Surprising Things

Life is slow going here, much like at home, but the occasional surprises come along. Just like at home.

I took a not so long walk the other day, a road I usually drive on, mainly because it's pretty steep and I'm pretty lazy. But the steepness is what made me look up.

Or maybe it was sheer monkey power

Seeing a monkey sculpture hanging in a random madrone tree...I was happy I was carrying my phone before being accused of seeing flying monkeys (my favorites of all in the Wizard of Oz). 

This other wasn't so much of a surprise as just that feeling of aaahhh, like the tail end of surprise, when, in a dense place and suddenly you are in tree tops and the world opens up to you. One lone tree standing out among thousands.

And the latest weather surprise, Hurricane Beryl. This is the latest from Suzanne of the Finca.

TROPICAL FORECAST/HURRICANE BERYL:

Located at 5am @ 10.6N/45.1W - 1140 miles ESE of Lesser Antilles

Moving W @ 14mph

Max Winds @ 75mph; Pressure @ 995mb

Beryl is a very small hurricane, but with a well defined pinhole eye that has waxed & waned overnight.  Deep convection associated with Beryl has become better organized in the last 12hrs.  Beryl is still in an area of low vertical shear and reasonably warm sea temps so she is likely to intensify further today.  NHC admits to a high uncertainty regarding Beryl's intensity forecast.

Models are still convinced that Beryl will rapidly weaken with increasing shear; that she will reach the Lesser Antilles as only a TS or even just as an open wave.  But regardless, she will be impacting the islands early next week.

This system will be approaching FA late on Sunday/early Monday, with periods of showers & tstms through Tuesday am.  Gusty winds & rain totals of 1-4" are all possible. 

Will be keeping a close eye on SURPRISING BERYL!

GOES 16 loop:  https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES16/ABI/GIFS/GOES16-TAW-GEOCOLOR-900x540.gif

I know since reading this there has been this little knot in my belly, even though the rest of me thinks it will all be well. For some of you, that knot will be bigger. Do the necessary and talk to friends and family. Find some things to laugh about. And let's vibe to roll away that Beryl!

Have a fortuitous Friday. Do something faceted. 

4th of July and other Goings On

Plans for the 4th around here? None that I know about today, so I'm free to think about what's happening on Culebra and take a reminiscent stroll through some old days celebrations. 

In looking for a photo of one of the houseboat parties, I came across something even better, a video of one of those parties! This is taken by Jo, of Jo and Loren out of St. Thomas but frequent Culebra visitors. This is from 2009, which sounds like a long time ago. Enjoy!

Yesterday I got to play Grandma for a time in the park. I'd never been to this park before we went river floating and now I've been twice. 

After doing the park things, swing pushes, teeter tottering, climbing on every possible climbing thing, and repeating all quite a few times, I got a text that Allie's dentist appointment would run longer than planned (I was not surprised, I live in the land of no appointments). 

O suggested a walk - 'No, we're not going in the river!' - I didn't really know what a walk meant there, but figured she must, so off we went. Now I want to go back and take the real hike.

Over in a sort of corner area, there is a beautiful stone fireplace (it also happens to be barely in front of a no-fenced plunge to a dry river bed, meaning no photos while keeping Ms. Curious from enjoying that view. Next to that is a plaque about the park. 

In 1967 Mrs. E.N. Tooby made this site available to the County of Humboldt to be used by the citizens of Southern Humboldt as a community park honoring the three Tooby brothers. She placed a plaque near the grove with this description:

“These trees, the river and the glades all belong to the ages, what they have to offer in inspiration is yours to now enjoy.” (from the Tooby Park website)

Over a little bridge, you are suddenly in a redwood grove. I don't know why it is called a grove instead of a woods or forest and I couldn't quickly find out, so if you know, tell! There was an open area O started running into, saying there was a face carved on a tree. 'Cahvd face' Iko echoed. Sure, I want to see that.

Hurry it up!

