The air smells quite rare!!!

There is a scent in the air. A very rare scent. A scent that comes floating along technically every four years.
A scent that some people love, but yet is abhorred by others.
Personally, the scent no longer tickles my nostrils like in days gone by. Maybe I have become accustomed to its lingering and sometimes odorous smell.
What scent is this you may ask.....the scent of thirty candidates "nit picking" and degrading each other in order to earn a seat in Parliament to represent the good people of this island.
Elections are in the air!!
Elections have been called finally by the Prime Minister, and Election day is February 21, 2013.
Barbadians will be going to the polls on this day to vote for who they think is the right choice to run the country.

In Barbados, the Prime Minister may call general elections at any time. 
This element of spontaneity to the electoral process is unique from other systems in the world where voting dates are fixed on the calendar. 
Once the Prime Minister decides to call a general election, he will then go to see the Governor General to request that Parliament be dissolved according to The Constitution of Barbados.

The formal campaign is a relatively short-lived affair. By law, the Prime Minister must give a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of six weeks' notice for a general election, however, informal campaigning starts much earlier. 
There are two political parties in Barbados, namely the Democratic Labour Party (in power now), and the Barbados Labour Party (Opposition party).

Both parties then go about preparing their manifestos which sets out the party's policies on major issues and their agreed views and principles.


Immediately following the announcement on January 30, 2013, The Opposition party (BLP) had their posters placed on any available surface, utility poles, trees, walls etc, and large billboards with their candidate photos. They were ready for the fight.
A few days later, the DLP had their posters up as well.

 

Utility pole in my neighbourhood.

Our current representative (DLP) on the bottom poster

(He who resurfaced our road and gave us proper drainage)

 

 Posters on trees

 Woe betide posters of other representatives in anothers stronghold constituency.

They are ceremoniously ripped off.

 

 

Large billboards

 

Extra large billboards

Political meeting schedules were also advertised. The political meetings are night time affairs, and are held in popular areas with large voter registrations. They are mostly advertised by vehicles with loud speakers announcing the time and location  of the meetings accompanied by blaring but catchy ditties composed and sung by popular calypsonians just for the occasion.
The meetings have an air of festivity to them. A large platform may be erected near to a favourite rum shop, school, church etc, and each candidate will then take turns speaking to those gathered to cajole them why they should vote for them and their party. The shop owners "make a killing" (good earnings) as we say here, when the meetings are held in their area. Folks show up with their folding chairs and coolers and settle down to a night of pompasetting (showing off) and rhetoric by the speakers.
Everyone in the crowd is a wannabe political pundit.  Some folks can be persuaded quite easily with empty promises.  I have not attended a political meeting in donkey years. No need to, I can hear every meeting that is held in my neighbourhood since the sound travels upward and engulfs me on the hill where I live. Only thing missing is the ambiance of the crowd and all the hilarious banter that is ritualistic at these meetings.


Anyone can have discourse with their parliamentary representative, because they have their own offices in the neighbourhood with an open-door policy.
 Folks with problems, ranging from housing to jobs to schooling can all be taken up with one's minister and have it acted upon....or not.
Now is the time when folks make even more visits to these offices, because they know that their vote is important, so promises ensue on both sides.

Representative office in my neighbourhood (BLP)

A little information for you to digest:
Barbados is divided into 30 electoral districts or constituencies. Voters in each constituency elect one member of parliament (MP) to send to the House of Assembly. There are two main political parties in Barbados. Each party nominates one candidate for each constituency. Independent candidates may also stand for elections.
The party that wins the most constituencies is asked by the Governor General to form the government. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister. If the party wins in more than 16 constituencies, it will have a majority government, which makes it much easier to get legislation passed in the House. If the winning party has fewer than 16 seats, it forms a minority government. In order to get legislation through the House, a minority government usually has to adjust policies to get enough votes from MPs of other parties.
The party that has the second highest number of seats in the House of Assembly is called the Official Opposition.

I have received my letter from the Supervisor of Elections, Electoral and Boundaries Commission instructing me of the location of my polling station.

