I missed National Pancake Day yesterday and, for some reason, I feel like I missed out on something. Pancakes—particularly pancakes topped with bananas and macadamia nuts—are steeped in the food culture of Hawaii. Especially topped with coconut syrup.

Mama Ane Kanahele, the matriarch figure of the Kanahele family with 8 children of her own, 19 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, one great great grandchild plus several hanai, adopted, children, is the minister of the Hawaiian Church in Waimea, kumu hula, and composer of over 100 songs, mostly himeni, hymns.

During Hawaii’s plantation days, in one last hoorah--so the story goes--the Portuguese community cleaned out all the butter and sugar from their cupboards and made big batches of a yeast-based dough, from which golf-ball-sized chunks were then deep-fried in oil and dipped in sugar.  They shared these doughnut-like confections with everyone—neighbors, friends and family.

Many people wonder, my mother included, why I had to move so far away from home to find my home--from Missouri to Hawaii. A little over a year ago, I sat in my living room on Kauai watching history in the making on TV as Barack Obama was sworn in as President of the United States. President Obama spoke about community service. He spoke about volunteerism. 

Guest blogger Carol Yotsuda recaps the third performance of E Kanikapila Kakou on Kauai. In its 27th year, the Hawaiian music program is held Monday evenings through March. The gatherings are conducted in the style of backyard musical jam sessions for which Hawaii is known, with many bringing their own ukulele to strum along and hula dancers stepping up to share their gifts. This year’s theme is “The Stories behind the Songs.” The February 1st event featured award-winning composer and Hawaiian language specialist Puakea Nogelmeier. He was accompanied by Lolena Niau Nicholas and Hau'oli Akaka. 

Yesterday, we instrumented this 4-year-old female Hawaiian monk seal with a device that will track her movements in the water--how far off-shore she swims, how deep she dives, how often she dives, how many hours--and, possibly, days--she spends in the water.

After a mile-long hike and trek along a stretch of coastline on Kauai’s north shore, I am sitting under a heliotrope tree on the beach writing this. I can’t help but pull out my camera with the super-telephoto lens and snap a few pictures of the adult Laysan albatrosses skimming the ocean’s surf, but I didn’t pack my camera to take pictures of birds, as cute as they are. 

This ball of fluff otherwise known as a Laysan Albatross chick is 7 to 10 days old here. A full two-thirds of this albatross species uses the string of Hawaiian Islands stretching from Hawaii in the southeast to Midway in the northwest as its nesting grounds. For another few days one of its parents (both mom and dad are required to see this little guy--or girl--fledge come Julyish) will sit on it until it can thermoregulate on its own. 

What this all boils down to is that we experienced an avalanche of music fans for one of Hawaii’s favorite sons – Eddie Kamae of the Sons of Hawaii, a true cultural icon who has mentored countless musicians over his lifetime, and father and son Kamakahi, about whom Eddie says, “I am so proud of Dennis Kamakahi and his son David who are carrying on the tradition of music.” 

I saw on my Facebook page that SigZane.com celebrated its 7th anniversary online earlier this week. The post read, “If we were counting in dog years, we’re just turning one.” And, of course, that made me smile. Not only because I am a dog person, but the comment—that unique way of thinking—reminded me of a conversation I had with Sig last November.