Heart and Soul

Crop-Over 2010

2010-10-27T20:01:00.006-04:00

Getting ready for Crop-Over 2010

First of all I wish to apologize for not having posted anything for a while but here I am again and with a new agenda.
I have thought long and hard about sharing my writings with you and if you have followed this blog you may have realized by now that I have removed my books from Issuu.com for the purposes of copyright. But do not despair, as from time to time I will be posting my books and/or short stories here but in another format, so stay faithful and stay tuned!

Dee

The Courtly Coconut

2009-09-10T03:11:00.003-04:00

Picture a warm summers day, four teenage boys sitting patiently on the trunk of a dead, fallen tree, in the shade of a beautiful Coconut Palm, waiting patiently as the fire crackles under three lovely Breadfruits. As they lick their lips hungrily in anticipation, the flavors of the roasting fruit wafting into their noses, titillating their senses (and making their stomachs growl), another boy is high up in the Coconut tree, hacking at the limbs of a bunch of nuts with his almost-dull ‘Collins’ (Machete).
This will be their meal for the day, roast Breadfruit and Coconut Water. And if the nuts are at a half-ripened state, there will be some Coconut Jelly for desert.
Now bottled and sold by wayside vendors and found on some Supermarket shelves, the Coconut has found its way into the commercial arena.
It is my humble (yet knowledgeable) opinion, as a professional, renowned Breadfruit Roaster, that no-one living in Barbados could or should ever go hungry!
I know I won’t…

Among the Almonds

2009-09-10T03:03:00.004-04:00

For the past two or so decades I have noticed the concern of many groups (GreenPeace and others) around the world about the preservation of our environment and among those concerns was the planting of trees. I am not an official member of Greenpeace but I will continue to play my part by cultivating my Garden.
So when I passed this building on Barbaress Hill, going into the city of Bridgetown, I was completely thrilled by the fact that the ‘powers-that-be’ had constructed the building around one of my favorite fruit trees, the Almond!
I stopped to take in this awesome sight and as I did I remembered that as a boy I used to spend hours breaking the nuts from the dried seeds of this beautiful tree. Being one of the most plentiful fruit trees on the island it is not used commercially although there is a flavored Ice Cream sold in Barbados by our leading Ice Cream producer which uses Almomds. But (and not to step on anyone’s toes) my bet is that the fruit are imported.
As I look at this photo and back on my childhood, I realize that I must have eaten almost every fruit that there is here and may have probably spent most of my childhood climbing the trees to get at their fruit. Oh, to be young again…

Start De Town

2009-09-10T02:56:00.004-04:00

Our island is a small one, 166 square miles (I have always wondered who measured it!), a population of approximately 265,000 (Again, I have always wondered who counted!). Jussst kidding… that was when I was a boy, oh so long ago…
I must have gone over every square mile of the island though, as I (we) used to go walking or bicycling on regular excursions. I remember one time we tried to walk around the island on the beaches. I don’t have to tell you how that turned out!
My favorite place though, of my entire neighborhood, is the stretch leading from Eagle Hall to Baxter's Road which is commonly called ‘Start de Town’. If you are thinking of visiting our beautiful island at any time, I strongly suggest that one of your stops be Baxter's Road.
For me, this street carries an aura of homeliness, where everything seems just right! It is a gateway to our main shopping centers and roads lead from here to every other part of the island. I guess the experts would (or should) call it Baxter's Hub. (Huh?)
Anyway, I started school in one of the streets leading onto this road and I would make sure every evening after school, to take a short detour just to watch the people and busses and cars go about their daily routines and to smell the smells of the vendors’ wares.
It used to be so ‘cool’…

Care Givers

2009-09-10T02:52:00.004-04:00

On my way to do a small repair job, I realized that I would be travelling some distance so decided to take along my Cam, just in case I happened upon something worthy of being shot. I was not to be disappointed for as this lady in her ‘Panama Hat’ stepped out of the Transport Board bus going to Speightstown, a flood of memories came rushing back to me.
For whatever reason she reminded me of someone in my childhood that I had long forgotten, an elderly lady named Ethel. My mother used to leave me in the loving tender care of this lady, Ethel when she left for work. It is with this lady that I think I learned to cook and upon remembering, learned the skill of being independent.
I cannot remember what her voice sounded like because she rarely ever spoke. She never scolded me, never lashed me. She was never unkind to me in any way.
Before she started her daily meal she would retrieve some kindling and dried wood. She would then uncover her coal-pot, kept in the yard and covered with a small sheet of Galvanize (used to shield the pot from the weather). All this time I was sitting quietly watching what she did from a safe distance. Being obedient, and curious, I dared not move. I watched her every move and as I look back on it now, I realize that this woman was the gentlest soul I had ever had chance to meet.
I relate this story to highlight a very important fact of our daily lives. There are those who give care (medical attention) and then there are the care-givers, those who actually enjoy helping others. There are not many of the latter left in our society today and I can boast to the fact that I was fortunate to have one in my life. This post is dedicated to her.

