After Playa Bonita and Mi familia

It was a wonderful Christmas, beginning in Houston with an exceptional sushi dinner and time with Fia and Jen and Ez before we left for DR. The condo we rented fronted Playa Bonita, the end of the curve by the river which empties into the Atlantic. Baldwin, Mindy, Pearl and True played every day of the almost two weeks; we fixed delicious dinners or went out. Only one mostly rainy day. The day after Christmas we went out on Brycie and Kenny's boat.  A beautiful day, we took turns kayaking to a river on the island we anchored by, visiting a cave and visiting another small island. I could hardly stop smiling with family all together - my heart full full full. Baldwin had a brilliant idea of flipping the puzzle we'd finished (Santa Express) and then he drew a wonderful picture which we all helped to color. When completed we dismantled the puzzle and reassembled it - now it is in my puzzle closet.

The 2019 Christmas Puzzle:

birthdays and cousins

In a few days, Pearl and True with their parents will be flying to Ethiopia; a trip which includes visits to True's and to Pearl's areas of birth and a donkey ride. I am slow to realize the end of summer is upon us - so much of me wanting it not to be. After a delightful two week visit with Ezra and Sofia, I ended up with Lyme's - i suspect recurrent incident. So I am on doxy and a herbal brew. Ah, so I have been remiss about completing many summer projects (not yet moving the mulch Baldwin brought for my birthday!). 

July, the longest day behind us

Rain has promoted many many blooms, the smell I have to bend a branch to inhale, delicious. This morning a walk to the river, where the tale of the day before is marked in the further erosion of the bank from 2.3 inches of rain. The garden benefits from Robin's pony, Joey's droppings - big green tomatoes, I anticipate red with lust. I have been enjoying cucumbers and squash and onions (better than in years past) and Blue house beans and swiss chard. We prepare for Pearl's 11th birthday - I am filling a piñata. 

I have been meeting with a counselor in hopes of managing my anxiety (anticipatory), a wonderful young woman who reminds me of my friend Diane - (she has a whimsical manner of dressing - all dressed in black one time, sort of vampish - costumes like - as if trying on personalities perhaps inspired by her clients ?). We are just beginning a therapy that goes by the initials: EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). It brings up past moments of stomach unsettling events...and it has made me more sensitive to the feelings. I am more often than I thought of queasy stomach. Hoping to make traveling easier and sharing my kitchen a breeze! ah! 

Ground Hog in yard this last day of February

I was looking for pictures from my recent visit to DR, but couldn't track down! and found this photo from last Christmas - my three most dear and wonderful grands. 

As Mindy said, Baba's arm is long enuf for a good selfie! so here we are. Two weeks was hardly long enuf. The lack of sun here in south west VA this winter has been damaging to mood and to bones; Sharon in Ocean Springs says that it has been a lugubrious winter on the Gulf Coast. The playas in Las Terranes are perfect; 4 mile walk in  morning trailing Baldwin and Mindy - after school  swim with the kiddos. All my aches were gone under the tropical sun. My plantar fasciitis did not aggravate  even tho I went barefoot or with flip flops. And my stiff thumbs loosened, and my itchy dry skin lessened and my wound healed (from removal of skin cancer). Fresh fruit! ah...
I hope that by next winter I can manage 3 weeks at least. Alma loves caring for Mr. Li. One chicken died on Alma's watch and three days ago the red tailed hawk snatched one of my good black hens. I'm down to 4 hens - Alma could keep them at her house. I can figure out how to turn off the water to the house and leave house in good shape to weather the cold.  Maybe I could do a month.

September Upon Me

We have had 3 and 3/4 of an inch of rain since Thursday, hard tropical down pours with fierce bursts of wind. Reminding me of squalls on Lake Pontchartrain in our sail boat the Cap'n Flint. The river went from clear, perfect to mud tumultuous. Power was out for 20 hours. Not what anyone would have wished for Labor Day. But the rain is good. Tho my garden has gone to weeds with small stands of okra, seed balls of elephant garlic amidst the tall seedy lambs quarters and other not so delicious invasive species. I do manage to find greens and clover flowers for green smoothies. Watching US Open when rain doesn't disrupt. Picture of True, now 6; a delight, full of talk and dear devotion to his sis. 

pictures from the DR

Thoughtful faces intent on Kindles!

The pool in heavy down pour. We had rain at night and during the day. But always the sun would show up in the day, warm. It is 70 degrees here in Virginia, and Baldwin says that it is only in the 70's in Samana. It has been freezing in Houston and in Ocean Springs this winter. So strange. I wish that more action would be taken by our public officials to prepare for climate change. It seems a stand off not dissimilar to the subject of gun control. We have a bunch of equivocating cowards in office. School shooting in Florida yesterday afternoon, 17 people dead, 12 injured. Shame. I am disgusted.