All I need to do now, is show up on election day at my polling station with acceptable identification and place my secret ballot in the box.
You can rest assured that Barbados will be a hive of political activity until that day.

Harley Ride

I was so taken up with the events of yesterday's fire, that I totally forgot about the Harley Ride.
Bet you didn't know that I love motor bikes.
I once had a boyfriend who had a motorbike, although not a Harley, and it was always so much fun to travel around with him.  My mum wasn't too enthused though.
I  LOVED sitting on the back, hanging on tight while we rode (yes, with helmets) navigating some tight corners and bends on the back roads of the island. I still love to go" off roading" whenever I get the chance, using the All Terrain Vehicles now.
Can you tell I was a thrill seeker back in the day???
So I missed The Harley Ride event yesterday...hope they all had fun.

They walk amongst us

Today dawned bright and sunny, and I was up early as usual working on my daily chores.
Just before lunch, I smelled smoke that had a burning electrical scent.  Looked outside towards the abandoned quarry, and there was black smoke rising quickly into the air.
Decided I would have my lunch and keep an eye on the smoke situation. Fell asleep after eating, and woke up shortly afterwards to the sound of loud crackling and popping noises.
"Oh no, not again!!"   I cried.
Yes, some "damn foolio" was at it AGAIN!!!  Burning their rubbish in the quarry, and the fire had got out of control.
A ton of acrid smoke loaded with ash was headed my way.

Acrid black smoke

 

Flames shooting high into the air

I immediately called 311, and I was so perturbed that I could not even give the dispatcher the location of the fire.

"Please calm down Madam, and tell me the location of the fire."  I finally managed to calm myself down and give the location.

"Oh please hurry, some houses are in danger."

"The truck has been dispatched Madam, it will be there soon."

Trees were falling in the path of the burning flames, and dogs were barking in fright.

I saw the flames burning a path nearer and nearer to the houses. The families were away at work, school, running errands.

Realising I could track down the neighbour whose house is behind mine, by calling his business, I did so, and begged him to come home urgently, which he did.

We made sure our hoses were ready to keep a steady flow of water on the edges of our property until the firemen arrived.

The fire trucks with their wailing sirens appeared soon after, and the firemen started to work their magic.

The wind was against them, and they diligently fought all afternoon and into the evening trying to get it under control.

Smoke filled neighbourhood

Concerned neighbours having a serious chat about the events

My neighbour whom I had called to come home, said to me that he had previously spoken to a guy who was burning wire cabling in the quarry, and told him to stop this practice.  Apparently the scrap metal collectors burn the wire to get at the copper inside, which they sell for a tidy profit.
How many houses would have gone up in flames today for a tidy profit?

Sometimes, I shake my head in disbelief at the thought that these "idiots" live and walk amongst us, breathing the same air that we do, and drinking the same water, but with some kind of inherited stupidity that will never leave them.


It's now almost 10pm, and another fire truck has just returned with additional water to aid in extinguishing this fire.  They have been fighting this beast since early afternoon.
I will not be able to lay my head to rest comfortably until all traces of the flames have been extinguished.
The sofa is all mine tonight. This way, hopefully Brownie will settle down for some sleep. He has been agitated all evening, and understandably so.

Kudos once again to the brave and tireless men/women of the fire service, who risk their lives to save the lives and property of others.

Update: Thursday February 7, 2013
Today, the fire has been extinguished, but the area is still smouldering.
In the light of day, one can now see the destructive path that the fire took in its quest to destroy.

A path of destruction

Indiscriminate illegal dumping was all a part of the problem too, since the items seen here are easily combustible. This area is what kept the firemen busy until late last night.

 Burnt trees still standing for now.

The smouldering smoke will continue for a few days, so I will be keeping the windows at the back of the house closed, but I will continue to enjoy a brisk breeze from the north facing windows. At least some clean air is available....I'm thankful for that.

