Entries about bananas

The day started with Aubrey and Dalton wanting to go outside. Once outside they found a lizard that was staying “very very still.” They got this lizard several leaves to eat and rocks to use as pillows. When Daniel’s dad went out to remove the dead lizard, it was actually alive!

Hilary had arranged a hula lesson for the group at our house. The group learned to do a dance to the song “Hawaiian Lullaby.” Everyone enjoyed the class and they are planning on practicing and maybe performing at one of the coming parties.

We had lunch of spam musubi, chips, and some leftover watermelon from the party.

After lunch we drove to the Grove Farm plantation. Daniel’s grandma had done the tour last year and decided to do it again this year. The grounds were beautiful as we walked up to the office.

Some pictures of the office and the landscape of the plantation.

George N. Wilcox started this plantation, and one of the first stops on the tour was his own house. There was a large plantation house, but G.N. decided to build himself a house where he could be alone. This was his library/reading room.

Wilcox’s turtle-shaped spittoon.

Wilcox’s summer bedroom, which is basically a screened patio. It seemed like such a pleasant place to be able to sleep.

Wilcox’s hat collection, which Catherine felt Daniel would like having.

The garden outside Wilcox’s house.

One of the cottages by the house.

The beautiful interior of the plantation house. It was full of incredible art, books, handmade pieces from the plantation days, and the most beautiful koa wood fixtures around the house.

Miss Mabel was the last member of the family to live on the property. Her 1974 Buick Skylark is still in working order in the driveway.

This piece of art was made entirely of butterfly wings.

This cabinet was won in a contest and was made in Japan. It reminded us a lot of the Asian artifacts that Catherine’s grandmother was given by her own aunt, who ran a store on a liner that travelled to Asia and brought home a lot of items.

The library inside the plantation house is amazing.

This large “rock” is actually an old sea sponge. One of the family members would use it to trick people into thinking she was carrying a heavy rock.

Next we visited the kitchen, which had a wood burning stove which was being used. A woman who had worked in the kitchen when Mabel was still there gave us an explanation of everything.
Daniel’s grandma and his Aunt Vickie with their fans in the kitchen.

We had the chance to try the mint ice tea and icebox cookies that have been served at this plantation for years.

Catherine doesn’t usually like mint, so she wasn’t sure about the tea. She loved it! More importantly, we both loved the icebox cookies. Catherine has loved her Aunt Helen’s icebox cookies as a child. When her aunt died she wanted to find the recipe but was unable to do so. These cookies tasted the same! Thankfully, the plantation gives out the recipe to everyone who comes through! We will be enjoying icebox cookies and mint ice tea when we get home! The lady in the kitchen also gave us some bananas and avocados from the farm.

This chair converts to a ladder. We were able to get the plans for the chair before leaving. Apparently people all over the world have built them from these plans.

Some books, a picture of a school class, a World War I helmet, an old shave ice machine, and what Daniel called the Wheel of Misfortune.

The blacksmith’s shop and the woodshed, which is also home to some of the feral cats around the property.

The banana fields.

The laundry at the plantation was done by a woman from Japan who lived in this house.

Some beautiful views around the plantation.

All of us at the end of the tour.

We came back to the house and had a relaxing evening. We went to the pool and saw Aubrey and Dalton’s swimming “tricks” (mostly just swimming) and then came in to have burritos and/or leftovers for dinner. It was a wonderful day!