Precious Memories

2009-09-07T03:19:00.003-04:00

I was born in the parish of St. Thomas but over the years I have moved about five times, finally ending up where I live today. On all of these occasions, except one, we have lived in a Chattel House similar to this one (of course, in not so derelict a condition).
Most Barbadians, except for those more fortunate souls born to well-to-do families, have at one time or another, lived in this wooden structure, usually built with two or three bedrooms (depending on the size of the family). Usually fronted by a well-kept garden of the most luscious plants, especially Crotons, Lady-of-the-Night or Roses, with a Kitchen Garden at the side or in the yard which supplied most of the herbs and/or ground provisions, depending on the size of the land.
Nowadays, the houses are more sturdily built, to withstand Hurricanes and such, but the look and feel, to me, is very much the same.
The Jalousie or ‘Flaps’ have been mostly replaced by Sash (hung) windows, the eight-paned doors have been replaced by carved Pine or Cedar and the Gabled roofs have given way to Hip roofs even though most have opted to retain the Gabled look.
But for me, no matter how the architecture or design changes, my fondest and most precious memories have been etched into my mind and spirit by the precious moments spent with my family under a roof such as this.
A house is just a house, but with Family it becomes a home!

The Sparkey and the Truck

2009-09-07T02:51:00.003-04:00

This photo of a sparrow or ‘sparkey’ as we call them, was taken about two years ago when I was practicing for my license to drive a Truck. Each day at around ten or so, as soon as the truck was parked and we had gone inside, he would sit on top of the rear-view mirror as shown and proceed, for the next fifteen to twenty minutes to entertain himself with his reflection. On this particular day, I decided that I would wait for him and get this close-up (as close as I could get).
The next day, after we had just finished washing the truck, he decided to mess on the mirror which annoyed me no end, so I chased him with a few Bajan ‘cuss-words’. Later, while reversing, looking through the same mirror, I misjudged my entry and ended up almost tearing the front bumper off the vehicle.
Now Barbadians, as well as being highly religious are also on the other hand, very superstitious and there is this one favorite saying that if a bird poops on you, it is supposed to be good luck (although I would dearly love to meet the idiot who thought up this one).
So the moral of the story is… Don’t scoop the poop! (or something to that effect).

Bad Ram Goat!

2009-09-07T02:22:00.003-04:00

For as long as I can remember I have always seen Black-belly sheep out to pasture in almost every corner of our island. It used to be that mostly country folk would keep these animals but as the years have gone by I have seen more and more being raised in Bridgetown and its environs. I remember at one stage they were about twenty or so of these animals that used to run loose in and around the Bus Terminals, causing traffic jams by simply just being… Sheep.
Raised mostly for their meat, these animals have over the years earned Barbados and the Caribbean the reputation of being the best Black-belly sheep breeders.
The one pictured above is tethered with two ropes, indicating that he is baaaad!
A fond memory I have is of my mother who tried her hand once at rearing two of these animals; a ram and a ewe. The ram though, was a flighty creature, quite rambunctious, and always had a thing for butting anything or anyone (including its owner), that got in his way. I sort of tamed his wild ways when one day he decided to try butting me. Wrong move! I held him and gave him the hardest cuff that I could muster (with my small self) right between the horns. Form that day it seems, he would think twice before butting.
You see, my birth sign is Aries, the Ram, so I had to show him that I was more goat than he.

Slammin’

2009-09-05T01:17:00.003-04:00

Next to drinking a Rum, ‘slamming’ a Domino is the closest thing to heaven in Barbados (not counting the beaches, of course!). Actually you may sometimes find the two being done simultaneously! But, on this occasion there is only room for love… ‘Six Love’ and these guys playing ‘Cut-throat’ are not-too-seriously intent on doing this dastardly deed to each other. (for the unknowing, ‘Six Love’ is the term used when one player has won six games while any of the others have won none… just like Lawn Tennis… without the racquet… but with a lot of racket… and without the lawn). Whheeeewww!
The game has reached a standard of play over the years in that there are tournaments held between rival districts and clubs. I would venture to say that next to Cricket, Dominoes is the most played sport on the island. And just like Cricket we won’t have to worry for this game because almost every person in Bim has played at one time or another.
So, here’s to good love…Six Love!

A Tale… of Sorts

2009-09-05T00:59:00.003-04:00

An elderly man accompanied by two of his buddies, walks into a small one-door shop after a hard day’s work, steps to the bar and says ‘Gimme de usual’.
The fairly short shopkeeper reaches up to the top shelf near the back wall and gingerly fishes down a tall slim bottle filled with a fine reddish-brown liquid. She fixes her blouse and places the bottle on the counter then heads for the Fridge in the corner for a Coke, then over to the sink where she quickly washes three glasses and places them on the counter. The three men take up their usual seats which will be occupied from now until about six o’clock, after which they head home.
As the caller uncovers the bottle, the sweet smell of the fermented Sugar Cane wafts gently, in the almost still evening air, into the nostrils of the other two who eagerly anticipate the smooth, burning sensation followed immediately by that tingly light-headedness as the liquid slowly takes effect. It is the perfect time of day for a good ole Bajan ‘Rum an’ Coke’ and if you have never tasted fine Barbados Rum, then you have never tasted Rum!
This home-gown patch of Sugar Cane, from which Rum is made in Barbados, is part of a small kitchen garden, one of many to be found in and around the island.