Pearl took this photo of True and me. A very happy Nanee down in the tropics. Need to be there more of the winter. Have to make it possible.

Escape from Gray World to Beach World

For ten days from  January 24 to Groundhog day, happy trip to DR to stay in little house beside Baldwin and Mindy's rental near down town Las Terranes, Samana, DR.  A beautiful landscape, the little cottage to the right in this picture. It was cool enough that I only went into the pool once; Susan swam several days. The papaya and pineapple were heavenly. Large avocados. Plantain and yuca chips. El Presente cerveza en la playa. The beaches as always, beautiful.

Susan and I had a smooth trip with no hassles and no missed connections; and so much more fun to travel with friend than alone - sharing the anxiety diminishes it! It did rain quite often on the island, but hardly discouraged trips to beach. True was very sick the first several days, finally he rallied with the help of medicine for amoebic dysentery. But the time went too quickly; I hope I can arrange for 3 weeks next winter. I need to check to see how hard it would be to bring Mr. Lee - tho Alma loved having him and he seemed to enjoy his stay at her house. I have more pictures to post, though I am now posting on Instagram.  The colors, the light, the flora - the food! And how my skin drinks happily.

A Real Good Birthday

The evening before Pearl's 9th birthday, Baldwin and I went looking for a small kayak and finally found what we wanted at Dick's. Baldwin managed to talk the salesman down to $79 dollars for a ride on top kids kayak with paddle! We were a bit concerned that it was neon pink, unsure if Pearl would like. 
We hid the present in the shop by the tower of river floats; I later decorated it with Pearl's name and bows. Saturday morning I spent as a volunteer, directing traffic at one of the gardens on the garden tour. Arriving home by noon, I was excited to let Pearl know that she could come down to find her present from me. Her good friend Lilly was here for the party with her family and they were headed for the river. 
Pearl was delighted with the kayak as was her brother! "Awesome," she said. And off the troops went to the swimming hole to test the new ride. I went to the bottom land below the falls to wait for the flotilla of inner tubes and Pearl on her kayak. I made a circle of balanced rocks, looking up occasionally for signs of the pink ship. Wow, the paddles so bright when I saw her way ahead of the inner tubes. Lilly was balanced on the back of the kayak. They made it over the falls without tipping. Pearl is a wonderful kayaker - as is her little brother. What a wonderful addition to our boats. Now Pearl and True can venture down river with us all. 

Mother's Day

Pearl's card for me! My children, their families, are my presents - I am blessed.

So here, a poem for my mother:

To My Mother as I Feel the First Snow


all questions lie like the sages' red hairs
on the white hills
                        slight flames
unconquerable tickling
                                 I want to ask you
when my father's birthday was
when he died
                  when you first tried suicide
but my throat plugs with the skull and bones
excavated under the room where we slept
                                                              voodoo
I do not ask
                  the silence
the fire sizzles
                  sleet down the chimney
the snow draws a blanket mind.

Birthday with Web 6

April was unusually warm and May is progressing unusually cool! Pearl and True spent an overnight with me last night while Baldwin and Mindy went to Charlottesville. It was fun and smooth. Ice cream and cookies after bison burgers and salad with garden greens; Disney channel until bed time; walk to the river, and squirrel chasing on the bank beyond creek. My orange poppies are blooming with the wild pale purple fox, my favorite combination. It is a beautiful spring, I hope not burned by what may be a frosty morning. The green house is empty and I worry over the lime and lemon on the deck, but too much wind to  try to cover with plastic. I've moved small things into house, covered some plants, but I'm praying for others including my potatoes just up in the garden and lots of strawberry blossoms and tiny green berries. ah. 

Counting the Days

Ever since I was a child I deliberated over counting the days until whatever event; whether to count today or not, whether to count the day of the celebration if it didn't begin until late, and so on. Baldwin and family return Tuesday, the 4th at 11PM. Today is Thursday; five more days if I don't count today. But in anticipation of Tuesday, I know it will be a long day to wait and I will leave early for the airport...
Mr. Lee and I are waiting for rooster to go into the coop so that we can close the small door and be done with the chore for this day. It is a chilly gray day after a glorious yesterday, a prelude to good rain which we need. I plan to buy some seed potatoes this weekend and flowers in celebration of April. And pansies for Mindy!

Christmas in Dominican Republic

I ended up spending Monday night in a Charlotte motel after missing connection to DR, flight was fine in morning, but my checked bag went to Miami - not to be seen until the evening before Christmas Eve. Ez and Jen and Fia were at airport in Punta Cana to pick me up for 3 hour drive to Las Terranes to our rented beach house on Playa Bonita, Far Niente (idleness). Thanks to Mindy's psychic intuition, making an umpteenth call to the missing baggage claim folks in Punta Cana, we connected to the actual delivery driver who was in his van at the gate to our small beach rental community. The gate keeper wouldn't let the driver deliver the luggage until we arrived. So Santa's sleigh managed to make it. 

