The Sound of Rain

I started writing this a few days ago, but on this very, very rainy morning, it's time.

The rain on the roof of this place next door - musical

I was walking back to my housesitting place tonight when it started drizzling. It has been warm and humid and the rain, cooler than the air, felt good, in that barely there walking through one of those restaurant mister sort of ways. Then it started coming down just a little bit more strongly, right as I was walking by what we called in Florida a palmetto bush (we also called cockroaches palmetto bugs; do the connection), the low palms with Chinese fan like leaves. I started thinking about the sound of rain on things, the new way it sounds, coming over the water in the bay where I now live, the old way of rain on the shack's roof. By the time I'd reached the gate the rain had stopped. Gratefulness that I can hear the sound of rain remained.

When the sun comes out, rain drops are so jewel like, better than any diamond I've ever seen.

Red sky at morning, sailors take warning. That works for today, when the sunrise was literally filling the house with this orange light. I really did think there was a fire for a split second, but it was only the sky on fire from the rising sun.

I'll wait for a break in the rain and go bail out my dinghy. If the break is more than a break, there will be other things to do, but if not, I still have the fun of housesitting pups who don't like the thunder and do like curling up by my shoulder and hip to keep me entertained.

Have a weatherly fine Friday. Do something festive.

Rain is a Beautiful Thing (around here)

If you are in one of the recent flood areas, my apologies for rhapsodizing about some rain, but when dry and brown, muggy and sweltering are the norm, even the smallest amounts of rain can perk up the spirits like nothing else. Color me dazzled.

Waking up to the sound of rain on the roof usually means a quick return to slumberland; these days and nights, it is music to listen to for awhile. The air cleansed of dust and haze, the temperature moderate, the thirsty ground using every drop to make beauty. Joy and joy!

Clean air!

In a dark corner, blooms seek the light. Thank you, rain!

The rainbow eucalyptus goes bloomin' crazy to keep the honey bees happy

Have a less than torrential Thursday. Do something temerarious.

Yesterday, oh the Sun it Seemed So Far Away

But then, instead of that big bit of rain over St. Thomas heading straight here and dampening our Friday evening at Dinghy Dock's Music and Social Hour(s), we got the softness of washed clean island air and a pastel good night to the light of day.

One of the things I love about Culebra is that most public social events include children. Really happy children. And nobody minds because...it just makes life better.

The rain will change so much, so quickly - cisterns refilled, dried hard and browned hillsides softening and greening, gardens refreshed, blooms reaching out from hidden places.

Frangipani - from nothing to...well, count 'em. Oh, the power of rain!

Yes, we are easily entertained. That's a good thing.

Have a see your situation Saturday. Do something shimmery.

Oh Yes! Yes! Yes!

While I don't write well in orgasmic prose, I can tell you that the long rains last night brought close to the same feeling; excitement, with a lovely comfort and joy that led me right back to sleep. Right now, I'm looking, along with the cat, out the window as a light rain falls in blaring morning sunshine. Usually the louvers would be closed but I'd rather be somewhat blinded by the sun than miss this water falling from the sky.

Literally overnight, the grasses have started coming back.

They were, in southern vernacular, a'fixin' to burst!

This little guy has nothing to do with rain, he just showed up on my walk by the water

It could end up being a hot and steamy day but we'll continue to hope for more rain blessing

There must have been some secret rain at one end of the island because when I left, these plants were dead looking (not the frangipani, which is brave and strong and while it looks so delicate, blooms in desert heat regardless).

Another flower in our Culebra garden turned 72 yesterday. I didn't do 52 as well as she does this age, and can't aspire to what DNA and good genes gave her, but I can aspire to her spirit and life attitude. In this photo she was asking, What will I do next? Not in the way it might sound, but with excitement and curiousity as to what might fill the next couple of decades she plans to be on the planet? Answering a Kathy question is pretty silly but we had fun with it anyway. Love you, Kathy! Happy birthday!

Have a triumphant temporal Thursday. Do something therapeutic.

Rain, Glorious Rain!!

I took this as a sign of good rain to come, and it was!

Yesterday and last night we finally got some real rain. Rain that has softened the earth under my feet, filled or at least partly filled tanks and cisterns. Rain that will nourish the oh so thirsty creatures and plants whose gasps were on the sublevel of audible. At first it was teasing as a 7th grade girl at the first school dance of the year but finally, as night closed down, it rained in earnest, pounding on my tin roof, better than the sweetest lullaby sung by a choir of 7 year old Swiss boys. I slept more deeply than I have since I last let Advil PM take me to dreamland. Glorious.