The Real Beauty of Barbados

2009-09-04T03:19:00.006-04:00

As she looks down the gap, from her side door, Mrs. Deane seems to be reminiscing on her younger days and wondering what it would feel like to be young once more. It has been so many years since she was able to run around like the kids playing catcher a few yards from where she stands. She hears the laughter of herself and her girlfriends as they played ‘London Bridge is falling down’ or as they skipped rope or played ‘Simon Says’. Those were the days!
She hardly sees much of that anymore; times have changed and so have the games that children play. But nevertheless she seems to be enjoying the merry-making that is taking place before her and as I snapped this one, I could not help but think if I would be lucky enough to live as long as she has, see as much as those still caring eyes have seen.
Even though Barbados has one of the highest percentages of elderly folk per capita, as compared to other countries, there is no indication that this trend will continue. And my take on this is that we need to look after our health, the welfare of our children (both their mental and physical well-being) and take some time out to learn from the elderly some of their secrets for their longevity.
As I look at this photo, I can see a woman who has done her part in the nurturing of our society, she is one of the unsung heroines that go un-noticed in our everyday lives, one of our unseen but contributory citizens.
Maybe one day you too, will look down the gap and not see just the children playing, but the path through life which you have trod.
Make sure that when you do, you can say, with a smile, I have done my part for my country.

Back to School!

2009-09-03T02:01:00.007-04:00

‘Yayyyy! It’s back-to-School!’
School has restarted after the long, nine-week Summer Vacation wherein children all over the island were sent off to Summer-camps and Vacation Bible School and what-have-you. For some parents the vacation was too long and for others, it was a blessing (who you are know what I mean!)
When I was growing up, vacation was, for the first week or so, rather unwelcomed, because (and please do not mock me) I loved school! But then, as time went on I (we) got around to being the boys that we needed to be; making kites from ‘Coconut sticks’ (Easter is not really kite season!), raiding peoples’ Mango, Ackee, Guava, Cherry, Coconut, Breadfruit and a zillion other trees. And of course, getting into whatever mischief was available for whatever time of day. Back then, our (the boys) parents would think we were still at school (or maybe at work?) as we would leave home early and come home late. I sometimes wonder where we used to get all that energy from… as boys. Oh yes! Now I know… the trees that we raided gave us sustenance! I need you readers, especially parents, to think on this for awhile…
The ‘Yayyyy!"’ at the beginning of this dialogue though, is not for the kids. It is for the parents, and I know that you know now, who and what I mean!

Bajan Cherry

2009-09-03T01:34:00.008-04:00

This must be one of the most beautiful trees on the island and its potential has been untapped for years. Until recently, when some entrepreneurial minds finally figured out its value and started bottling its juices and derivatives in a commercial manner.
All throughout my childhood (and into my adulthood) we would ‘raid’ all types of trees for their fruit when in season. This must have been the only one we could not climb as boys, but I vaguely remember attempting to do so (I was an adventurous boy, would you believe?) only to find that it too, was covered (protected) with thorns.
It occurs as a natural part of our landscape and is sometimes cultivated in some ‘Kitchen Gardens’. There is actually one in my garden of which the fruit is extremely sour, and which refuses to bear as others in my neighborhood do, yet I refuse to ‘cut down my Cherry tree’.
Nowadays, research has proved that the Bajan Cherry is a viable source of Vitamin C (about five times or more than you obtain from oranges).
But we won’t tell them that we already knew this… for years!

Sophie’s One Stop

2009-09-03T01:03:00.004-04:00

More and more, due to the instability of the economy and the sometimes lack of jobs, we are seeing small entrepreneurial ventures like this one cropping up all around the island.
It used to be they were scores of ‘Rum Shops’ (similar to the English Pub) where you would have a bar annexed to a shop which sold cooking and household items. Sugar, Flour, Canned foods (perishables they are now called) could be had from these shops and, after a hard day’s work, a ‘snap o’ Rum’ shared with the boys was not an unusual sight.
Nowadays, they are still ‘Rum Shops’ to be seen around the island but a lot of them have been changed to mini-marts while some have opted to close due to stiff competition from larger Supermarkets.
But Bajans are not a people to be easily daunted by such situations and so, many have adapted or annexed their homes with small shops, just like in old times.
Sophie’s One Stop is just that, one stop, where people in the neighborhood may acquire the necessities when a supermarket is a little too far to travel.