Tears in heaven

We all have friends who are dear to us, and we treasure their friendship wholeheartedly.
Yesterday, I lost one of my dear friends.  One whom I held in high regard.
His wife and I are great friends, and I immediately "took to him" the same way.
In his book, I was the "blamee" for lots of incidents.  When his wife came home with an armful of shopping, he somehow "knew" that she had been with me, even if she wasn't......."You and Virginia were out again, weren't you?"  "What has she gotten you into this time?"
Not a word of malice on his part, but playful teasing that always made us laugh.
Calling on the phone for my girlfriend, and he answered the phone, a lovely conversation ensued, sometimes we could easily forget that it was she, and not he that I had called for.
A decent gentleman with never a raised voice, he commanded a respect that was well deserved.
He loved dogs, and when a cute little puppy from one of my bow wow litters was chosen to fill their home with cheer, it was him that "Puffy" adored.  Many mornings, it was just him and Puff having breakfast of eggs and ham at the kitchen table.


Yesterday I lost my friend, and I know that he has gone to be with all my other dear friends who have left this world.
I am going to miss him.  I am going to miss being the "blamee."
Our circle of friends will be missing a link, but his spirit will be with us forever.

There he is on the right, fork in hand,with his endearing smile.

We went hiking and plant hunting that day on a large forest of land belonging to our good friend.
We had just emerged from one section of the property back on to the roadside when I insisted on taking this photo.  I am glad that I did.


Yesterday, there were tears of joy in heaven, as he was welcomed home.
Rest in peace Tony, you will be fondly remembered always.

Chicken wire art

I received this email today, and found it rather interesting, so I'm sharing it here. Enjoy.

CHICKEN WIRE SCULPTURE by Ivan Lovatt

Born in Nairobi , Kenya , Ivan spent his childhood in Africa, England , Wales and Germany . When not outside enjoying the natural environment, Ivan was drawn to all forms of artistic expression, and began drawing birds and African wildlife. As an adult, Ivan worked mostly in construction, but art was always an important part of his life. Ivan would spend all of his spare time learning about art, experimenting and trying to explore each medium to its potential. Ivan exhibited his sculpture and paintings in group exhibitions at the Guildhall Grantham, before emigrating to Australia in 1994. He now lives in the Gold Coast Hinterland. 

Artist Ivan Lovatt makes remarkably lifelike sculptures of famous folks, icons and wildlife out of poultry chicken wire. 

 

  MICHAEL JACKSON

 King of Pop in Chicken wire

ALBERT EINSTEIN

Here, the father of relativity is lovingly rendered in chicken wire. 

  

 

 

SIR EDMUND HILLARY

What better way to honor the fabled New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and environmental champion than to recreate his likeness in wire fencing?

   

GRACE JONES

Has posed for fashion magazines, recorded hit records and even battled James Bond,but here she is immortalised in the finest of sturdy barnyard materials for posterity.

DAME EDNA EVERAGE

Australian comedian Barry Humphries’ beloved character, Dame Edna Everage.

Perhaps her boa includes some actual chicken feathers.

 

JIMI HENDRIX

The fleet-fingered guitar legend finally gets his posthumous due as a chicken wire sculpture.

  

 

MICK JAGGER

The mouthpiece of the Rolling Stones may have been knighted in 2003, but you know you've really made your stamp on the world when someone sculpts your face out of chicken wire.

 JOHN LENNON

As one quarter of the Beatles, John Lennon inspired a generation and helped define rock n roll as we know it. Its fitting, then, that he should be canonized in chicken wire.

 

 Depicted during their Sgt. Pepper era, the Fab Four is captured in all their epauletted, facially hirsute glory.

BOB DYLAN

Having introduced both profound poetry and a keen social conscience to rock n roll in the 1960s, Bob Dylan gets the Lovatt treatment, looking suitably cool and wiry.

WINGS OF WIRE

Who said chicken wire was just for poultry and … ER… celebrity depictions? 

Here, Lovatt presents a sculpture dubbed, The Eagle.

 A clucking masterpiece 

Twelve slides in and whats this? Yes, its a chicken made of chicken wire.

Who saw that coming?

 

A meshy, metallic marsupial.

Here, Lovatt creates a cuddly koala, clinging tenaciously to a tree.

 Exceptional imagination AND execution!