Really?

Whatever happened to basic human decency? Manners? Courtesy? Treating others with respect and kindness?

When Good Things Happen to Bad People

Though my new apartment isn't ready yet, my landlords who have returned stateside have put me up in their gorgeous home, while the final construction is underway.  I just had to share the beautiful panoramic views from the galley.

My new landlords are the most lovely and generous people.  They have kind hearts and are filled with laughter that I swear echoes through their home.  It is amazing how a place can take on a personality.  Though it has only been a few days, I wake up in their place energized and ready to conquer the world.  I hope it sticks (and I hope the apartment inherits some of this happy energy!)

Kindness Abounds

I

My first experience with island wildlife

I just rediscovered this.  It is from an email I sent out shortly after moving to the island and was staying in the little guest house at Rust Op Twist.  I thought I'd share for those who didn't receive it (or for those didn't bother reading it):

I'm loving life on the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Croix and kicking myself for not moving here years ago.  While the turquoise waters and beautiful rainforest significantly outweigh the downside to island life, there are some drawbacks.

At some point in the island's history, someone decided to exterminate the island's rodent population by bringing in mongooses.  (Yes, the plural form of "mongoose" is "mongooses," not "mongeese" or "mongoose."  I'm a big enough nerd that I looked it up.)  Unfortunately, whoever decided on this "solution" failed to consider that the mongoose is diurnal while rats are nocturnal.  Ironically, the mongooses eradicated the snake population which was actually dining on the rodents.  On the plus side, there are no snakes on the island.

The other night, I awoke to a strange noise coming from my window air conditioning unit.  This was especially odd, as I've never turned it on.  When I finally struggled completely awake, I found my two cats sitting as close as possible to the window, fixated on the unit and the strange scratching that it emitted.  Visions of the glowing, red-eyed rat from The Secret of NIMH danced across my brain, and I reacted by leaping from the bed and screaming at the top of my lungs.

When I say "screaming at the top of my lungs," I don't mean the cartoon variety "eek, eek a mouse."  This was a full-fledged, topless-bimbo-in-a-B-movie-facing-the-hatchet-man scream. Impressively, I managed to arm myself with a broom and an electric fly-swatter without having to take a breath.  I beat on the air conditioner and surrounding window slats with the broom – not once letting up on the ear-piercing bellows.

Nothing I did caused the scratching sound to slow. (I paid close attention when I had to pause to suck in air.)  Over the next half-hour, it became obvious that the "creature" was determinedly climbing up the unit.  It finally reached the top of the air conditioner, and to my horror, found enough space between the unit and the boards around it to slide several legs through the gap.

The legs that slipped through the fissure weren't the fuzzy appendages of rat, but angled, spider-like legs that were encased in some form of armor.  Every horror movie I have ever seen (and some that I haven't) flashed through my head.  Though hoarse from my screaming, I began to emit sounds that sounded similar to an air raid siren.

I watched in frozen terror as the many legs began to pull themselves along, until they found a space wide enough to raise the entire body up.  I cannot describe the strange rhythm my heart pounded as the creature leveled itself and I found myself staring at . . . a crab.  This was not a cute hermit crab that you chased on a beach as a child.  This was a feed-a-table-of-six dinner crab.

While the sounds I made had no impact on the crustacean, it woggled its eye stalks toward me and found my broom-and-fly-swatter-armed battle stance terrifying.  It slid backwards, falling back down the unit it had just climbed.

I leapt forward, taking advantage of the reprieve to stuff a towel from the dirty clothes hamper in the newly discovered gap as I heard the determined crab begin its slow crawl back up the air conditioner.  Having turned on every light in the house (and outside), I crawled back into bed and listened for two hours as the crab sought entrance to my home.  I finally heard it fall off the air conditioning unit and clatter down the side of the house.

Crab-invasion forces aside, life in paradise is highly rewarding.

I love it here

Happy Imbolc!

Yep!  Today is Imbolc.  Bet you didn't know that (unless you have a close, pagan friend).  Yes, Groundhog Day is a pagan holiday.

Today is the day when things are . . . beneath the surface.  Possibilities are brimming.  This is the celebration that is sacred to Brigid - goddess of smithcraft, healing, and poetry.

Just thought I'd point out, even Groundhog Day has been stolen.  Who knew?

Teen Party

Somehow, I wound up one of the adults hosting a teen pool party at a friend's house.  Not sure how that happened.  Of course, I'm not sure how poor David got railroaded into hosting a teen party . . .

Nonetheless, the man has the best views on the island so I thought I'd share some . . .

Liza doing final sweep of pool

Green Cay in the background

Closer view of Green Cay

Great Salt Pond

Corner of Deck

Distance view of Buck Island

Closer view of Buck Island

Christiansted at Night

Ruins Ramble

While not an official Ruins Ramble, I couldn't refer to today as a Gut Walk, because we Gut Walked it six month ago.  I spent this morning exploring the old plantation at Hogansborg with a group of enthusiastic amateurs and one RPA (registered professional archaeologist) who was willing to do interpretation for us.

It was a lot of fun today, because we had already located the various parts of the plantation and factory, which meant we could now explore each part of the site more in depth.  I thought I'd share a few pictures from the exploration.