The Run Around

2009-09-01T03:23:00.012-04:00

This awesome specimen caused me tremendous pain yet turned out to be one of my favorite photos, mainly because I love butterflies. They are the most graceful of all insects, I think, and can, in some cases, be the most colorful and beautiful.

To get this shot I had to chase him (or her) down for at least one half hour; he (she) would not sit still long enough for me to get a nice enough shot. I had to dodge a few Bees, sidestep a few Grasshoppers, duck under something that looked like Poison Ivy, avoid hitting my big toe on a rock (remind me to wear boots the next time I try this) and finally, fi..nal..ly as he (she) lay still on this wild bush, I had the chance to focus and capture this well lit, well focused, well timed and well tired (me) shot.

Don’t you just love nature?

ALAH!

2009-09-01T03:09:00.005-04:00

Barbados is as religious a country as it is beautiful. One may find a place here to worship that caters to any religion, be it Adventist, Methodist, Catholic or Anglican. We have room for The Church of the Latter Day Saints, Muslim, Jehovah et al.
This shot though, is of The Abundant Life Assembly Hall in Bank Hall, in the city, and it (the photo) is remarkable for this reason; any photographer looking at this shot professionally would say that it is ‘washed out’, the whites are ‘too white’. But I, with my aesthetic eye, would allow them to notice that it looks more as though the building has no roof which gives the impression that it is a 'doorway to heaven', not unlike Jacob’s ladder.
If that seems too far-fetched to some, then blame it on the camera. It takes what it sees and I write about it!

Sweet Lime

2009-09-01T02:49:00.003-04:00

Whenever I take a look back on my growing up years I tend to think that the old cliche of ‘growing pains’ is quite adequate. And I also realize that each new generation is no different from the previous one, especially when it comes to boys and the silly, if not stupid things they do… to each other.
This lovely-looking fruit tree above is called ‘Sweet Lime’, it resembles the cherry and tastes like… lime. I remember we used to use the juices from these fruit to ‘paste’ our kites. (For those of you who don’t know what ‘pasting your kite’ means, it’s just another term for gluing the paper onto the frames of the kites, and for those of you who don’t know what a kite is, come to Barbados around Easter).
I also remember that there was this one long hedgerow of ‘Sweet Lime’ that I was deathly afraid of, because whenever we would pass by it, somebody would take it upon himself to shove you into it.
This was thought to be fun for the ‘pusher’ but not so for the ’pushee’, for, beneath the beautiful growth of ‘Sweet Lime’?, and just like it’s sour cousin, there were thorns aplenty and… pain aplenty. But as the old sayings go… ‘Boys will be boys’ and ‘A little pain doesn’t hurt’.

A Sweet Story

2009-09-01T02:06:00.003-04:00

We tend to give fruit a name that almost, if not directly, relates to its shape, taste or color.
Take for instance this fruit. The ‘Sugar Apple’ (which I thought as usual was a Bajan name) is usually round, slightly pine cone-like, with a scaly or lumpy skin and is sweet. Not many are seen around the island these days and I think it may be due to the fact that the ones I have seen recently have been laden with some type of disease.
I remembered, as I was taking this photo, that some years ago (I forget which year) as a boy I had spotted this ripe one way up in the top of a tree. I knew I just had to get it, so I took my time and gingerly crept up to it (the branches are usually not very sturdy). As I reached out to pick it though, I slipped and fell on my back. When I regained my senses, the fruit was beside me but half of it was already eaten by birds (what we would call ‘bird-pick’). It may sound awful to say this but I was not about to let my efforts for my sweet Sugar Apple go in vain.
Just thought I would share a ‘sweet’ photo and a good story with you.

Raw Talent in Bim

2009-09-01T01:38:00.005-04:00

In Bajan parlance, I would like to begin this post by saying,
”Boy, I jess had to tek dis picture!”
This young man at the C. Lomer Alleyne Center, one of the Government organized Skills Training Centers located in Sayes Court, Christ Church, was truly amazing to watch. As he deftly handled his Air brushing tool to wow and amaze onlookers, I could not help but wonder about all of the other talent that is floating around, untapped, here in BIM (Barbados).
He started out by drawing an outline figure on the T-shirt, and as he proceeded to apply his colors, it seemed as though he had been doing this for quite some time, so much so that the Airbrush was now an extension of his arm… and mind. The precision with which he applied the paints was to me, breathtaking, almost as much as those moments when I have focused my Cam on a subject… such as this one, which I know will produce miraculous results.
And his did! In less than fifteen minutes the T-shirt was finished and set to dry and he was on to another piece. Good gosh, the talent we have here is amazing!
Much kudos go out to The Barbados Government for implementing a plan such as this, which seeks to harness this talent and mold our youngsters into responsible and contributory members of our ailing society.

Where have all the Donks Trees gone?