There are babies and giants and one saw down log from a 'stump' - is it a stump if it's 30 feet high? right next to it. It looks like it was burned but I'm not sure. All I know is it's massive. The log is cut into three pieces and placed together for our enjoyment.

O was already climbing up the log. Yes, that giant thing in the background.

Kids make great perspective markers.
This thing was massive. 

Who knows why this was built? It still has its draw.

The face carved in a tree was actually a bronze plaque memorializing a man who's nickname was 'Gyspy', remembered for his love of nature and adventure. A face in a tree, out in a redwood grove with no rails or fences anywhere seems like an apt memorial to me. 

Over 'there' is an incline with a few of those giants standing about as they have for a very long time and a path leading up and away in a very temptational, luring way, but for another day. The grove isn't going anywhere soon, thanks to Mrs. Tooby and the Southern Humboldt Park folks, along with others. 

A fast moving shallow riverfront at one side, a redwood grove on the other and a few wild acres in between. Not a shabby park to while away kid playing time during a dentist appointment. 

Oh!! I finally got more oysters. Sarah had some local ones brought in but no shucking knife (Hey, a knife and a hammer! Sarah said no - she hates watching me bleed), so we did the 'heat the grill up to a billion degrees and toss 'em on for a minute' thing. Pop pop pop and yum!

Have a Washingtonian Wednesday. Do something (un)wavering!

While the Kids are Away...oh Deer!

La familia went to the Kate Wolf festival yesterday, as they do every year. Yes, I would have liked to have gone, but it was sold out and lucky for them, I didn't know the whole line up until the last minute or they would have seen me sobbing in the driveway as they pulled away. If you click on the link, you'll see all I am missing. And a da..dagnabbit BABY gets to go??

She loves to be in the overcab Turtle bed,
where she pretends to be asleep and then AWAKE!
How can I hold a grudge with that face?
Ok, baby, I guess it's okay that you get to see Keb Mo and I don't.
Not really.

But I am a mature adult and turned my time into other diverting pursuits. Like rejoining Netflix and stumbling upon a strange British show called Happy Valley. Trust me, it is not a happy valley, but it quite addictive, as I noticed when it appeared to be getting lighter outside. I'm quick like that.

On waking, there were things to do before heading over to my daughter Sarah's place later today. A deep watering of the gardens - my just planted from last weekend tomato has blossoms! The peppers have buds! I'm way behind Alliena in her planting but the plants don't care and neither do I. Most likely I won't be around for the fruiting but there is just a serenity and quiet joy in playing in the dirt with plants that is one of the best drugs I know. Corn, radishes and lettuces, micro greens and chard and plants for dying clothes and more, every day is something new happening.

Once I got here it didn't take long to find Charlotte the plant lady and get a Sungold tomato plant from her again this year. These bright orange cherry sized tomatoes are the sweetest tasting tomato I've ever had. I tried last year not eating the red ones, which were amazing, and the Sungold's together because the Sungold's dull the taste of the rest. I know, I'm prejudiced! So when Alliena told me she hadn't planted one, I was on a mission. Hooray for Charlotte!

Obviously, my Sungold's are lagging behind the others
but very happy just the same.

A sweet pepper, a jalapeño and a Cubano. It will be interesting to see
how they get along together in the same large pot.
Will they cancel out each others' sweetness or fire?

The yellow roses are just today saying hello!

After the long watering session it was time for a coffee and reading. I was standing in the doorway of the Turtle and scanned the field  thinking, oh well, I'm way past morning deer thirty, when there on the high side, nibbling on the grasshead seeds, there they were. Lazy bones!

From the door way

I hear something but these seeds are so good!

Baby antlers

I definitely hear something!

So do I!

C'mon, let's go!

Okay! Wait up!

They didn't exactly run and didn't exactly stroll, but there was clear intention to get back to the woods. Sorry, deer, I didn't mean to interrupt your grazing. Well, only a little.

Have a serendipitous Saturday. Do something selfless (no Iko, I don't mean you pretty much).