Sept. 17, 2010

hundreds and hundreds

sorry i wasn't able to post yesterday but our internet

is down for some reason

so i came to a restaurant here that has wi fi, a/c

and the best homemade lemonade on the island!

i wasn't able to capture the flurry of butterfly activity

in the yard 

i am serious when i say there were 100's and 100's.

i guess they are migrating back south

they were very difficult to photograph.

this is the best i could do.

no the sky wasn't orange

i just took some creative liberty and made it that way.

it was a beautiful sight to behold

a wonderful way to start the day!

Sept. 16, 2010

still life

we are so blessed to have a butterfly gardens here

it is just up the road.. maybe a 7 min. drive

i love going there!

i have gone so many times over the past two years

that the owner won't let me pay

she says she can't take money from me

because i am like family

can you believe that?

life is like that on roatan

once people make a connection that is deep and true

they have a hard time taking money from you

it's wonderful

so what i do is take lots of people to the gardens

at least that way some money is coming their way

if you are planning a trip to roatan 

i recommend the roatan butterfly gardens 

they have butterflies, of course

and also they have

about 8 different types of tropical birds

it is a wonderful little bit of paradise in there

the foliage, the flowers,

the birds, the butterflies

it's all so beautiful!

the last time i was there one of the guys asked

about my budgie

so today i brought him with me

 

look at how small buddy is compared to the amazon parrots!

his wings are clipped and although he can fly a little bit

he can't go far

so i didn't mind having him out of his cage

i knew there wouldn't be any dogs in there 

plus he loves other birds so he had a great time!

i took melissa and the boys

see how brave she is to hold the macaw!

i didn't hold it because i thought what if he 

bites buddy.. it would be a little snack for him

and um.. that would be so tragic!!

these two are mates
how sweet is that?
even though they are diffent types of parrots
so in love!

3 cheers to the roatan butterfly gardens!
one of my favorite places to visit!

Sept. 15, 2010

c is for cool

today there was a BIG parade in coxen hole

celebrating independence day for honduras.

it was one of the best parades ever

i took sooo many photos

alot of the kids marching, drumming, girls in fancy dresses

but the ones i enjoyed the most were of the people in the crowd

this guy caught my eye because well..

i am a sucker for a cool person

call it a weakness

but even as a teenager i could be swayed by someone

in shades and who  exuded confidence

it took me a few shots to get the photo i wanted of this guy

but finally i got it

i love the expression on his face and the reflection in his glasses

you lookin' at me??

YOU BET

i am

haha!

here are a few more photos 

i took over 100 so i thought i would share some with you

the people are so poor and yet they reach down deep to make it a wonderful day

okay these were my favorite little drummers!!!  talk about attitude!

the masses!!

Sept. 14, 2010

commitment

tomorrow is independence day in honduras

and the schools have been practicing marching, and drumming

for weeks and weeks.

i blogged about it earlier

and i am happy to say that the 'guys' did great!

they have had parades for the past couple of days

so that each school can march

i was so excited to see the sandy bay school march!

but just as the parade was about to start there was a torrential downpour!!

how it rained!!

they waited for the worst of it to pass and then headed out

i love that about the people here!

don't let a little rain stop you

so they marched
in the rain

proud and wet!

at one point as i photographing a group of girls

who were in gorgeous dresses

i got sooo choked up

i just thought

i love the spirit of this place!!

most of those families are sooo poor and yet

they paid over 35 dollars to get a dress made

they sacrificed for their kids,

for their country

i was touched by that

don't ever think for a second that the poor are

marked with apathy

they aren't

they still live

they still have hope

they still march in the rain

they still bang their drums.

moms with small children

sheltered under umbrellas

come out to support

and celebrate

this little country called honduras

vive honduras!!

Sept. 13, 2010

tattoed?

said one leaf to another:

leaf my tattoo alone, will ya?

i know i know..

it must be the hot afternoon sun that is making my brain

go wonky

:-)

but you get the point?

it looks like a tattoo on the leaf

it is the shadow from a tamarind tree.

everyone is going around eating little tamarind fruits

lately

i haven't tried them because well..

i hear they give you the runs

and who needs that??

i barely survived mango season 

so i am staying clear

of tamarinds

and tattoos

:-)

Sept. 12, 2010

 

100% garifuna

today we went to the garifuna festival in punta gorda

what a wonderful day

they usually have it on april 12 to commemorate their

anniversary in coming to roatan 

but they had it now and what a turn out they had.

it was so great!

usually they hold it under a small bandstand

that is packed with food vendors, dancers and drummers

but today they went on the beach opposite the church

and they had many tents set up with food to be tasted:

machuca, bbq pork, fresh whole fish, rice and beans,

refried beans and delicious cakes and cookies!

so delicious!

there also were alot of people selling things

i was happy to see that pedro's wife was there selling jewelry

i was happy to meet more of her children.

i bought a pair of earrings...of course!

and the dancing!!!

oh my goodness!

the garifuna know how to dance!

it thrills my soul to watch them in their colorful costumes

dancing to the earthy beat of the drum.

i have many photos which i am uploading to my other blog

i will link to that once i am finished there.

here you go! 

the girl in the previous photo is the little one in the purple dress

what a  way to spend an sunday afternoon

by the sea

with people who own the sand, the sea and the sky 

and dance like no one is watching!

Sept. 11, 2010

remembering

i can still remember watching the building crumble to the ground

i was standing in our family room and as it went down

i felt like the core of who i was imploded

so devasting

so today we remember those who lost those they loved

may they be comforted again today

we remember those who worked tirelessly and fearlessly

may they be rewarded from above.

we took our kids (teenagers then) to see ground 0

in nyc

it was numbing to see the devastion, the ruin, and the mountains

of floral tributes

it is being rebuild structurally

and it is my prayer that lives will also be rebuilt

love will flow in to fill those places of loss

especially today

as we remember