Wednesday 31 October 2012

Two is company

Today, Wednesday,  The Carnival Victory has company in the harbour.....at long last.

The Celebrity Summit

making its way into the harbour

The Carnival Victory and The Celebrity Summit

It really gladdens my heart to see more than one cruise ship docked in the harbour once more.
Our tourist season runs from mid December until mid April, and I am hoping that many more ships will come a-calling before the month of December.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Brazen and mate on the gate caboodling......

The nerve of this monkey.........
Like I mentioned before Mr. Brazen has a mate now.
Every morning and every afternoon, they run along the back wall on their way to visit all the neighbourhood fruit trees.



Here they are sitting on the back garden gate after their morning run.
Probably scheming what mischief they are going to get into.  They had just finished picking and eating guavas from my neighbour's tree.
Good thing Brownie was inside, and was not aware of their presence.
I myself was in my office when I looked outside and saw them, so I grabbed the camera quickly.

I started to turn away from the window, and can you guess what Brazen did next?
Grabbed his mate and started his love making on the wall...I had to chase them both away...who wants to see them caboodling so early in the morning.......as I said before he is just plain old Brazen.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Saturday jaunt

Saturday is "my" day......a carefree day.......no worries about household chores, gardening issues, or any other problems are allowed to interfere with "my" day.

Looked outside towards the harbour, and there to my surprise was another cruise ship arriving in the port, today Saturday.



The Norwegian Star


What a beauty........




  As I left home and headed to the north of the island, I spied some progress work.
Seems as if the debris has now been cleared from the drainage work on the main road.........it's about time!!



Our Cement Plant in the distance with smoke billowing into the sky.


Waves enjoying themselves.....


.........as only they know how

Speightstown coastline


I guess a seaside fisherman has left his chair until he returns later.
There were many pelican-like birds flying overhead waiting to spot a fish and swoop down and grab it for lunch.
That's the best photo I managed after several attempts, they were flying around too fast.



Nice sunny day, with lots of white puffy clouds in the sky.......


...........and beautiful palm trees swaying gently in the breeze


Barbados Blackbelly Sheep

Normally I would take another route home, but today I decided to drive another way.  Do you ever get the impression that you are supposed to be where you are at a particular moment in time?
I was in time to help this poor sheep, which had become tangled in his rope where his owner had staked him out to graze.
Of course he would not stand still for me to carry out the disentanglement procedure, so by the time I was finished I smelled like a sheep!!


I didn't mind, I was glad I could help the poor sheep out of its predicament....but a bath was in order, so I hurried home.
Arriving home, Brownie could not quite understand my new found scent, so I hustled to get clean quickly, if not he would take great pleasure in avoiding me for the remainder of the afternoon.....he's like that.
What a lovely day...a day to be thankful for.

You may read more here on the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep.

As soon as I finished this post, an email from a friend popped up....how absolutely appropriate.

Today is your Best Day

by Roy Lessin
Christian devotionalIn God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever.”
Psalm 44:8 (NKJV)
Here are four reasons why today is your best day.
- Today is your best day because you are here. God has placed you in this moment of time for a purpose, and the things that happen to you today will be an unfolding of that purpose.
- What happened to you yesterday, however easy or difficult, was used by God to help prepare you for what He has for you today.
- God will use what happens today to prepare you for what He has for you in future days.
- God has used your past and worked it all together for the good, and He will use this day to add to the good that He has already worked in your behalf. 

Friday 26 October 2012

Another ship comes a-calling


Woke up to find another cruise ship had come a-calling today Friday.
It's the Azura, the newest superliner from P & O Cruises.


The Azura

Of course I had to find out more about this new beauty.
This is the 24 night Caribbean Trans Atlantic cruise out of the UK.

Oct 12  - Leave Southampton, Great Britain
Oct 15  - Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Oct 21 -  Antigua, West Indies
Oct 22 - Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Oct 23  - St. Maarten
Oct 24  - St. Lucia, West Indies
Oct 25  - Grenada, West Indies
Oct 26  - Barbados, West Indies
Nov 1  - Madeira, Portugal
Nov 5  - Southampton, Great Britain

Imagine embarking at Southampton in the UK, and cruising all the way to the Caribbean,...that is just one fantabulous trip.

Gathered the following from their website:

"Tempted to leave the cold and wet behind you this winter? We’ve found the perfect tonic in this 24-night cruise with Azura which transports you to powder soft beaches, sparkling waters, swaying palm trees and endless blue skies.
Embarking in Southampton, you’ll first visit Ponta Delgada, largest of the Azores, where you can experience the dramatic beauty of a 15-square-mile extinct volcanic crater with its dazzling lakes, volcanic streams and therapeutic sulphur springs. After a leisurely journey across the Atlantic, it’s on to idyllic Antigua, Tortola, St Maarten, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados. Each island is different and you’ll find a richly varied range of architecture, cultures and tastes. Discover the lush beauty of the island landscapes, lively markets, exuberant locals, historical sites, fascinating marine life and natural wonders including reefs, waterfalls and tropical gardens.
With a call at Madeira on your way home, you’ll have a full day to wander among the vivid subtropical plants and flowers of this ‘Garden Isle’ and sample its famous wines."