I felt bad for tourists, but we've waited a long time to see this!

 Oh, wait!! We've got some

 Only minutes ago, this came in from Lori!

photo credit: AWC

Thanks to a huge effort by many dedicated people, the mama pot belly pig and her offspring are departing Culebra this morning in an ACDEC truck, headed for the Humane Society of Puerto Rico. A permanent sanctuary will be their final destination. Thank you, Maritza and Claribel, for your help here!!

Animal Welfare of Culebra, along with private citizens, became engaged in their fate more than a year ago. It has been a long journey for these pigs, and we are thankful that the Humane Society of Puerto Rico has offered their assistance. Dr. Yesenia Fernández Soto has made some contacts for the pigs' sterilization.

The Flamenco Beach staff has been truly magnificent with the care of these pigs for a few weeks. We are extremely appreciative of their hard work.

Here's to great teamwork, and a happy ending,
Lori Novis
AWC Volunteer

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program.

It's been so dry that the iguanas were eating up my aloe

How dry was it, MJ?

It was so dry that iguanas were eat...ok, I mentioned that already. Different iguana though.

It was so dry that iguanas were sticking out their tongues hoping for rain drops.

It was so dry that this fellow, in an effort to make me forget that he had been eating my cantaloupes, had to pose and look as adorable as an iguana is ever going to look.

 That's how dry it's been.

On the other hand, with a little help from the hose, the garlic, half eaten cantaloupe and tomatoes in this pot are doing well. The screen is for covering them to keep them safe from the aforementioned iguanas.

Down at Flamenco, much to my suprise, there are moringa trees growing! I tried to grow one and it got to be about 30 feet high before succumbing to the drought. This one is flourishing! If you don't know about moringa trees, they are pretty fascinating if you enjoy that sort of information.

One of the Moringa trees on island

The reason I mention them is because they are incredibly drought hardy. And even though mine died, I'm not giving up, I've got a pretty challenging growing situation here. So when the pods are ready, I'll be back at Flamenco to ask for a few and try again.

Some sweet waves at Flamenco on St. Paddy's Day

Yesterday a group of folks headed out for a day sail on a beautiful boat. I didn't go along but I did get this photo of them leaving the bay! Reports back were that the real rain didn't start until they'd gotten back on the hook. It had been pretty crazy gusty on and off during the day, but it looks like this boat could handle that just fine.

While I was on the dock, I looked over to the little floating dock and this fellow was sitting there. Well, sort of sitting. His leg was injured and I thought maybe he was hungry and/or thirsty.

He didn't think much of my attempts to help him out and right after giving me a scolding, he jumped into the water and slowly paddled away. Sometimes Mother Nature just laughs.

  Have a torpidly tropical Tuesday. Do something (a)typical!

What's going on?

If you ever look at the left side of this blog, you'll see things various and sundry. Some things I make and sell, like hot sauce and photographs, some I only sort of 'make' like the Cafe Press items, t-shirts, mugs, etc. For a little while, depending on how it works out, you're also going to see a tip jar. A tip jar? Well, it's a paypal button disguised as a tip jar...

Here's why. A few people who are regular readers of my blog have told me for quite awhile that I should put up a 'donate' button on my blog. The thought of it just seemed sort of weird to me, but that weirdness is slowly fading to a 'why not?' sort of vagueness. Things are changing, I'm changing some bits of my life along with them. Baking bread, planning on having chickens to have eggs, more things I can do from home that will be of interest to a more local group of people. I include those people who come here year after year, for at least part of the year. I include the guy who couldn't find bread on Sunday. That sort of thing. The cart will still be there, but unless it's a big week or season, I'll be home more, doing things that can't be done at the cart...like baking. Yes, there will still be hot sauce as well!

So some things will change (like the economy has, welcome to year three), but others will not. I enjoy writing this blog way too much to change or stop that, but there is only so much energy. I finally thought, if it helps me with this new flow of life, and people who enjoy the blog want to toss a buck my way for it once in awhile, is that a bad thing? Can you tell I think it is a sort of weird thing? Well...yeah. But what the heck. I haven't written a book, I haven't invented a time machine. I don't sing and dance (for money), and MJ cannot live on hot sauce alone...hence, the tip jar. I rarely look at my stats, but I did the other day and figured if most of my regular readers (that's my brother and sometimes my children...just kidding) tossed in a buck a week all year, I'd be able to take down the tip jar in one year, for at least a few years! Ok, my standard of life is pretty minimal...but I like it that way. It works. Really. My life is great, and if no one tips, I'll just spit on the posts before sending them out.