2009-09-01T00:17:00.003-04:00

Have you ever noticed how much human beings mimic a virus? I think it was Agent Smith in ‘The Matrix’ who said this, and, if you really consider that statement you would realize that there is some validity to it. We invade an area, take over the natural habitat and ‘destroy’ it to suit our own needs.
Take for instance, this ‘Donks’ tree at Cave Hill, where The University of the West Indies is now located. Years ago, the stretch of land on the opposite side of the road from The UWI was called ‘The Mount’ and for as far as the eye could see from the top of Cave Hill almost down to the bottom, was lined with these trees. Today, if it is still there, this is one of, if not the last of these trees that I have seen recently.
All that area is now used to house more ‘Faculties’ of the UWI. Faculty of what, I assume they don’t mean mental faculty for if they did they would realize that all the education in the world has not made them smart enough to see that removing valuable greenery helps to contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer which leads to Global Warming, which leads to days (and nights) in Barbados becoming hotter, which leads to the installation of Air-conditioning units which in turn help to further damage the ozone layer… and the cycle continues. If they had left some of the trees there would have been 1. A natural food source (albeit some of the Donks were somewhat acid and 2. Natural ventilation.
Oh, and 3. Some shade for those poor people who still have to walk up Cave Hill at times.
Now the brains at the UWI will have to study Ecology and will sooner… or later, arrive at the foregone conclusion that the area needs more trees because warm air tends to rise and as The UWI is at the TOP of the hill… Do I have to spell it out for you?
Now my final take on Agent Smith’s assumption is that we are somewhat like a virus, yes, but we have the edge (luckily): The virus continues to destroy its surroundings and then leaves for another, more suitable habitat. While we, on the other hand, have The UWI which I am sure will teach Ecology, which, I am sure… someday… will give us a brilliant mind to one day determine that trees are there for more than just… LUMBER'.

Two in the Bush

2009-08-28T03:17:00.005-04:00

Barbadians have a way of stringing words together that defies logic; to an outsider, that is. Take for instance the names given to the bird above. Known as a rooster in most countries, his ‘Bajan’ name is ‘Fowl-cock’ or ‘Yard-fowl’, or ‘Fowl-Hen’ depending on who you ask.
Almost everywhere (I should really omit the almost) on the island, these birds may be seen roaming freely; crossing streets, the mother hen leading at minimum, seven or so chicks, teaching them how to ‘scratch’ for food. And at dusk they all put up for the night in any one of the neighborhood trees. All through the night, up until dawn, one can hear the Cocks crowing. I have always wondered why they did that. Oh well!
I never noticed, though, until I put this pic onto my computer, that they were actually two of the birds in the picture making the old saying true: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
See if you can spot the second avian, beautifully camouflaged, in the photo.

Food of the Gods

2009-08-28T02:51:00.003-04:00

When we were boys, ‘roast Breadfruit’ was the meal of the day. Especially in the Summer vacation, when they were plentiful (I think the Breadfruit bears fruit at least twice a year), we would hunt around for some old wood and dry twigs (sticks) to be used as kindling. And, depending on the number of the crowd, we would roast at least six or seven fruit, which were consumed ‘post-roastedly’.
Sometimes we would cut out the centre, or ‘heart’ and fill the cavity with a variety of ‘stuffings’ which would include (depending on the availability of items from any one person’s ‘Larder’), ‘Salt Meat’, ‘Salt Fish’, Corned beef, Mellow Kreem Butter and of course, Pepper Sauce. And let me say here that when we were finished eating this, there was no more need for food until the next day.
As I write this I can almost taste the Pepper Sauce heating up my taste buds. ‘Roast Breadfruit’ is ‘sweeeet fuh days’ as Barbadians say, and any young boy (or girl) who has never tasted this delicacy... ‘yuh don’ t know what yuh missin’.

A Bridge too Far?

2009-08-28T02:31:00.003-04:00

I was on my way to pay some bills when a thought struck me; I have lived all my life in Barbados and like most Bajans, having crossed this bridge (The chamberlain Bridge, replacing what was originally called The Indian Bridge) so many times I had never noticed how beautiful this scene really is. I have always taken it for granted, until now.
To my right, sail boats and Yachts are anchored on their moorings patiently waiting to set sail on some sea-faring adventure. Immediately behind the arch in the background vendors have set up stalls selling jewellery and handicrafts, a lot of them handmade, showing off the talent in the island. And to my left there is a mini park, recently redeveloped, that gives this scene the air of serenity that one usually only associates with the quiet country-side.
After taking this photo, I swore that I would try my darndest (if that really is a word) best, to not take anything for granted ever again. That truly would be going a bridge too far!

Ahoy, Cap’n!

2009-08-28T02:10:00.003-04:00

The first time I saw this (a boat on land) I was about seven years old and my infantile mind wondered at two things; why would someone build a boat on dry land and how in heaven’s name do they get it into the ocean? Sometimes I still wonder. As I have never actually seen one of these things being put to sea.
This Rastafari on board said he built this boat ‘from scratch’ as we Bajans are wont to say and you can tell by the way he poses for my Cam that he is proud of his accomplishment.
I was a little distracted though, because there was this lovely, ripe Breadfruit in the tree to his left and I was wondering how it would taste cooked into a sweet Breadfruit Cou-cou and lavished with a can of Mackerel and some Pepper Sauce; one of my favorite dishes.
I guess he would never know how far away my mind (and stomach) was from taking this shot.
To satisfy your curiosity, that evening the Breadfruit Cou-cou and Mackerel went down faster than you could say “Aye, aye Cap’n”.

