I love this day

Today started early, after the waking up/watering garden bits. I went to town to check on the progress of the road crew and it was as I'd thought, they rounded the corner and I would not be opening. But there were plenty of errands to run. Unfortunately, I was at least 30 minutes away from any of them happening. So I had a coffee at Dinghy Dock and turned in my tee shirt request. When that was done, I headed to the gas station to ask if any of the local honey was in, because that is where one used to pick up local honey...don't ask me why, ok? But I was directed to a house up the road instead, which I put on my list for 'heading back home'.

I wanted to laminate my Last Virgin Baked Goods sign that Bets convinced me I needed to make (and gave me her nod of approval, so I know it's okay), but Nadine wasn't in yet. Excetera has a couple of chairs on the porch so I sat down and did what anyone does without a book...decided to clean out my wallet. Soon Nadine was laminating away. One errand DONE. I got a few others done and headed out, intent on finding the honey guy. A friend of mine stopped and asked if I wanted a ride and I said, thanks no, I need to find the honey guy, and she said (this is SOOOOOO Culebra), I'm looking for the honey guy too, do you know where he is? Well, yes I did! And, she's fluent in Spanish, so it was serendipity. Except, there was no honey (meil) yet. The woman took our phone numbers and asked if I spoke Spanish. I said, just say Meil, I 'll knowl

I got home and got busy in the gardens, spaced out on blooms, transplanting, joy. The phone rings and a woman says, Meil...and I think, Christ, another wrong number, who the hell is Meil? and then the penny dropped. I asked how much and headed out. By the time I got there, two people had stopped me and asked if I'd pick up some for them too, but she only had two bottles. She'll call me tomorrow about more. Maybe this time I'll catch it the first listening.

After a walk to Genesis for oatmeal (it's supposed to be rolled oats but...this is Culebra, so it was quick oats, and yes, I tried all three stores, so hush) I decided it was cool enough to start making the guava cream cheese bars. They are kind of fun to make, using guava paste. My father, living for years in Havana with his family, used to make us a simple Cuban dessert using guava paste, cream cheese and a cracker whose name is eluding me right now (you can tell me, I know someone knows), but its sort of bowl shaped and rather bland, but perfect for guava paste and cream cheese. I'd not used guava paste for anything else. As soon as they cool, I'll taste and see if they are something I want to sell. Since I doubt the cart will be open tomorrow and I don't like selling something not seriously fresh, if they are any good I'll take them to some friends and let them give me opinions. Everybody's happy.

Benny didn't make it by to finish the chicken coop, which I wasn't really expecting anyway...so here it sits, with the new wire waiting. I was chasing chickens out of my garden this afternoon when I heard my landlord, who'd come in the yard to fool with his boat, call out, 'Put them in a cage!' It was a mama and babies and he was right, it would have been perfect...alas.

New orchid blooms

Herbs going into flower power

First hot pepper off of my friend (from Florida) Chris's seeds...yippee!!!! It's about a baby fingernail long.

Life is weird here, and I like it.

How 'bout that Bruce?

Following a long held tradition, my friend Linda and I went to Dinghy Dock for Super Bowl this past Sunday. We don't really care at all about football, but we do love the commercials and usually whoever is doing half-time (usually). Plus, Neil just makes it a very fun party, with raffles and good food and his own pretty spectacular personality. In six years, I've never had less than a great time and this year was the same. AND, I won a Dinghy Dock tee shirt!
I didn't bring my camera, on purpose, which of course I now semi-regret. But as I am usually taking photos, it is easy to become a bit more of an observer than I want to be. So next year I'll bring you all with me to Super Bowl at Dinghy Dock visually.

Today is/will be about my yard, which I never get tired of playing in (though I could use a swing set). Hint photo above. Right now there is a horse tied in my yard. I have no idea who it belongs to, but I re-filled its knocked over bucket of water and he seemed glad, slurping away as the hose blasted in water. I wonder if he'll still be here when I get home?

But, because my brother is my best friend and he keeps on about me doing something on my tiny spaces, I'll start with this and finish up later today with the yard. This is what a tiny kitchen looks like after bottling hot sauce, waxing bottle tops and baking muffins, all at the same time, which I usually don't do but this just sort of happened...as things do around here. Is this what you had in mind, bro?



Part Dos

I'm so excited!!! Our resident computer guru came by and figured out how to make me wireless. I had the fast bit but not wireless (or I didn't know I had it) and so now I'm typing this from out in the gazebo, my real living room. Very thrilling. I could actually watch a movie laying in the hammock...(oh, it's the little things).

So it seems quite appropriate that the finish of today's post would be about the yard. The yard, as mentioned, is usually my living room. It can also be my dining room and occasionally my sleeping porch. All of this takes place under the rather more grandly named than it looks gazebo. It's yet another of the projects not quite into the complete gel stage, but it works fine for all of that.



Of course, it will also soon be my barnyard, as sort of kind of maybe promised today. Finishing things on Culebra is sort of like chasing after the Golden Fleece. Lots of interesting events happen along the way, but to actually get to the end of the course is quite another thing. Rather like the other gazebo structure that I decided today would become a greenhouse and outdoor kitchen in due time, rather than the living area/guest space I was originally going for. After checking out a friend's plants I'm anxious to spread out and why not do it there where the sun is brightly shining? There is nothing like seeing your own and others gardens producing crops to make a gardener's fingers itch for more. Like gambling, raising children or farming, it's all a risk, but oh when it turns out well, what good fun! And if it doesn't you can just try again...well, not especially advised with children, though I've wished for a possible re-do more than once or twice.

I think tomorrow the cart will be closed while very noisy big machines work too close by for my aural sanity. I can be home making hot sauce, which I need to do desperately (along with an experimental baking session trying out a recipe for guava bars), so everything works out. I can also be playing in the yard...and blogging at the same time...or not. If there is a man in my yard with semi-noisy machines finishing the chicken coop, I'll be inside. Oh please!!! Come make a joyful noise!

A hummingbird quivers a foot away from me while water sounds slip and slap gently against dock and boats. No doubt if I left this computer on the table for long, a lizard would come and baptize it, as the horse, who is still tied in the front yard, so helpfully did. While the front yard (which is really, to me, the back yard) isn't a place I spend much time, the horse seems happy. Now, if I could just get him to move the fertilizer...


Last minute addition, because I never know what I'm going to find in my yard (these two showed up with the daughter of the guy who owns the horse) ...but I think you ought to know some of my fertilizer options...aren't they pretty? I want some!