Anyway, that's why you'll see the tip jar, that's what it's all about, and you won't hear about it again. Unless I get so many tips I come to visit you next year...be careful what you ask for!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~$$$$$ oops~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday we got some wonderful rain again. It didn't last long but there was enough to fill up rain buckets and make dinghy bailing (not my dinghy, not yet) necessary. It was a beautiful thing and our ever so thirsty island is responding with green! Keep those rain dances goin' on, we're not close to enough yet.

A flock of smooth-billed anis were hopping and fluttering next to Di's Garden Center yesterday. I like these birds so much. For one thing, they are just strange. And they are sort of clutzy. And they are part of the cuckoo family. I think I'm related. 

"Whatcha lookin' at? We can't all be hummingbirds!"

Today is Friday the 13th. My lucky day! I hope it is yours as well. Thanks, Blogger people, for getting things fixed! If anyone has problems commenting, it's their fault.

Have a festive Friday! Do something free-for-all.

Eddie Kirkland and Culebra rain

 Late in the afternoon yesterday, after a good day of work, we headed to Rockland for Monday night Blues, with Eddie Kirkland playing. I'd never heard of him before, and there was a long time I could have, since he's 87 years old and still belting out true voice and playing a fast blues guitar. His band is made up of guys maybe half his age, except for the bass player who looked (and played) like he's got some years on himself. But not nearly as many as Eddie. So if you're feeling a bit old and tired this morning, check out the link and get inspired!

He plays a mean harp too

The flying fingers of Eddie Kirkland

Farther away, but closer in heart, Culebra is getting drenched. Laurie told me that Terrie of Palmetto Guesthouse posted on Facebook that a kayak might come in handy on the streets this morning...and it's still coming down, according to the radar.

Y'all be careful out there! Thanks more and again to Teresa for making sure CWIM isn't floating away.

In case you haven't noticed

We've had a lot of rain, a lot of rain in the past two days. The ground is soggy, green is the color of the day and blooms are everywhere. I've realized again I have a lot of white blooms among the shades of purple, some planted, some simply the blossoms of wild things. Maybe it's time for some more variety when I get back. I think so.

And then there is this succulent that someone gave me years ago (sorry, I forget who - if it was you please remind me!) It goes through stages of being happy and near death but somehow comes back again and again. I can tell when it is happy because it decorates itself with little balls of celebration.

It's been a good time to be home doing chores for going away. And by the way, I haven't gone yet: I keep being welcomed back when I do show up in town, reaffirming my belief in the cart equation. Cart gone, MJ gone. Hold on, I'm leaving pretty soon, really!

Laurie just sent me a list of the hot peppers she's ordered for us to grow...about a zillion kinds. Really. While frost got a few of her other early veg plantings, it appears that I won't be without serious garden time, and that is a good thing. Gardening in Maine. Bring it on...whatever part of the adventure that means, it will be some familiar in the unknown.

Have a total Tuesday! Do something tropical.

Love a Rainy Night

With rain falling on and off all night, my dreams were full of music. Wake up from a dream about old musician friends playing piano and slide guitars, go back to sleep and dream of drums. There are worse things in the world to dream about...

If you are looking for some new beers, Neil and Steve are bringing them in to Dinghy Dock! I'm not a beer drinker, except on those insanely hot days when someone brings me a beer so cold you can't even taste it, prompting me to order one for the same reason another time, but I do love the labels, and my beer drinking buds say these are great. Neil and Steve say...more to come!

The sun has come out now, playing cloud hide and seek in a bluing sky.

and everything looks shiny clean and bright...

 Today is the annual Stamp Out Hunger Day, giving you  an easy opportunity to help those hungry hidden people living around you. Head to your PO or take your canned goods to your mailbox for your postal worker to pick up for you. Follow the link for more information!

There is a sale going on starting at 10:00 today and tomorrow at Casa Ensenada. If you need some furnishings or other odds and ends, or even the whole guesthouse, which is for sale, check it out!

Looks to be another beautiful day in Paradox! Enjoy, where ever your Paradise might be.