Redefining the home office

Off to see the Christmas lights

Our journey got off to a little rocky start............

Even on the side of the road, in the bush, boy child manages to find something shaped like a deadly weapon

But it was no match against baby sister

Waiting for the second ferry of the trip. Hurricane Irene gave this dock quite the tilt. Boy child thought it would be fun to bring his bike back here and ramp off it into the sea!

Almost there........

.....and there you have it - traditional and heartfelt.

Winter Ruffles

With the prevailing wind from the east on shore in winter, the sea puts on her ruffles, a multi tiered petticoat of sorts - soft and playful, lively, soulful......... Yemanja do Bahia.

Take you daughter to work day

Well, not officially but my youngest was sick and I was nanny-less so she came to work with me.

I set her up in the room closest to my office and made her very comfortable.

But what do I know? Apparently THIS is her idea of comfortable!

Holy mother of Tarantula plagues!

It was literally like they had rained down from the sky, although they were far from heavenly creatures! Big black hairy spiders littered my interval training route. It made me loose my burgeoning Buddha nature completely. My well timed short jogging intervals turned into terrified high speed sprints past the beady-eyed, high legged, hairy beasts. I was hyperventilating, my heart was pounding. I became completely irrational and at times disoriented............ What if they all came back to life and GOT me!!

But of course, we don't photograph the nightmares so instead I give you............a day at the beach :-)

5 a.m

So the downside of having your 3 year old WIDE awake at 5 a.m is pretty universal. We decided this time to make lemonade.........after all, those lemons were such a bright cheery shade of yellow! So both clad in our nighties we went for a walk, along the waters edge, alone, save for a few dogs and cats. There really are little phosphorous creatures that glow, like moon drops in the water......beautiful. The island wide black out quickly diverted our attention upward to the only light source........what a blanket of stars! Walking became slightly hazardous in dark so we shifted gears and jumped the golf cart. There was actually quite a bit if activity around as people were coming out, despite the early hour, trying to stay cool without the use of their air conditioners and fans. Soldier crabs marching across the road - I love their bravado.......the golf cart, 20 times their size and weight coming toward them, they stop and threaten with their big biter. A mama and her 8 pups. The symphonic hum of generators. Palm trees silhouetted against the brightening sky. The constant squeals and chatter from the three year old. My, my, my...........mighty refreshing and good to the last drop!

We've all been here..........

Small planes

I love small planes. I particularly love our local companies that we fly regularly into the capital, a 20 minute flight (unless of course they decide to stop at other airports to do pick ups on the way). They are twin props usually about 16 seats. My kids call them pencil planes. I confess to slight amusement watching first timers expressions as they board (ranges from surprise to shock horror) . One has to crouch down slightly and hunch over and put anything that is over your shoulder in front of you in order to walk down the narrow aisle with a single seat on either side. One of the pilots stands hunched over mid aisle and makes the safety announcements and depending on where you are seated you will get quite up close and personal with the rear seam of his pants as he pivots to return to the cockpit.

With terrorist threats low to none, the cockpit door stays open and you get the literal birds eye view. Flying over our islands is gorgeous - the hues of blue, the dotted islands, the pleasure crafts, the larger marine life, even through oft times scratched and cloudy windows ............ a reminder that you can focus on what's wrong, or see through or past that to the ever present beauty that is everywhere you choose to see it.

Island Incontro

They met 5 minutes before this photo was taken

it was love at first sight..........

3 on the 3rd at 3pm

I think that I secretly had a 4th child so that I could continue to delight in planning birthday parties............

The Birthday Mobile

No birthday is complete without one!

Lose This Day Loitering

Lose this day loitering -'twill be the same story

To-morrow- and the next more dilatory;

Each indecision brings its own delays

And days are lost lamenting o'er lost days.

Are you in earnest? seize this very minute-

BOLDNESS has genius, POWER and MAGIC in it.

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated-

Begin it, and then the work will be completed.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ( 1749-1832)

Homemade ice cream

Cookie and Cream Ice Cream

So yummy and perfect for afternoon on the porch. No need for artificial preservatives ...........it never lasts very long! Simple and delicious.

2 1/2 cups half-and-half

8 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

4 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 teas spoon salt

20 crushed Oreos

1. Heat Half and Half until very hot but not boiling

2. Mix egg yolks and sugar until well blended and slightly thickened, very gradually blend in hot half and half.

3.Add mixture to medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until steamy and bubbles form around edge, stirring constantly. Do not boil.

4. Once hot, pour into large sauce bowl and stir in whipping cream, vanilla and salt.

5. Cover and chill thoroughly

6. Add to the ice cream maker as per your manufacturers instructions, stir in crushed Oreos during the last stage of freezing.

The Path

Why dance down this path?

To check our inner landscape

To find our dry spots

To locate the cliffs we often fall off

To check out our green lush fertile fields

To identify volcanoes that erupt unexpectedly

To discover the beaches and oceans within us

- 5 Rhythms

Salute

His expression is understandable considering this trip, scenic though it may be, involves a visit to the doctor's office. I LOVE this commute! ............. a water taxi across to the mainland where we pay homage to "The Beast", our sturdy and trusted 1994 Ford Bronco. Rust is her only real predator. We drive long enough to enjoy a few tunes then catch a ferry over to the island. Dolphins frolic in the harbour and if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the Manatee and her baby who frequent the area. An hourly golf cart rental is completely unnecessary but we do it each time without fail and within 3 minutes we are there and within 10 minutes the official part is all over. No trip is complete however without a stop in at our preferred restaurant where we have standard favourites, which happen to be things that we wouldn't dream of ordering, let alone eating, anywhere else! Sometimes we'll jump off the bridge, feed the goats, go to the beach, get a milkshake at the drive through window and then within a few hours we have made the trip in reverse back home - sure beats highways, traffic and multi level parking structures. Here's to your health!

The pleasures of my porch

Plusieurs.............

Loving my dreamy vintage wicker set purchased on ebay for a steal ( the shipping costs could conjure up a nightmare or two so we won't go into that )..........lounging cats, laughing children, giving the chin, hailing , wind chimes, bay breeze, the vistas, the sunsets, the reunions, the neighbours, the moonlight, the cuddles, the music, the dancing, the farewells, the solitude.

If you build it...........

...........though I never quite imagined the title of my blog coming to life in this way! I'm taking it as a sign to get back to blogging! Our little island pleasures, our playground of pure potentiality, the six degrees of separation......... things that make me smile..........sweet dreams are made of this :-)