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!

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.

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!

:-)

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!

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

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.

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.