Saturday, June 26, 2010

June 26, 2010

tropical storm alex

the rains started yesterday with winds blowing
about 40 mph
as alex made his way over the island
this morning

i love a good storm!
i could be one of those storm chaser types.
i remember when we had a hurricane in nova scotia
i was the one outside standing in the yard~
it excites me!

on a practical note we need the rain here to 
increase the water table level
we haven't had rain for so long that many people's
sisterns are almost dry.
also it is so good for the plants and trees!
this morning as the rain fell i could almost
feel the earth sighing with pleasure.

if you look at the photo you will see how brown the water is
that isn't typical at all
the wind and the waves stir up the sand
and then the water goes brown like that.

even on grey days there is beauty 
to be found.

i have enjoyed the coolness today
i baked some muffins this morning 
and am roasting a chicken tonight.

yum yum yum!


Friday, June 25, 2010

June 25, 2010

my lunch spot

today we were at the 'made in roatan'  shop all day!!
hard long day but a good long day too
my feet are still sore after 3 hours of being home

for lunch we always go 
to a small local dive  ~ i mean shop and eat.
today honduras played switzerland in soccer
 so when we went there the place was jam packed
and i mean that literally!



there was at least 40 men in there
and another 10 outside looking through another window!

alot of hondurans don't have tv and so
they flock to any local place to watch the game


bob stayed and watched the game
and i came to this place
it was quiet
and i enjoyed the breeze that swept over me every now and then
i was also happy to find this lovely little spot behind the restaurant


i want to share a  story about why i love it here.
yes i know this is getting long but it is worth reading.
i have written about koke, the artist who has a shop 
next to ours,
well today he came up to me and handed me 10.00
he was speaking in spanish quickly 
and i assumed he wanted me to give him change
(10 ones)
i told him i could spare 5 ones and went to the shop
to get them for him.
when i got back
his friend who speaks english came up to me and said,
"you misunderstand koke, he don't want change
he want to give you 10 dollars
because he sold 3 of his paintings and he want to give some to you."

 can you believe that?!
of course i said no, and thanked him profusely.

the poor are generous.
very generous.
when they got it , they share it!
i love that about this place.








Thursday, June 24, 2010

June 24, 2010

 
3 buoys

usually this area of west end is full
of people swimming and snorkeling
but i think the threat of those clouds holding
rain
had scared people away.
i am glad 
it made for a better shot to be people less.
i wanted to go snorkeling this afternoon too
but we didn't 
not because of the rain
but because we stopped at barefoot cay to pick
up dan for lunch etc
and he forgot his bathing suit/snorkel stuff

i need to get serious about exercise again
there is an expression amongst the islanders when 
they are getting fat
it is this:
i be gettin' tick
(i am getting thick.. which means i am getting fat)
yup..
that's me.
i be gettin' tick
having said that i guess we shouldn't have stopped
at the 3 brothers bakery to buy one of the pine cookies
(sugar cookies filled with pineapple)
they are delicious.

manana
i will exercise
manana 
i will stop eating cookies and icecream and goodies
manana...

you know what manana means don't you
most people think it means tomorrow
but after living in this culture for almost two years
i know that manana really means..
not today...

so what am i confessing?
that i am getting fat
or that i am going to start exercising?
ummm...
both.
yeah!

:-)


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

June 23, 2010

lito and the boys

i caught this photo on the way to flower's bay 
to visit a friend
bob slowed down and i managed to get it from the car

lito, is a nickname for grandpa in spanish.
i am taking the liberty in saying he is their grandpa.
either way i was happy to catch all 3 of them on the horse
strolling down the road.

for many years horses and boats were the main
source of transportation on the island
horses are still held in high regard here.
it is common to see them saundering down the main road.

the other day bob saw 3 wild horses meandering down
by petro sun.. in the middle of the road!
blocking traffic and not worrying about it one bit!

it is moments like this when i realize that life
here still has an easy pace
 no need to rush
just gather up the boys and go for a ride.
i am guessing from the boots on the older man
that they were working somewhere.. maybe 
fishing 
or
working in the yard somewhere

but the young are with the old
together
i love that!




Tuesday, June 22, 2010

June 22, 2010

happy good morning

this is why i wake up early
actually that isn't really true

i just wake up
even if it was dreary and drab and uneventful
i would still wake up early

there is truth to the fact that some people
are morning people 
and some are night owls

even as a teenager i used to wake up early
even if i was out late the night before
i'd still wake up around 6:30 am
i used to be jealous of my friends that could sleep in 
til noon.
not me.

what about you?
are you a morning person or a night owl?
either way i think the reality is this:
it is the time alone,
the silence,
the beauty 
that draws us to that hour.

my soul craves and yearns for silence
and time alone with Him
that is why i rise early

the sunrise is just a bonus...
blessings
xo

Monday, June 21, 2010

June 21, 2010

summer pink

yeah today is the first day of summer
i miss the seasons
we live in perpetual summer
everyday is about the same
sigh...


i went out in the garden today to find 
the most 'summery flower'
i could find.

zinnias are not typically an island flower
someone, somewhere brought over the seeds
and now we are graced with their 
tall elegant beauty in shades of 
pink
yellow
orange
purple
i enjoy them

for those of you who have 4 seasons
i want to extent a hearty
happy first day of summer
to you
may it be full of all the things
that make summer special:
fresh corn on the cob,
bbq's
fun in the sprinkler
potato salad
farmer's markets
fresh mowed grass
fresh berries
 long nights
and sun shine on your shoulders.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

June 20, 2010

drenched

buddy loves to take a shower
when i clean out his cage
i get a container of cool water and a washcloth
and then i put the cloth soaked in water on the top of the cage
and i make 'rain'.
it drips down into his cage 
and he scurries back and forth under my rain shower
he stretches out his wings, fluffs himself up
it is a highlight for him.

it cools him down so beautifully
isn't he cute all wet?
i am so glad that i got him
he is a wonderful little birdie
so friendly and good company.