There's Gotta be a Pony in Here Somewhere!

For the past week and some, I've been demolishing a pile of...everything metal ever made, I think. The spot was once the work pile of a welder who lived here long ago; apparently a welder who believed that nothing should EVER be thrown away (and I thought I'd met the queens and kings of that behavior!).

There are bike parts, iron bars, gears for something very big (maybe the truck that has literally become part of the tree), stop signs, gas cans, tent poles, a hand grain grinder, fan parts, hot water heaters, fencing, boat engine covers, an old axe, car hood decor, table tops, lawn chair frames, the handles from an old plow, tire jack stands, ancient oil canisters, a dinghy anchor, a lobster trap, VW hubcaps and a bunch of things I have no idea what they might have been ...

The pile is/was under a beautiful madrone tree right next to Elijah's little casita and when I saw it last year, I was itching to get into it, but frankly, it was pretty daunting. Most of it was buried under leaves long matted back to pure compost...and the rest stuck out in purely Junk Pile Art fashion. This year I decided to just wade in and start. I'd stop when I wanted to.  There is still a lot left but my goal was to reach the tree...and except for a few things too heavy for me to move, I got there!

 Yes, that is the bumper of this huge truck, grown into the tree. The pile of junk to the side is now in the BIG pile...and that's where, on the last lift, I found the treasure!

There is an old joke my Dad used to tell us...I don't know if it was for the moral, because all I really remembered the joke for was that it was the first (and first of very few times) my Dad used a cuss word in anything he said to me. The main part is a little boy, high atop a pile of manure (this was my Dad's version) who's father told him if he wanted a pony, he had to know about the hard part. The boy enthusiastically mucked the stable pile out as his father watched. Near the end he asked if the boy was getting tired. The boy grinned and said, No, Dad! With all this shit, there's gotta be a pony in here somewhere!

I have to believe my own Dad was laughing when, this morning, I came to a stopping point, feeling like I'd done about what I'd set out to do, when...there was the PONY!!!! Poor boy had lost a leg and been put out to pasture, but he's now happily ensconced on his own merry-go-round. Welcome home , little pony!

Have a satisfied with your manure piles Sunday! Do something for safety.

Invest 91 Sunday check up

Today's post is the latest (here anyway) update from the NHC, full of good information (lots of good links at the bottom. Thanks, Suzanne from the finca!). It's time to be finishing up your preps, if you aren't finished already. My thoughts are 4000 miles away... impotent concern and knowing I'm missing a good party! Stay safe, boys and girls, and keep blowing north!


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1044 AM AST SUN JUL 31 2011

...PERSONS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHOULD
CONTINUE TO STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST TROPICAL WEATHER INFORMATION...

A STRONG TROPICAL WAVE LOCATED ABOUT 650 MILES EAST OF THE LESSER
ANTILLES HAS CONTINUED TO BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED...BASED ON
LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IN MIAMI...A
TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD FORM LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM
IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH AND HAS A HIGH
CHANCE...NEAR 100 PERCENT...OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING
THE NEXT 48 HOURS. MOST MODELS SUGGEST A FORECAST TRACK NEAR OR
OVER OUR LOCAL REGION.

TROPICAL STORM WATCHES WOULD LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR THE U.S.
VIRGIN ISLANDS LATER TONIGHT. RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF THE U.S.
VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO ARE ENCOURAGED TO GO OVER THEIR
HURRICANE PLANS AND CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.
SOME IMPORTANT FACTS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TROPICAL CYCLONES...

TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE WATCH...TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE GENERALLY BETWEEN 36 TO 48 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE WARNING...TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.

DO NOT FOCUS ON THE LOCATION OF THE FINE FORECAST LINE ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS OR ANY OTHER SYSTEM.

A HURRICANE IS NOT A POINT ON A MAP. THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF A
HURRICANE CAN EXTEND SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AWAY FROM THE CENTER.
IF YOU ARE WITHIN THE CONE OF UNCERTAINTY...IT IS WISE TO ASSUME
THAT YOU COULD EASILY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE STORM.

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND SECURE YOUR PROPERTY. THE
FOLLOWING ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARING FOR THE STORM...

