Look at meeee!!

I always know when one of my palm trees in my garden is in flower.
I think it's a Coccothrinax barbadensis, but I'm not certain. 
I can smell the heady scent of the flowers (which emerge overnight) as soon as I open my kitchen window for the day.
It's a magic act, in the evening there is absolutely no hint of a flower, but by the following morning the inflorescence has emerged with a delightful perfume.
It's an overpowering scent, and smells like vanilla mixed with cotton candy. The next thing I hear are the bees, that congregate around the flowers in droves gathering the sweet nectar.
This palm is one of my favourites, and was given to me many years ago by two dear friends who live on the south coast of the island.  It was supposed to be a baby palm, but I remember trying to stuff it into my vehicle for the ride home...very daring I might add, since there was no way I could see out the back window with the palm inside.
This morning, when I looked out it stood quite proudly while displaying its new flowers like a peacock with feathers spread in all its glory....Look at meeee!!!

 

 

Lovely smelling flowers 

But look at what else is in there.  A well hidden bird's nest among the thatch.

Camouflage at its best

 A nice clean trunk

My plant buddy came by one afternoon recently and cleared the trunk of all the fibre thatch to use in potting her orchids.
This palm is a joy to have in my garden.  It provides a safe haven for the sparrows, berries for the birds, fibre matting for potting, and of course the lovely scent from its flowers which lasts for a couple of days.
My garden would be incomplete without it.

Neighbours

Do you like your neighbours?  Do you like some and not others?  Do you wish you could recycle the ones you don't care for?
Most of the folks in the neighbourhood have been here from the beginning.. the late 60s and early 70's.

 All of the old neighbours  know each other well, and we have been here for each other through thick and thin over the years.
It has been my neighbourhood from a small child. This is where I grew up.
During the school holidays, when our parents were away at work, it was the retired neighbours who kept an eye out for all of us kids in the neighbourhood, and made sure that we were okay while our parents were on the job. We had to be respectful, since any of our elders could discipline us with a lash or two. No sense complaining to your parents, because if you did they would then share a lash or two as well.
 
We played cricket, climbed trees, rode our bikes, flew kites, plundered fruit trees, ran behind the icecream truck and generally had lots of fun all day long.
We were one big happy neighbourhood family.
One eventuality in life is that things change.  Change sometimes brings good, and sometimes it drags along the bad with it.
We have had neighbours that moved into the neighbourhod and settled in quite well with the flow of the community, and then there are others who have moved in and seem to think that everyone else has to march to the beat of their drum....just ain't gonna happen.
Our neighbourhood is our home, our respite from the crazy world, our peaceful space.
Before recently, the police force did not even know that this neighbourhood existed until some of the newer neighbours moved in....suffice to say, we are now on the police radar. 
It's still a nice quiet neighbourhood, and we are going to try to keep it that way.
Some of the nice neighbours have moved on, and are now living overseas. Some return every year to say hello.
The past few weeks, my old neighbour was back on the island to spend her birthday. A lovely surprise party was held in her honour, and we had the chance to sit and reminisce about old times. It was so nice to see her again.  We all wish she would move back into her old house again, but that's not gonna happen....what a pity.
 
Yesterday,  I went by to see one of my neighbours and she mentioned that she was having  a problem with her phone system.  We all know that I'm Ms.McGuyver, so I fixed the problem.
I love helping others.  She was so thankful.
Last night my phone rang, and she said to me, "Meet me by your gate."  When I went out to greet her she handed me a warm package.
When I came back in and opened the package, it was a lovely dinner along with a nice big slice of hot just-out-of-the-oven banana bread.  I enjoyed her "thank you" a whole lot.
That's what being a neighbour is all about...looking out for each other, and taking care of each other...having each others backs.
If we run out of sugar, we can borrow a cup. If we're having a problem moving a heavy item, one of the strong youngsters will be over to help. If we need a handyman, my neighbour will send her guy over on her time. 
No strife. No confusion. No making life difficult for others around you. 
If we're going to carry out noisy repairs or have a loud party, we do the neighbourly thing and alert others.
True genuine neighbours...our brother's keeper. No need for good fences to make good neighbours. We are good neighbours naturally.
Living in harmony is what a true neighbourhood is all about....our neighbourhood is our pride and joy.
I wonder when the newer neighbours will realise that they're living in a real neighbourhood and treat others with respect...let's hope soon.

