Free Range Friday ~ What IS that smell? No Mystery Here.

One result of the storm last week, as I've mentioned, was the piled up sargassum seaweed on almost every shore around the island. As it has deteriorated, there has been a smell emitted that, as also mentioned, is akin to raw sewage (ok, I still wonder about that). It is not the best smell to have permeating Paradox, no matter your viewpoint on Nature and her wonders. So today we are free ranging a bit far afield from food, because truthfully, the aromatic unpleasantness is less that appetite inducing, killing any cooking desire with a definitive inhaled thud. To put it simply, feeling nauseous keeps hunger at bay, no pun intended. Maybe this is a great diet idea, I'll have to think about that.

Upshot, when a friend proferred a beach swim time, I was in! Usually we'll be there an hour or so, but even as dark clouds grew on every side, we stayed, breathing the beautiful air, cleansing nose and mouth and lungs of...well, that other air. Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.

While there weren't a lot of people there, a variety of birds were industriously feeding and socializing

Anyone know what this bird is? It reminds me of a ruddy turnstone (I love that name!) but without the ruddy.

Jokers to the left of me, humans to the right. 

Daphne was a brighter spot on an already bright afternoon.

Still unwilling to relinquish good air, we headed to Zaco's, where I didn't take photos of the pork belly, gyro tacos and smoked tuna tostada that came to the table; they disappeared quickly. But one can only linger over that last sip of wine so long - it was time to head home and find some incense.

Wind had been blowing steadily and happily and the air was a bit cleaner than hours before. Then a rain settled in, helping move the fug along and away. Color me grateful. This morning, there is a lingering of fugugh, but not much, and while piles of seaweed await on the waterside of El Batey for some brave and smart soul to make use of its fine nutrients for gardens (thanks for the tip, Annabelle!), I'm going to leave well enough alone. Being older does have a few perks, one being learning to sometimes leave well enough alone. Sometimes.

My garden needs something though. Maybe seaweed would deter iguanas and thrushes, who have reaped most of the potential bounty from my plantings this year, along with a very sporadic amount of magic rain water. But occasionally, an heirloom cherry tomato or pepper survives, like little jewels of oh yes!ness.

Have a fresh-air Friday! Do something fragrant.