Sunday at the Movies

This is what you do when you don't do much of anything else. I was on my way to take (yet more) bird photos and there was this fellow. We had a  Culebra stand off for awhile as he wanted the dock. The whole dock. If you'll notice, he'd certainly marked it right away. He won.

 Don't miss the tongue.

Just in case you missed the tongue

When Walt called me yesterday afternoon, I felt like a prisoner suddenly given town privileges. Of course, I was keeping myself prisoner, hoping to not give anyone else this creeping crud, but he made me an offer I could not refuse. David and Grady were going to be playing at Dinghy Dock, did I want to go? Of course I did! David and his wife Linda, two people high on my 'I'm so glad you are back for a few weeks!' list, are here and I'd only gotten a glimpse of David - at a safe distance - and Linda as well.

So, i went. And it was great! There were lots of people there, one I hadn't seen in a couple of years. Holmes came here to learn to sail; he was determined to go to Brazil. Sean taught him some basics, on a trip we took to Vieques, and soon after, he was gone. He is back, with a beautiful Brazilian wife! I'm still a little leery of my passing along bad bits, so we set up a time to get together and swap some stories.... Culebra is tiny, but loaded with heart treasures
...and my heart soared like an eagle.

Doug, looking half casual corporate and half Peter Pan. 

The beer bottle was added (I was told) to get perspective on how big this 'dinghy' is. 20 feet long and a grand story too (but I didn't hear all of the story so, next time).

I forget what Neil told me this is called, but it is beer on the bottom and voodoo juice on top.

Yes, that does say, Coca Herbal Liqueur. From Amsterdam. No, I didn't taste it.  But I will.

Thank you, Walt!!!! 

Mikey and Mikey

Neil, making beautiful smiles and good rhythm 

Have a heart singing Sunday! Do something schwingin'.

Happy 1st of October! and a few other things

With Ophelia and Phillipe far to the north of us, we can look out for others, hoping they will be well, and sigh some thanks for ourselves, again.

Culebra in the clear for the momento

Sahara dust falling over from a strange spot...and doing a nice job!

Yesterday afternoon I got a great dinghy ride in to Dinghy Dock, singing Happy Birthday to Neil with a lot of help from his friends. "If you don't have Happy Birthday sung to you at least five times, you're nobody." Neil - he's definitely somebody, off key, out of sync, in English and Spanish (no matter how bad our Spanish is, we all know how to sing Feliz Cumpleaños).

The thing about Dinghy Dock is that it lets us feel like amazing multi-taskers. We can drink, talk, sing and watch the water show, all at the same time. The guy who got tangled up in the dinghy anchor lines with his engine provided a fair amount of entertainment, we applauded his successful untangling, especially the people who's anchor lines he didn't sever...  These two, who were casting for sardines, also made a nice showing. No casts while I was watching, but it's one activity that I really love to watch...a water ballet.

This dog is also incredibly adept at balance, dancing on the very edge of falling in...without falling in. Better than a few of us.

 A bewhirlygigged pirate and one of his crew

 Neil, Wanda and cake! Does beer go with cake? Around here it does...

I'm not a cake person, or much of a football person either, but this cake was really good!

So goeth another day in Paradox. 

Have a superior Saturday! Do something stalwartly.

While Back on The Rock...

The blossoming things, grasses and uh, other green stuff happily growing in jungle like (minus Dr. Livingston, I presume) proportion in my yard while I've been away have become heaven for the wild chickens. And apparently a few horses enjoyed themselves here while I was away, leaving their clues in the middle of overgrown pathways for my slender soled flip flops to find. Flop would be the word... 

Without getting into a discussion on the various types of manure (because I have a vivid imagination complete with olfactory input, and I'll guess you might too), I will say that I'd rather step in horse apples than say...a cat's output. Fortunately, my cat is thoughtful enough to not leave anything for me as a surprise other than the occasional rodent. And that's her job, so how can I complain? Oh yeah, digression is rampant here, just like my yard.

 I see you, lady chicken! Yes I do.

 This is from an orchid that went wild and then when I was moving it, the biggest branch above broke off. I stuck it in a planter (with the still happy rosemary, hooray!) 

and so far, it's still making me visually happy. Orchids are tougher than some think. 

So are people.

Even while I was in the states, I was hearing about the sargassum that is inundating the islands. It piles up, it floats away, it comes back. It covers the bay in small floating mats (not as heavily as when I sailed through the Sargasso Sea, one of those life list things ,completely living up to my imagination and beyond), feeding birds and sea critters. I wondered if it was edible and found a plethora of information about its nutritional value claims, including everything from thyroid regulation to aphrodisiac properties. But apparently, it's low on the seaweed totem pole for taste, classified as 'survival food' and 'bitter'. Bummer. I guess I won't be making any bread with it...

The helliconia are bright in a sea of green

The other day, when it was almost chilly and raining in the drifting wake of Maria, I was at Dinghy Dock watching the fish and catching up on the goings-on while I was gone. Out of the kitchen were coming sausages and wings, Sunday football goodies (at a great price I might add, in case you like that sort of noshing) when Neil suggested I might want to try his sancocho, a soup/stew made with, in his version, pork and many root veggies in a wonderful broth. I said I'd try a small bowl. If that was a small bowl, wow! There was some home made pique to splash (carefully) on and I dug in. It was truly, in Neil's words, Puerto Rican comfort food. I didn't get a photo and I really wish I had, because it was beautiful as well as delicious. I gave out a few tastings and halfway through couldn't eat another bite, so shared the rest with my (and many others) favorite go-to guy, Mr. Gifford, who loved it as well. All this to say, if you are at Dinghy Dock on a cool and rainy day, ask if Neil has some sancocho hidden in the kitchen. You'll be glad you did!