Fortunately I had a carry-on back pack with bathing suit and several changes of clothes and the kids Christmas stockings. Pearl and I took long walks on the beach most mornings, collecting shells, finding rainbows in the off shore rain squalls, and pausing by coral outcrops to look for small crabs. Baldwin and Ez after beach outings, cooked - fresh red snapper one night, leg of pork, another. The kids went from pool to beach and back most of the day, delighting to eye and heart. Rain in the mornings, clear skies most of the days. Ocean almost cool. 

 

Gone to the dogs

Woke up at 3:30 this morning to fix breakfast for the departing family. By 7 AM I was home again with dogs and cat and hole in heart. Or seemingly so. I know I am lucky to have son and family within walking/shouting distance for 7 months of the year. But I get spoiled and need time to wean off the energy of 8 and 4 year olds. Text from DR, they have arrived!
Walked with dogs up to Blue house to glean jalapeño peppers from their garden as fearing frost tomorrow. Picked about 4 pounds and fortunately Alma is up for canning them (pickled with olive oil, carrots and garlic). Now waiting to crash into bad around 9. 
Good news from Houston, my daughter-in-law has cast a nasty woman vote for Hillary - I forecast, Hillary taking TEXAS!!!!

First day of Fall

Local TV says that the equinox for us,  in the Blue Ridge, is on Sunday at 1:11 PM when sunrise and sunset are both at 7:11.  The weather has been more of summer than of fall; though mornings are cooler, I need a sweater. The afternoon is for shorts and river walk. My children of the winter in Dominican Republic will be leaving the end of October - I am trying not to think on this leaving.

Fun with blocks:

September out the window

I stood in the New River last evening, up to my chest, watching Diane, Pink and Kathy (with her dog in an inflatable doggie vest) swimming; yet, I hesitated to submerge.  Too cool. We walked up Ann and Rick's new serpentine path from river to house to enjoy Ann's latest libation (a concoction of raspberries, mint, ginger liquor, Italian soda and vodka - i think) and goat milk cheese. Dinner at Palisades with most delicious conversation. Diane and Pink and I driving out in blue taxi, decided our feeling of gloom was due to the tropical depression heading up from Florida.
Here's picture of Fia on first day of school in uniform. Ez says that she likes school, after some morning tears.  I miss her!

And here my two girls on a swing!

summer time disappearing

Baldwin took this wonderful picture of Fia and True coloring.  Fia is home now and starting a new school tomorrow, pre-K, in the neighborhood. Her mom or dad can walk her there in her uniform, carrying her lunch. True was 4 on Friday; he told us that he wasn't officially 4 until he blew out the candles on his cake. Oh, what delight these two year olds, of the Dragon people are.
Today there is rain and a cool front passing; it feels like on-coming fall.  I need to swim again in the river, I need to float down with Pearl again and ...

good times with cousins and all

True must be just off to the left by Baldwin. What fun, movie than dinner at the new movie theaters in Blacksburg.

Beautiful Hair

The braids held until recently. Her mom worked the braids into rows of a pattern traditional. The care, the touching, erasing the separation. It may have taken 2 hours to work the hair into the thin braids. Hannah bound the baby sister onto her back with a shawl, when the baby woke we all took turns amusing her. The braiding was the center of us all; we moved away and returned. I see the love permeating to Pearl's toes. 
Many of us grow up with two to four grandparents or some configuration of adoring aunties and uncles. We bask in multi faceted love. But it is not always so easy to accept two pairs of loving parents. It takes us time to sort experience and expectation - to let our selves relax and just absorb the grace. 

Back from Africa

So much to say, I'll leave with this picture and return. Amazing country,  Ethiopia, from the 7,700 plus feet of Addis Ababa to the below sea level south near Red Sea where Lucy's bones were excavated. Middle of the country of rolling hills all in cultivated plots, pinned to the Earth with goo bet round houses of mud, straw and thatch.

shedding time

This was two days ago; today a slim garter snake on the rock rim of pond. I tried to show True who was here, but shy snake coiled into his hole in the rocks. I have been attempting to reach the chicken house before another black snake finds the treasure. So far, I think successful. Alma says that the baby chicks are growing, acquiring wing feathers. 

Cleaning house in preparation of visitors, cleaning what I would neglect. True helped me. My broken vacuum wand is just his size now - a back breaker for me! We even swept the deck. Very quiet with just True here; twice he said that he was tired and lay down on the rug with the bears (stuffed ones). I think he was bored without his sis who was spending the night at Claytor Lake.