HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON AND KING KALAKAUA OF HAWAII

Continuing on about Robert Louis Stevenson from my post the other day, at the age of 38 he set sail for the South Seas on a chartered schooner called ‘The Casco’. Having come from a family of well-known Scottish lighthouse engineers he had developed a great love of the sea and, suffering from tuberculosis since childhood, was hoping to find a climate that would improve his health. He arrived in Honolulu in January 1889, whereupon he became good friends with King Kalakaua, the reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Islands.

King David Kalakaua was considered by his friend to be a cultured intellectual, and had a keen interest in politics, sports, literature and music. He gave his chief patronage to music, from the ancient chants to the walz. He was also instrumental in restoring to the public the performance of the Hula. He was also a poet and lyricist and one of his legacies to his people was his “Hymn to Kamehameha” known today as "Hawai`i Pono`i". It was the National Anthem of the Hawaiian Monarchy and today is their State Song. 

If I have missed anything out about the King, or add any other history of Hawaii, perhaps our Hawaiian friends will let me know.

Thank you for looking and 

I hope your day is a great one.

DON'T JUDGE...

 I accidentally published this too early, something I am prone to do every now and again. Ah well, instead of yanking it out and confusing everyone, I'll leave it be. There won't be another tomorrow. For some strange reason, my cauliflower and almond recipe which this post preempted, doesn’t show on my iPad. Just in case the same thing is happening to you, that recipe can be found here.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.”

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson - November 13th, 1850 - December 3rd, 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for his novels Treasure Island (1883), Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), and Kidnapped (1893), and the poetry collection, A Child's Garden of Verses (1885). Born and educated in Edinburgh (Scotland), Stevenson suffered from serious bronchial trouble for much of his life, but continued to write prolifically and travel widely in defiance of his poor health. As a young man, he mixed in London literary circles, receiving encouragement from Sidney Colvin, Andrew Lang, Edmund Gosse, Leslie Stephen and W. E. Henley, the last of whom provided the model for Long John Silver in Treasure Island. In 1890 he settled in Samoa, where alarmed at increasing European and American influences in the South Sea Islands, his writing turned from romance and adventure fiction, toward a darker realism. He died of a stroke in his island home in 1894 at the age of 44.

I found another post on my old blog that I had done on this poet and will share it sometime. You can find out more information if you click on his name under the poem.

The tree in the photo is a Ginko Tree found in the Colonial town of Williamsburg, Virginia, many years ago.

MY SHADOW

 My Shadow

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, 

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. 

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; 

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. 

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow— 

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow; 

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball, 

And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all. 

He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play, 

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way. 

He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see; 

I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me! 

One morning, very early, before the sun was up, 

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup; 

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, 

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child's Garden of Verses.

THE SWING BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,

Till I can see so wide,

River and trees and cattle and all

Over the countryside -

Till I look down on the garden green,

Down on the roof so brown - 

Up the air I go flying again, 

Up in the air and down

The Swing

~Robert Louis Stevenson 

(1850 - 1894)

“Robert Louis Stevenson - born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson (November 13th, 1850 - 3rd December, 1894) - was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child’s Garden of Verses.  Born and educated in Edinburgh, Stevenson suffered from serious bronchial trouble for much of his life, but continued to write prolifically and travel widely in defiance of his poor health. As a young man he mixed in London literary circles, receiving encouragement from Sidney Colvin, Andrew Lang, Edmund Gosse, Leslie Stephen and W. E. Henley, the last of whom may have provided the model of Long John Silver in Treasure Island. In 1890 he settled in Samoa where, alarmed at increasing European and American influence in the South Sea Islands, his writing turned from romance and adventure fiction towards a darker realism. He died of a stroke in his island home in 1894 at age 44. A celebrity in his lifetime, Stevenson’s critical reputation has fluctuated since his death, though today his works are held in general acclaim. In 2018 he was ranked just behind Charles Dickens as the 26th most translated author in the world.”  He was such an amazing and fascinating man  I read the above information and much more at this link.

THE FRIENDLY COW...

The friendly cow all red and white,

I love with all my heart.

She gives me cream with all her might

To eat with apple tart.

She wonders lowing here and there,

And yet she cannot stray.

All in the pleasant open air

The pleasant light of day.

And blown by all the winds that pass,

And wet with all the showers,

She walks among the meadow grass

And eats the meadow flowers.

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

A wonderful poem by Mr. Stevenson.  Our friendly cow is not walking among meadow grass, but actually on the side of a high cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  Story tomorrow and both will be from my old blog when we were on a road trip from Vancouver to Monterey in 2009.  Seems like yesterday!

Thank you for visiting, 

and enjoy the rest 

of your week.

A POEM

 

My bed is like a little boat; 

Nurse helps me in when I embark; 

She girds me in my sailor's coat 

And starts me in the dark. 

At night I go on board and say 

Good night to all my friends on shore; 

I shut my eyes and sail away 

And see and hear no more. 

And sometimes things to bed I take, 

As prudent sailors have to do; 

Perhaps a slice of wedding cake, 

Perhaps a toy or two. 

All night across the dark we steer; 

But when the day returns at last, 

Safe in my room, beside the pier, 

I find my vessel fast. 

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child's Garden of Verses.

FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE UNSUNG HEROES

Every day courage has few witnesses,

but yours is no less noble because

no drum beats for you and

no crowds shout your name.

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

(I beat my drum for you my friends.)

THE MOON

 

The Moon

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

THE MOON

The Moon

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall; 

She shines on thieves on the garden wall, 

On streets and fields and harbour quays, 

And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse, 

The howling dog by the door of the house, 

The bat that lies in bed at noon, 

All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day 

Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way; 

And flowers and children close their eyes 

Till up in the morning the sun shall rise.

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

ASSOCIATED WITH TREES

"It is difficult to realize how great a part of all that is cheerful and delightful in the recollections of our own life is associated with trees."

 ~Wilson Flagg~



(A small preview of our latest trip to Huntley Meadows.  More photos soon.)