April 10, 2010

take two

after much thought, 

and even some tears 

i decided that mangito, the lovebird

wasn't a good match for me or i for him.

he just wasn't happy.

he would screech and squawk all day long

and once he tried to escape his cage 

and flew into a window

then smashed into a wall

and then smashed into another wall

this was after his wings were clipped.

i felt he needed a mate.

some birds just refuse to bond with a human.

such is the case with mangito.

when i ordered the bird i had asked 

for a lorikeet which is an australian parakeet

the store owner couldn't get them in so i 

got the lovebird instead.

but i was uncertain for the beginning

so when i brought him back 

rick wasn't surprised.

so i got a little sweet parakeet instead.

no name yet.

that will come.

but i was pleased that after one day he was

willing to eat out of my hand.

i think he will be more tameable.

any name ideas?

April 9, 2010

worth celebrating

what?

a birthday

who?

don

our friend from missouri 

who lives in roatan half the year

we met don and his wife jeanette shortly

after we arrived here.

over the years we have become dear friends

don is recently retired as an engineer who 

worked for Boing.

he is one of those wonderful

centre brain type of people

can be very left brain

and chat about physics, be very analytical,

methodical and precise

but then again he can also be very humorous

unpredictably funny

wonderfully caring,

showing compassion by helping build homes

here on the island.

we have gone on many adventures together:

exploring the back roads of coxen hole where

no gringo would go 

(yes on purpose)

snorkeling the deep blue waters of  pigeon key,

climbing the mountain hike up carambola gardens,

braved the air show at infinity bay 

(those honduran pilots are crazy and fly lower then

you'd think possible!)

we have enjoyed many sunsets 

and many meals together

we have played many card games together

don has the patience of 10 men when it comes to teaching

he has been teaching us to play 500.

in fact he is writing a computer program for the games which 

has required hours and hours and hours 

to binary language to do!

speaking of that,

our daughter emily made him a birthday cake

that says 

Happy Binary 

and then wrote  Don's name 

in binary.

too cute.

So worth celebrating?

without a doubt!!

so I rise my glass to you

Don boy 

(which i think I am the only one who

affectionately calls him that)

Blessings 10 fold!

April 8, 2010

sunlight deep in the sea

today our friend chris took us to 

palmetto bay to see the coral garden.

it was amazing.

words can not express the beauty.

yes that is the color of the sea.
shallow sea is that beautiful robin egg color.
the waves were a bit rough as we swam through the garden
and everything was flowing and moving.
even the little fishies were being moved back and forth
with the current
all i could do was relax and allow the surf to gently toss
me back and forth.

the colors!!
deep rust,
mustard yellow,
soft greens,
deep purple,
aqua blues...
all so amazing!!

I am amazed at the beauty He creates even in places

where most people don't go.
Look around your world.

What are you most grateful for?

April 7, 2010

h

hand carved

yesterday i went to volunteer at the

 Made in Roatan shop

i went to say hi to Samuel,

the man who sells things next to us

i saw this dolphin

and fell in love.

he told me an islander from sandy bay made it

how much?

10 bucks.

i didn't dicker.

i ran to the shop and gave him

200 Limpera which is equivalent to 10 dollars

i sat it proudly on the counter

later a lady came in and wanted to buy it

so i told her to go next door

 and get the last one.

she did.

for 10 dollars.

i love that about samuel.

he is a fair man.

he could have made alot more money

on the tourist but he didn't.

he will be blessed for his kindness

i am sure.

April 6, 2010

camera less

today i went out as usual for a walk to take photos

i saw a beautiful butterfly on a flower and focused,

set my light meter and snapped

i was shocked to see a complete white screen.

my light meter is broken.

this is the 2nd camera in the last month that has broken

i tried again

and

again

and 

again

i tried it on auto,

to no avail

i went through my day looking relatively normal

but inside i was heartbroken

i kept seeing photos i'd like to take but to no avail

my heart would go numb just thinking about it

there isn't any place on the island that can fix camera's

it is like i have been put on a planet without oxygen

i can't seem to function properly.

it sounds melodramatic but it's true.

sigh.

my daughter has offered to let me use her camera

my dear friend laura told me to come by for her pentax

i am nervous to use anyone's camera since i seem to be

bent on breaking them lately.

is it a coincidence?

or is there some lesson for me to learn?

i am not sure.

i do understand that tropics are hard on cameras

with all the humidity, moisture and sea salt

so how did i take this photo?

i set the shutter speed as high as it would go,

and the f stop at 8

i couldn't even see the flower in the photo

but i got this.

this is sooc.

it's kinda cool

but i don't want all my photos to be like this.

i don't really have the money to buy another one

right now

so i am hobbling along take 'arty photos'

with my broken camera.

i keep thinking

what does it matter really?

i could just stop the 365 

life goes on without a camera

and yet

it is more then just taking a photo

photography defines me

i seem to see the world through a lens

so i will not stop.

i will not.

i will somehow carry on.

taking them somehow

and posting them when i can.

when i look at the struggles that many of my honduran

neighbors face:

no job, no food, no money for medical emergencies

i think this is a small problem in comparison.

i thank God for the ability to see it for what it is

i am trusting Him to continue to bless me with 

the ability to see

the beauty He makes and to capture it for the glory of His name.

April 5, 2010

mangito by the sea

i finally named my bird.

it took long enough

mangito

means little mango in spanish

 his colors are the same as a mango that is 

ripening up.

we are enjoying him sooo much

he is such a social bird

and he loves to be wherever we are.

he has a noisy time in the morning

 i am noticing that birds are coming here and calling him

and he answers.

that is fine except at 6:30 am!!!

so this morning i took him for a walk

out on the dock 

he loved it

 i also got his wings clipped 

i took him to the butterfly gardens since they have many birds there

and dylan was kind enough to clip them for me

i have clipped my birds wings before but 

i didn't want to clip his because it can be traumatic

and i didn't want to be associated with scaring him

i know you may think that is cruel to clip but if i am

ever going to tame him then he needs to be clipped

in order for that to happen

he is such a sweet little fella.

my mangito

 you look so darling out by the sea!

April 4, 2010

happy easter morning

for as long as i can remember bob has gotten up early

on easter morning

to watch the sunrise and to celebrate

the resurrection of our Lord.

 he sometimes goes alone,

or with our family

or with the whole church

or during a snow storm once (in the car)

sunrises services here are lovely

it is a beautiful way to celebrate the day

i would say our most memorable one was in africa back in 1983

and as well a sunrise over the hills in Penticton BC

my heart swells to think of what it must have been

like to be Mary who went to the tomb and found it empty.

 He is risen

He is risen indeed.

Happy Easter

April 3, 2010

billows of bokeh

bokeh makes me happy

i used to have a bit problem

because i was looking for bokeh

more then the actual photo.

i think i am out of the bokeh obsession now,
but then everynow now and then i see billows of bokeh and i sigh...
that bokeh is light on the sea

we are staying at seadancer for the week

because the owners are visiting at the other place we rent

it isn't a hardship

anywhere on the island is a wonderful place i think

i still am computer less.
we have friends coming on tuesday
i asked them to bring me a power cord.
oh my, i hope they do.
it is a small thing to have to borrow bob's computer
but i miss mine.
i do.

April 2, 2010

flora de mango

soon

they will be here

mangos

and lots of them!

we have 4 trees on the property.

i wish i liked them.

i confess that i don't like them

they are stringy.

i am hoping i will develop a taste for them.