Friendships

2009-08-26T23:30:00.004-04:00

Suffer the little children to come unto me.
The smiles on these faces takes the breath away and as we look at them we realize that we (adults) were once like this (I know, it is hard to believe isn’t it?). But we were, and now some of that innocence is gone as we go about our daily chores trying to make ends meet, not having enough time to play.
That is exactly what these little ones were doing and I knew that I had to capture the gaiety of the moment. Even though they posed for this shot, you can still see the joy of the moment in their eyes and in their smiles.
I could end here with my comments but I think that I need to say one more thing. We as responsible adults need to take care of these small ones, their innocence opens them up for the predators and sharks that still lurk in the murky waters of our lives. As our society has progressed, so has the evil that pervades. So we need, now, more than ever to be ever vigilant of our children.
I intend to play my part by keeping my eyes on them, especially through the lens of my trusty Cam!

The Playing Fields

2009-08-26T23:29:00.009-04:00

Wherever you go in Barbados you are sure to see at least one sight just like the one above. In almost every district around the island there is a playing field where the youth from that district get together on evenings to ‘break a sweat’ playing either a game of Football or Cricket. In this case, this field is big enough to host both games… at the same time.

These shots (combined in Photoshop) were taken in my old home-town, or one of them, as I have moved to different districts at least four times in my life. But I call this my old home-town as it is where I spent most of my childhood.
This Pasture, affectionately called the Bim Pasture, has seen some of my sweat… and lots of my blood; from bruises to burn-outs.
Here we see the young boys practicing for a cricket match on the left while the older guys on the right are having a fun game of football.
Maybe you could see this as Brian Lara meets Ronaldinho?

Bypass

2009-08-26T23:03:00.005-04:00

I was forced to snap this one in a hurry; no time to focus and adjust and get the right lighting, because the way these boys were looking at me and talking (I could hear them over the roar of traffic), I was afraid they might not have taken too kindly to my taking their photo. But as it turns out, they were more curious than annoyed and as I crossed the busy Three O'clock trafficked street, one of them asked what I was taking their picture for. I told them that it was for my collection. The only reaction was ‘Oh’ and they went on talking and I, kept on walking.
The shot came out better than expected notwithstanding the rushed circumstances; showing these students from The St. Leonard’s Boys School waiting patiently for the Bypass bus. an express route that runs from Speightstown to Oistins; one corner of the island to the next, basically.
Apart from idle curiosity, I think they were just bored waiting.

Mini Meal

2009-08-26T21:35:00.008-04:00

I have always been fascinated by the beauty that surrounds me and I have often wondered if everyone around me was sightless. Sometimes I would see some oddity in nature and it would fascinate me no end. I would think of telling or showing one of my friends but after having heard so many 'That's wonderful' I would usually keep it to myself. After all, if they chose not to take the time out to see how beautiful all the things around them were, why should I share. Even now I still find myself 'drooling' at the sight of a five-legged spider or of lizards engaging in their mating rituals or territorial disputes, or even the disturbing grotesquerie of fly maggots going about the business of devouring carrion.
The photo above was just a quick shoot as I was focusing manually for a close-up of a butterfly which you'll see in another post. This flower is about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, but if you look closely, near the bottom of the petals, you'll see a teeny spider having lunch (with) a teenier fly. I could not believe I had caught that, as I had not seen it with the naked eye.
This leads me back to the case in point; we go through life every day, passing by the little things, missing all the natural beauty that surrounds us while striving to acquire things that we believe will make us beautiful. Giving up reality for superficiality.
I dare you to stop and take a look to see what you've been missing!

Macro-bee

2009-08-22T02:21:00.003-04:00

To begin my commentary on this photo, allow me to state officially that I, since taking this shot, have developed a profound respect for photographers. Let me tell you why.
Have you ever seen those wild life photos or even the documentary videos, the ones where you get to see the color of the Lion’s eyes or the third stripe on the Zebra’s tail? Have you ever wondered how close did the photographer have to go to get those shots? I will tell you…not very. Most of them use ‘Telephoto’ lenses, long distance zoom lenses that bring the subjects up close.
There, so now you know their secret! My respect for them comes, though, from the fact that they actually leave a safe and sound and oh so cozy bed to venture out into the wild to take those photos.
But not me! I have a 4x zoom on my trusty Cam and the wildest animal that I ever come across is a mother hen crossing the road with her chicks! Or, the twenty or so bees that I had to fend off from time to time while waiting patiently for one of them to stay on a flower long enough for me to snap…
…this beautiful piece is one of my favorites, mainly because it was the first of its kind (of an insect) but chiefly because I was not stung, not even once.
Fantastic shot, isn’t it?