Wow, I don't know about you, but I think a cruise is on my travel radar for next year.

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Same old same old

For months now, yes months, the repair of the old well in the neighbourhood has been under repairs.
When it rains, the water that accumulates can not be handled by the old well, and this has led to flooding.
Okay, enter the big wigs who finally decided that it was time to drill a new well especially after years of complaints from the neighbours.

The water flows from the ridge above ours then flows across our ridge making its way to the sea....it is all a downhill flow.
Big wigs decide to drill a new well right next to the old well which was not properly placed in the first place.
The water still by passes both wells and heads for the other side of the street (downhill) where it gushes across an open grassy lot... until some of it flows into a natural watercourse.
One would have figured that the new well would have been installed on the opposite side (downhill) of the street where the water rushes to, but noooooooo.......
For weeks we have had a "work crew" working on rectifying the problem.
Work has progressed, but at an alarmingly slow rate.  Many irate pedestrians and vehicle drivers have bombarded the local call-in radio programs complaining bitterly.
Most days the "crew" are all sitting comfortably, and lying too comfortably on a neighbour's wall, under a tree chatting merrily away, watching the traffic go by.
I have no idea what the problem is...but more than likely if asked, the natural response is that they're awaiting materials to complete the job.



The work crew
They show up on time everyday, and spend the day chilling out....can't blame them however...they are only following orders.




The drainage project that is taking months


Open grassy lot




The non functional well




What else can I say???
I'm sure it will all be completed before that impending date when elections are due.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Well what do we have here??

What a surprise......it's finally been taken care of......after all this time.
Earlier this year, new electricity poles were installed by the company.  The telephone company lines usually ride piggy-back on the electricity poles. When the electric company had finished their upgrades, the telephone lines were drooping, and we all thought the telephone company would soon come out and reconnect them properly.......why on earth would we think that??? We know better than that surely.......how long have we lived on this island??
Suffice to say a long time has gone by..........then yesterday while I was outside gardening.......

This truck pulled up.....

.........and a nice guy jumped out and clambered up the pole and got to work......no ladder needed!!!


.......I do admire such dedication for these dangerous jobs.




One must be fearless  and knowledgeable too.............not be afraid of heights, and have the ability to keep a cool head on a hot steamy day.


Where on earth do all those wires go??




Send me up that other tool.......



Back to work.........



All finished, and checking to make sure it's secure.
....efficiency at its best...hope he is entitled to a hazardous allowance.
Job well done!



Tuesday 16 October 2012

Lookee look!!

Once again, my garden is graced by its beauty...............


 One of my favourite orchids......



 ....blooms about four or five times a year





 ....pretty dependable don't you think?



 My newest acquisition.....triangle leaf ficus..


Yup......triangle leaf ficus and a dog named Brownie cleaning himself



Close up of the leaves....aren't they pretty?



Monday 15 October 2012

A friendly visit

After the rainfall that we received, lots of plant volunteers showed up in my garden, along with tons of weeds as well.
I for one, don't like the idea of just dumping plants that may be worthwhile to others.
Many of my girlfriends sell plants at the various markets and plant festivals, so I usually alert them when I have spares to share.
Saturday afternoon, my girlfriend came by for a visit, and she was happy to take most of the babies that had emerged.
Mr. Brownie was none to pleased that things were being taken from his domain, so he kept a careful eye on the proceedings.


I am not sure what is going on, but just let me sit here in case mum needs me.






 What on earth is she doing?  Why is she taking stuff and it's okay?  Why do I have to stop barking at her?  She is robbing us can't you see? Not to mention she is wearing your favourite gardening shoes....


 On the hunt






 After a successful hunt, many new babies were found.  They will go to a good home where they will be nurtured until the right time, when they will venture out into the world and go to a new home to have babies of their own.
As for Brownie, he was happy to get a head rub and a tummy tickle from my girlfriend afterwards.....he was okay with that.

Friday 12 October 2012

Be careful what you wish for...

Had a call from a good friend yesterday evening.......
"We're supposed to get some bad weather tonight and tomorrow..."
"Wow, Thanks, I have not been following up on the weather like I should, I'll check it out..."

Now at this time of the year, we can't take much chances.  The month of October used to be the end of the hurricane season, but not any more.
The days have been so HOTT and steamy, that we all knew there had to be some weather knocking around waiting for us.
Secretly, I was hoping that we would have a little rainfall to cool the place off.
But not like this......the rain started from last night, and now today is rainy, rainy, rainy....as I said, Be Careful What You Wish For.



I can barely see  the outline of the harbour in the distance.


Menacing rain clouds


It's very very windy...

 Both the palms in the garden and the potted ones in my "Palm Alley" are being manhandled by strong gusts of wind.




The Met Office had pronounced that the weather would mostly affect the north of the island......yes, I know what you are thinking....how on earth could a tiny island of only 166  square miles, have weather predictions for specific areas....we wonder too, because it never plays out how they report it.

My property is bounded by a water course, a natural waterway that allows rainwater to flow and make its way seaward.  The rain has abated somewhat for now, so here are some photos.









We all know who is staying inside today.


He doesn't look too pleased about that either.
It's definitely a soup day....yes, a nice big pot of vegetable soup with lots of fresh herbs and some fluffy dumplings....yum yum.

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