GROCERY STORES MAY SELL OUT OF ITEMS QUICKLY. STOCK UP ON
BATTERIES FOR RADIOS AND FLASHLIGHTS...CANNED OR DRIED FOOD...
DRINKING WATER FOR AT LEAST 5 TO 7 DAYS...FIRST AID SUPPLIES...
AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE.

GET CASH...AS CREDIT CARDS AND ATM MACHINES WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT
ELECTRICITY. ALSO...GET FUEL FOR AUTOMOBILES...GENERATORS AND
CHAIN SAWS.

AROUND THE HOUSE...STORE LOOSE ITEMS SUCH AS TRASH CANS OR YARD
FURNITURE. SECURE WINDOWS WITH SHUTTERS OR PLYWOOD. ENSURE
BATTERY OPERATED RADIOS ARE WORKING. MOVE BOATS TO A SAFE
LOCATION. TRIM LARGE TREES THAT COULD FALL ON YOUR HOME. MAKE
SURE VALUABLE PAPERS ARE SECURE.

KNOW WHICH LOCAL SHELTER WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU SHOULD YOU
DECIDE YOU ARE NO LONGER SAFE FROM HIGH WINDS AND/OR FLOODING.

IF YOU MUST EVACUATE TO A PUBLIC SHELTER...REMEMBER TO BRING A
FIRST AID KIT...MEDICINE...BABY FOOD...DIAPERS...TOILETRIES...
CHANGE OF CLOTHES...BATTERY POWERED RADIO AND EXTRA BATTERIES...
FLASHLIGHT...SLEEPING BAGS OR BLANKETS...IDENTIFICATION...
VALUABLE PAPERS...CASH...GAMES.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TIPS...AND
HURRICANES IN GENERAL...IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET FROM SEVERAL
SOURCES...

PUERTO RICO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SPANISH WEB PAGE...

HTTP://WWW.GOBIERNO.PR/AEMEAD/INICIO

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...

HTTP://FEMA.GOV

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS HOME PAGE...

HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/HAW2/ENGLISH/INTRO.SHTML

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...

HTTP://HURRICANES.GOV

AMERICAN RED CROSS HOME PAGE...

HTTP://REDCROSS.ORG

Magic Light Time Walkabout

First though, just in case you've been sleeping, Invest 91 is making its way west, with a 70% potential of development. Need I say, 'people get ready'?

The good news is, when we are right in the path this far out, things can change a LOT! The other news is, they can change back. Better to be ready than be surprised.

The afternoon was so beautiful here, it demanded a walkabout. I try not to ignore demands like that...

 Sweet pea vine...very invasive, very beautiful

 This is now designated the Invest 91 puffball...blow away!

 This corn silk is so gorgeous...

 and this one too...

 The tomatillas look like little Chinese lanterns, strung for a garden party...oh! Right.

 Raspberries on the wane

 Blackberries coming on!

 A small flock of wild turkeys going through the field very casually 

(maybe they know it's only summer)

 Wild blackberries in bloom

 A young madrone tree

Lookin' at you lookin' at me

Time to head into the day here...while keeping an eye on Culebra weather. 

Have a safety plan Saturday! Do something sensible.

California Free Range Friday (with a Culebrense slant)

The Larry, Elijah, Buffy and MJ be

Yesterday, planting strawberries about wore me out. After this morning's planting, which went a fair bit faster, I'm still sore, but feel a lot better. Elijah and Larry pulled ahead of me, but that was okay, Because we're done, leaving me to fantasize that I'd whip through the next bed in record time and feel like going dancing afterward. Sure.

All I know is, bless the farmers of the world, and I'm really glad I'm not a migrant worker. We got good pay for planting, plus not having to go in debt to the company store just to have a roof and a simple meal. Thanks, Larry and Janet! Yes, Life is good. And so are the strawberries!

 The plants to the left are raspberries. 

These strawberries will be ready next year.

Planting strawberries is dirty work

While I was, eventually, catching up with online things in the afternoon, I got a wonderful treat in my email from Teresa, who is Holy the Firm with my cat. If you can leave your animals with someone who treats them better than you do, you're as lucky as me.

 Why does Cwim like to drink from the rain bucket? 