Eagle Hall Mural

2009-08-22T02:00:00.003-04:00

When I was about 9 or 10 years old, I asked my mom if I could join the library. I thought that she would have said no, for she was overly protective of her kids, like a mother hen is. When she said yes I almost jumped for joy because unbeknownst to her I used to visit the library on evenings after school. I had not too long ago discovered the joys of reading and eagerly anticipated the time when I would be able to join and borrow on my own.
Let me state here, for those of us who love reading; there is nothing like the smell of a library, the freshness of words wafting through the air, the freshness of the ink and pages. The intoxicating feeling from the anticipation of opening one of those treasure chests to find inside those golden nuggets of wisdom, fantasy, adventure. A place where one gets trapped between time and times and gets lost between space and spaces. The beautiful world of books! Ahhhhh!
When she said yes I had already picked out a couple of books that I wanted, no, needed to read: ‘Aesop’s Fables’, ‘Grimm’s fairy tales’ and of course ‘The Cat in The Hat’. When I tell you that ‘The cat in the Hat’ is older than I am, you would not believe it, but it is!
All I can say is that from that day I must have read every book in the children’s section of the library, but when I turned thirteen they ‘threw me out’ into the world of adult reading. At first I was annoyed that I would not be able to borrow any more ‘picture books’ (I was somewhat of an artist so I liked to copy some of the pictures). But when I borrowed my first ‘Nancy Drew’ and ‘The Hardy Boys’, it was then that I reaaaaly got excited. There were no pictures to accompany the words but I discovered something new and extremely exciting. I could make my own pictures in my head! WOW!
Years later, I still cannot get enough to read; I even go as far as reading signs when I’m on the road. When they are no signs, I read the license-plates on vehicles; I fiddle with the digits in my head for fun! From all that reading my brain has developed to such a point that, while I am writing, I hardly ever have to edit. My writing is usually cohesive and continuous (Forgive me for bragging!)
The Mural pictured above was a community effort and painted (I forget in which year) by the recently established Eagle Hall Community Youth Group (I was to have participated but when I got there it was already done). It depicts among other things, some of Barbados’ old transportation; buses, and some children from The St. Leonards’ Boys and Girls School.

Bajan Wall-house

2009-08-21T10:27:00.004-04:00

I would love to take credit for this beautifully cultivated garden, but unfortunately (for me) I can not. You see, this floral delight belongs to a friend who, like most Barbadians, feed the need to plant a seed.
No matter where you may go around our luscious island (perhaps that should spell lush-ious), you are sure to see gardens like this one in front of or near to, most of the houses. I think that Barbadians have a natural gift of ‘Green Thumb’ and most of us exercise that gift, and with sometimes remarkable results.
I remember watching my mom in the garden (maybe I inherited mine from her). She would simply break off a piece of a plant and stick it in the ground somewhere. Within a week or two that piece of plant would start sprouting leaves. I used to be like ‘How does she do that?’ Well now I have it too and I know that people go…’Like, how does he do that?’
Some people got it, some people don’t!

Back-hand Smash

2009-08-21T02:12:00.007-04:00

Looking through my photos to find a good one for this post I came across this. Immediately I realized that this was taken when I used to go on my regular evening walks. I would take along my trusted camera (maybe I should christen it here! Let us call it…..Cam!)
Take a look at that strong back-hand, defensive stroke. It reminds me of the days when I used to play road-tennis, oh so long ago. I actually took the racket from the lad in the white shirt to try to see if I still had game. Unfortunately game was not what I had anymore so I gave up after a few strokes. Tired as hell! I thought that I was fit!
It just goes to show that a little exercise, at least a half hour or so daily, does make a difference. The only exercise I get nowadays is from lifting my mouse or keyboard. So sad, isn’t it?
Maybe one of these days I might get to go back and try my hand at it again. And then again maybe I should stick to what I’m good at… exercising my right to take great photos!

Bajan Black Ants

2009-08-20T00:25:00.004-04:00

I was on my way to do a quick job and, as usual, my trusty Canon Powershot was with me. Unfortunately the batteries, though rechargeable, are not so trusty and were about to fail, but I thought that I would still be able to take a few more shots before they completely gave out and this was one of them.

The flower I believe is a Heliconia. I know this one because I heard the name on TV when Barbados won two Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower show in 2006. Three cheers for The Barbados Horticultural Society (BHS). Maybe one of these days I will join up and enter some of the flowers from my garden, you never know what might happen!
As you can see, these ‘Bajan Black Ants’ seem to be finding some sort of food or nectar on this plant because they are avidly scurrying about between the grooves of the flower. I think this might be one of those plants where the leaves are mistaken for the flower, I am not sure. Anyway, you must admit that for almost dead batteries, they do bring this one to life!