On another food spot front, alas, also sans photos, Zacos Tacos - his web site is as wacky, weird and funny as the man - now has their liquor license and having sampled the margarita and many of the menu items, I can enthusiastically encourage you to check out that little marriage made in heaven. No doubt, I'll be sampling more offerings soon. You should too. Pork belly tacos? C'mon!!!

And now, back to bread baking. First batch out! Whole grain bread, anyone? Rosemary garlic next!

Have a welcome home Wednesday! Do something wakefully.

A Culebra Afternoon

Life is starting to fall back into the Culebra wavy groove that I know so well because I rarely know it at all. Which I like. The other night it included an unexpected dinner party with two old friends and two new acquaintances, a couple here to find out first hand if they want to live on, rather than just visit, Culebra. She's a doctor with an emphasis on holistic medicine, he's a physicist, both with a good sense of humor - which is pretty much a prerequisite. Amazingly, after dinner with the three of us, they are still considering living here. We'll see what happens next. I know one thing for sure, she cooks a fine meal...a vegetarian, gluten free meal that I, dedicated carnivore that I am, who really didn't understand gluten from glue (until an explanation that not only made sense but was actually interesting), award  5 stars. As happens so often, I was busy enjoying eating and forgot to take a photo...oops!

Today I'll be helping Susie do some restaurant tweaking, observe a bit of local drama at Wednesday court and maybe, maybe, get my cart back on the corner. But yesterday afternoon,, after tearing my jungle yard apart a bit more (I'm all re-energized about food gardening after seeing fabulous ones all over the US) was spent on happy hour at Dinghy Dock and the waterfront, with company about as local as it gets. Just that mellow time with some of those who people my world, catching up and catching on. I wish I'd gotten a shot of Benjamin going by in his boat, hair blowing back in the breeze. It's good to be home.

Dinghy Dock

Obligatory Jack photo

Time out ended with an order of wings from  

Smoke Tender Wow. Key word, wow! Kudos, Steve. Check it out!

Have a welcoming Wednesday. Do something wishful.

Yikes!

Since I've almost crashed my computer trying to post this, I think I'll go the very simple way, which loses a lot of energy but...keeps my computer going (though I still have somehow got 4000 + items on my desktop I don't know how to make go away...invisible but there...Lewis? HELP!)

Last night I headed over to Dinghy Dock for Amigos Night to prove to myself I hadn't become a complete social recluse. I am SO glad I did! A nice crowd schmoozed and (subliminal message approaching: BEER) enjoyed Grady playing. Even Doug played a little blues on Grady's guitar and after hearing a lot about his music days, I was really happy to realize, the man can play the blues! 

And then Conrad showed up, a sighting I'd almost given up hope on, but there he was...guitar soon to be in hand. The people who'd never met Conrad wondered who is this guy that those who do know him were so very happy to see. Answer: Conrad lived here (and Vieques) long before I was ever around, but I got to know him soon after I moved here. He and Greg built my gazebo and I got to know him better, along with having a few sessions of gazebo guitar time.

But the one thing Conrad used to do that can never be done again was to hang out on the Wall across from the pizza place (Chuck's Pizza, as he still calls it) and play music - and he can play & sing a lot of music and does both really well - with a lot of happy singing people enjoying the moment. I was lucky enough to get in on that before the Wall came down one sad day. Not long after that, Conrad moved off island and it all became a part of Culebra history. Somewhere in the archives I have photos of that last night...somewhere!

Chuck singing country

Judy off duty and Jeff

Doug Lisa & John on the breezy side

Conrad and Grady fit together like two who'd been playing and riffing off of each other for years, Grady on his harmonica, the two of them singing pretty much anything the crowd asked for, with some help on the mic. And no, it wasn't me. I really have learned my lesson. So far. Thanks so much, Conrad, for having coming to play with and for us - much enjoyed, mi amigo!

Some visitors from Atlanta yielded up J.T. - no, not James Taylor, another J.T. who was funny and could dance...really dance. Enough to dip me far enough to where I was praying to the god of muscles that his wouldn't fail him or I was going to have a very sore head. But he never came close to dropping me, or, he faked it really well and I was thanking the universe for young, strong guys who don't mind dancing with old women. Total energy fun! Thanks, J.T.!

I originally made a slideshow for this, because sometimes music and the energy it creates simply can't be translated into words (and it was a pretty cool slideshow too!). Maybe sometime when I get my tech mess untangled I'll do that. For now, it is what it is!

Great night, Neil, and thanks for the dances! Oh, and by the way, dear readers, anyone who has read this blog for long knows I'm not a beer drinking sort overall, but I sampled a few of the beers Neil and Steve have gotten in and they are good! In other words, they taste like something I want to drink, not something I want to turn a hose onto. As Walt put it, it's like having three sandwiches in a glass. If that makes sense to you, get on down to Dinghy Dock and support those new taps! And the new bottled beers as well.

Balloon John said I looked unusually happy (and took up my camera to prove it)
...I was