Why is it silly to ask why a cat does anything?

And then, because she knows that even with the powerful and beautiful views around me here, there is still one view I love the best. Thanks, T - you are as beautiful as my view!

After I'd recovered my walking feet (and ankles and knees...the hardest part in planting strawberries), I decided to try baking some bread. While I had, technically, the same ingredients I use on Culebra, the rye flour I got at an outside market was home ground (from their own rye!) and the yeast from the health food store was really different as well. Plus an altitude about oh...1497 feet higher than mine. But it all went well! And I'm going to go have some in a few minutes. Next comes the rosemary bread experiment, now that I know I'm not going to screw up the recipe . 

Oh, the recipe. Well. If I tell you, I'd have to...not sell you bread! But it's super simple and if you want the recipe, I'll give it to you. If you don't live on Culebra. Just kidding. Ha ha ha. Ha.

 Extra big loaf of rye bread

 Just going into dusk view from the porch where I sleep. And read. And chat. 

And listen to home made music with Elijah and Buffy playing.

It's like that, and it is all good.

Some tiger lilies - some things feed you without ever being consumed

Yesterday we got the herb bed planted. The plants were already started and it just needed some more fill. Two good bags of soil, some 'duff' from around the madrone trees, and some good sifted compost from the compost pile and those plants are HAPPY! I want to get some rosemary started from one of Janet's plants...

Have a feed your head Friday! Do something fruitful.

Ocean Balm

Yesterday I learned about the passing of a good man from Culebra, swift and shocking and sad, because men like him are rare, and though it was his time, it was not our time and he will be greatly missed by a wide spectrum of people, from family to friends to acquaintances, to whom he always had an outstretched helping hand. One of his big loves was his horses, and it was while working with them that he left us. A comfort in its way. To Edwin's family and closest friends, I can only offer my sorrow for the large space he leaves behind in your lives, and thankfulness that he was here at all.

My son took me to the coast (perfectly named Shelter Cove), because he knows me pretty well. Here are some shots of a place wild and beautiful. A different kind of ocean balm, a different place than home, but the sameness of the sea in all of its powers.

 Seals on the rocks

 Driftwood

 Picnic table and matching gull

 An oyster grill instead of a pig roasting pit

 Mama had just hopped over the fence

 Black Sand beach (more like rocks, and beautiful)

 The path to the beach is outside the photo to the left...with Nesta on top

cliff edge and steep and well worth it

 Birds flocking in along with the fishermen

 How the fishing boats get hauled out every day

It's hard to think 'rest in peace' about Edwin, my head too full of seeing him in active mode.  But who knows? Maybe there are amazing horses where he is now... I hope so.

In Betweens

The radishes are up and thriving!

Days here are a lot like days at home...a little hard work, something else, some work, something else. But here, one big something else is 'going to town'. Yesterday we needed more jam jars and I needed some flours for bread baking. When we got back, we did a few little things and then I looked at the clock and it was 4 in the afternoon! It seemed like it should be around 2. "How'd it get so late so fast?" I asked. Elijah answered, "We went to town." Oh...yeah. I guess that does take time, like at least half of an hour going in. Then maybe an hour there. Then back. Poof! Goes the time.

One of the few little things we did was stop at the bottom of the drive and walk across the street to the river. There is one little branch, just big enough to stick your feet in as the water flows over the rocks. It is cold. Cold enough to chill a beer. Cold enough to take all the extra summer heat out of your body. Cold enough to make a black dog happy.

 Nesta, chillin' her feet

 A fallen madrone tree - pretty much every life stage of this tree has its own unique beauty

 Still and deep and....cold! (no, I haven't gone in, are you crazy?)

 One of a few swinging ropes for those who brave the thrill

 A boy man and his dog

 This is all one tree, that obviously fell many, many years ago. It looks almost petrified. 

It's probably about six feet across, maybe a bit more

This morning dawned foggy and cold. And other worldly beautiful. 

But within a couple of hours, the sun was out, the sky is blue, and it's onward to some project. Jam making, bread baking and...who knows? I like that in a day.

Have a Westward Ho! Wednesday (can I even say that anymore?). Do something with wonder.