Peek-a boo!!

Brownie!!
Where are you???
Oh there you are!
Almost didn't see you there, my dear.

I made some new friends

Yesterday was my out and about day with my girlfriends.
We had quite a few errands to complete, one of them included going to the supermarket to do some shopping.
Walking towards the door, we couldn't help but notice......

Eli and Ellie

How could we resist? These two adorable angels. Look at their faces.

We stopped and chatted with Mum Anna, and fell in love with Eli and Ellie.

Needless to say, we did not get into the supermarket for another 15 minutes, but who cared? We'd made two new friends.

Reminded me of Bob and Sophie, here is their blog.

Swap and Tea Party 2013

We have just had three public holidays very close together.  Heroes Day this year fell on a Sunday, so the Monday became the official holiday.
Then May 1st, May Day, or Labour Day here, was my day for my annual Swap and Tea Party.
I came up with the idea for a Swap Meet several years ago, when my girlfriends and I kept on sharing no longer needed items throughout the year. We mostly exchanged plants, but we always seemed to have other items lying around the house that would be helpful to someone else.
After my yearly spring cleaning, invariably there is a big box of stuff to give away.
Hence the creation of the Swap was born. I didn't just want it to be about swapping, so I added the element of a tea party to the event, and decided on a date that was meaningful.
May 1st is a day for the workers, so instead of working, we party instead.
I have the best girlfriends in the world, and we are really like one big happy family.  I never had any sisters, but my girlfriends are the best "sisters" in the world. We share friendship, hardships, joy, grief, loyalties and faith. We really care and look out for each other.
My home is the venue for the evening, and we have a rollicking time....a real hen party.

The ball starts a-rolling when I send out the invitation six weeks in advance to give everyone the chance to start gathering items to bring along to the swap. You should bring at least five items, but of course we all always have more than five items that are no longer needed lying around.
Some girls drop their items off days before the event.  Everyone chips in with food and beverages as well.
I however like to bake most of the goodies, since it gives me a chance to try out new recipes using my friends as guinea pigs....really, they don't mind.

The invitation

Baked goodies - Miniature Carrot Cupcakes, Savoury Cornbread, Peach Cobbler, Banana Bread, Cheese sandwiches, Cucumber sandwiches, Conkies

Almond cheesecake marshmallow bars

Sorrel juice, Mango juice and a combo juice punch

To get started, numbers are placed into a container and passed around until everyone has a number. That is how the turns are allocated for each round.  If I pull number 2,  I would be second in line to choose an item.  Everyone chooses according to their numbers drawn for that round.  The numbers are then replaced in the container, shaken vigorously and passed around to pull new numbers for the next consecutive round.
We had several rounds, all interspersed with lots of laughter.
If perhaps some one had their eye on a particular item and they pulled a high number, thus losing the opportunity to choose the item before someone else did, we would exchange and barter some of our items as well.

Items galore to choose from

Plants - Gerberas and passion fruit vines

My stash - Large colander, lovely embroidered blouse, much needed optical mouse, two instrumental cds, green shopping bag for my farmers market trips and a triangular decorative candle holder.

After tea, and with the swap finished, is when the real chatting begins. Any topic under the sun is fodder for our intense conversations. The opinions expressed can be controversial, but respected none the less.
I always learn so much, and the camaraderie that we all share is priceless. 
I must admit that it's very hard to be a hostess and a photographer too, I almost did not remember that I needed to take photos to share, I was having such a lovely time.

Another wonderful evening with my girlfriends...a memory to treasure.