail sales at our favorite store Nohea Gallery at Kahala Mall in Honolulu.
In my travels around Oahu I photographed Christmas trees. Please have a look below. As always, be well!
This Rebekah’s Studio is the blog created by the Rebekah who lives in the small village of Kaaawa on the island of Oahu. A journalist, artist, and healer by training, I invite you on any part of my journey shared here. I use a full palette, so come along, let’s see what unfolds together!
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