A long row house (where the slaves lived)

Ruins of the small ice factory

Equipment inside the ice factory

Equipment inside ice factory

Mold for ice (designed to be inserted into iceboxes)

Outside of the rum factory

Exterior shot of second story factory arches

Interior shot of the factory

Interior arched doorway

Second story interior arches

Flue (chimney) up to tree line

Stone reads A.F. 1868

David climbed down into the fire box (guess who the RPA of the group is) which

is where the fed the fuel and stoked the fire to heat the sugar into fermented molasses

Another shot of the flue - from the tree line up

A very pretty, very tall palm tree

The corner of the Great House - you can make out different types of bricks

David down inside a tiny room in front of the Great House

Storage room maybe?

Looking down into the Great House

Everyone wave to Peter, our fearless organizer!

Cool Tan Tan behind the row houses that ran beside the Great House

Candles from a Santeria ritual

Animal grave - beloved pet or slaughter from Santeria ritual?

End of the row house that sits next to the Great House

(Quite a ways from the first row house)

Modern archaeology.  All we could determine is that it was a Ford.

David discovering an unusual piece of machinery

Backside of unknown piece (clearly teethed for gear work)

Large hermit crab that was a long long way from the beach!

Can't wait to go explore this find again.  I also can't wait to see what we turn up on our next Gut Walk!

Another Day in Paradise

What a glorious day.  I started off by seeing Dr. M, followed it up by having Aziyza work on that horrible knot that is causing me so much pain - I feel so much better now!  Then, off to the beach with some friends.  It was wonderful!

We found a sea grape tree that had formed a grotto-like area and set up in the shade.  I was able to get some reading done (I'm working on it Wendy!) and did a lot of walking. I was delighted to play with Brady - the greatest dog ever - am seriously contemplating a dognapping.  Spent a lot of time just limin'.  It was wonderful to watch the water, listen to the waves, and enjoy the peace.

We fired up the grill at sunset and had burgers while enjoying the view.  After dinner, we lit a bonfire and watched the different-colored flames dance along the driftwood.  Four people left and three of us stayed behind to enjoy the peace.

Alas, I needed a bathroom, so I had to wander the mile or so back to the car.  You forget how dark night can be when there are no lights anywhere near. As I meandered slowly back to the car, I pondered the death of chivalry.  No man in my family would let a woman walk that distance alone in the dark.  At least I had my trusty little LED key ring light.  It didn't throw much light, but at least it stopped me from stepping on anything harmful.

I'm pleasantly exhausted.  This was a perfect day.  Simple but joyful.

Beach Combing

The afternoon cleared up and a couple of hours before sunset, Liza and I decided to go beach combing.  I desperately need bookends as books are overflowing my shelves.  (I know!  What a shock!)

We ambled up and down a beach a mile or so in each direction and just enjoyed the afternoon (and found some heavy shells).

I couldn't resist sharing a couple of pictures.  The sky was absolutely amazing as the sun sank behind the clouds. We were walking near a bird sanctuary and a pelican decided to pose for us.

These pictures are unenhanced.  Unfortunately, to get the sky, I had to let the green hills be in shadow (the flash showed the green hills, but bleached the sky).

The pelican posing with his wings out.

A closer view of him.

I wish you could see this photo uncompressed.  Unfortunately, blogger doesn't like the 4,000 pixel file a 12.7 megapixel camera takes . . . (Note the cacti jutting out from the hill)

The view behind me when I was photographing the pelican.

Haiti

My heart aches for the people of Haiti.  I can only imagine what they have suffered - and will continue to suffer.  I saw a post from someone there who commented that the people of Haiti are used to taking care of their own problems and the idea of outside aid is unusual.

I've decided to try and give you just a glimpse of what is like following a small natural disaster on an island.  Fortunately, my only experience was more or less mild (even though the hurricane was stronger than

My afternoon

I was helping a friend prepare her home for guests this afternoon.  Thought I'd share some pictures I snapped.

Looking out their front door.

The gallery that runs along the front of the house.  Each arch frames a beautiful ocean view.

The historic schooner Roseway sailing past.

Winter in Paradise

Winter on St. Croix

Winter Winter Everywhere!

Yes, even here.  You’ll notice the amazing sandcastles – I had to shrink the photos to post on the web, I fear you can’t make out the elaborate staircase and other impressive features – alas, the artist created in a place that had become shaded when I was there.  It was bad timing on one of our parts…

While I joyfully rejoice that I do not live in the south, much less further north, you will notice an important thing in the photograph.  Ain’t no one in the water.  Yes, it is pretty; yes, it is blue; yes, the water temp is in the low 80s.  No chance in hell.

This time last year, I went out with Big Beard to Buck Island.  When we arrived, the first mate was asking everyone their shoe size in order to fit them with fins for snorkeling.  When she asked me my size, I replied, “I’m not getting in that water.”  She pointed a finger at me and said, “Local.”  You betcha.

Last night I thought I was going to freeze.  Something that probably sounds impossible to the rest of the world.  Our hottest day and coldest night vary by about 20 to 25 degrees.  Most places in the world, one day can vary by that much.  Last night was in the 70s.  I donned a pair of sweats, crawled under the sheets, pulled up the crocheted blanket and desperately wished for my down comforter which is in storage in the states.  At this point, I would kill for any comforter.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but I have a witness.  Ask Mom about how cold it gets down here in January.  She’ll back me up.  Yes, the temperature is in the 70s, but it feels like winter at night.  Blessedly the days are balmy and there is zero chance of snow (at least since the Weather Channel figured out the code for drug drops…). 

While, I have no problem laughing until I cry at those of you who choose to live in places with the risk of snow – and people choose to live in Wisconsin!!!???? – winter has arrived.  I do need a decent blanket. *sigh*  I really miss my stuff…anyone want to rent me a shipping container to get my things down here?