Wild Beauty

2009-08-19T23:58:00.003-04:00

Let me state clearly here, as I should have done in the first place, that I am no botanist, horticulturalist, nor florist. I simply LOVE plants and flowers. So if any of you are expecting to see the fancy names of flowers like ‘Petalis rediculosus’ or ;Grassus Evergreenus’ then you have come to the wrong site.
Take this flower shown here for instance, I have never heard anyone speak its name from childhood until now but I have seen it growing all over the island. I have seen it cover derelict houses from groundsill to rafter, to the point of the house being completely hidden. I have seen it grow along the roadside for quite some distances which means that it is a ‘runner’. But no matter where it grows, it almost always has these beautiful pink flowers that bees and Wild Doves, which we call ‘Wileys’ love.
If beauty truly is in the eyes of the beholder then I truly enjoy beholding this beauty!

My Aloe Pal-o

2009-08-19T21:21:00.003-04:00

”Ah boy,fresh air and some food!”
This Bajan lizard lives deep in this Aloe patch in the heart of my garden and seems to have come up for some air. I have only seen three species of lizard on our island and this is the most prolific. As is common to most lizards, when attacked she can shed her tail to distract her attacker while she gets away. The male is usually about twice the size of the female, their diet consisting mainly of insects and some small fruit.

John, Bucket O’ water

2009-08-19T20:18:00.004-04:00

For years the ‘Stan’ Pipe’, as we in Barbados refer to it, has been a source of drinking water for those on the island unfortunate enough not to have been able to afford the luxury of indoor plumbing.
I too, in my childhood, had to bear a few buckets in order to bathe and cook and so on and as most children tend to do, my sisters and I had lots of fun soaking each other while ‘catching water’. This brings to mind an old mime that goes:

John, bucket o’ water
for my lady lady and daughter.
one at de pipe, and two in de bush,
so let my lady pass under.

It sounded really nice to sing the lyrics, but to this day I have no idea what it means or from where it originated.
Now all that has changed and most homes (about 98%) are now equipped with indoor plumbing making the once precious now defunct utility a thing of the past. Pictured above is one such stand which is now used for, in this case, the storage of a sign and an old crate. The sign though, is quite inappropriate as there is really no more work to be done here.

All-Purpose Aloe Vera

2009-08-18T22:06:00.003-04:00

The Aloe Vera plant is now cultivated worldwide for it’s many and varied uses; from shampoos to soaps to lotions. It is a beautiful plant to behold and has been used for so many years before its commercialization, especially by our Rastafarians, for the same purposes that it is now bottled and sold. This one sits in a beautiful pot on my front porch and is used mainly for decoration. I once saw a friend peel one of these stalks and then proceeded to eat the pulp as though it were a Watermelon. I decided to try this and…..eeuuughhh! Never again!
The pulp though is bottled locally and sold on our beautiful sandy shores to tourists who use it as sun-block. I think that is where it should go…on the OUTSIDE!

Ground Provision

2009-08-18T21:42:00.003-04:00

As a small boy, like any other small boy in BIM (Barbados) there was never a lack of fruit or vegetables for us to go foraging for. Fruit trees are plentiful here and growing up, no-one ever really stopped us from partaking freely of any of the trees on their property. I remember once we spent an entire day in an Ackee tree, even though the fruits were not ripe, and the only reason we went home was because our favorite cartoon was to start at seven… p.m.
Unfortunately, commerce has taken over and now, if we want to partake of these delectable edibles they must be purchased from street vendors having stalls like the one pictured above.
On this tray, from front to back there are; Yams, Plantains, Bananas and Sweet Potatoes. On the smaller tray up front you can see Eddoes and Squash and directly behind these are Pumpkin and Breadfruit.

A Rose by any other name…

2009-08-18T01:13:00.005-04:00

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet;

The rainy season in Barbados officially runs from June 1st to September 30th, but all my life I have seen rainfall as early as January. I’ve seen some very wet Christmases as well over the years.
We have an old traditional saying that goes: June; too soon, July; stand by, August; come it must, September; remember, October; all over – that pertains to the hurricane season, which is basically one and the same as the rainy season. But no matter what time of year the rain comes, my Desert Rose just radiates its beauty ever more.
It had just finished raining, shortly after I had watered my ‘Petit Jardin’ (that means small garden for those of you who don’t speak French) and I just could not resist the urge to grab my camera and rush out to take this shot. Its radiant awesomeness just screamed at me. I love it!

Pride and Industry

2009-08-18T00:35:00.003-04:00

The pride of Barbados flower, also called the dwarf Poinciana and red bird of paradise has always been a favorite of mine. Especially because of its beautifully crafted design. Wherever you may go on the island you are sure to come across this dainty flower as it is especially used to beautify local gardens, and not just because it is our national flower. Other colors include red (see photo at top left) and an orange/pink…ish variation. I have seen some of these grow as tall as eight or ten feet. But no matter how tall, or short, they are always a sight to behold, in any color or in any setting. The only other plant that proliferates on the island as much as these are the Flamboya, which to me looks like a distant relative, photos of which I will post at another time.

Men at Work

2009-08-17T18:56:00.005-04:00

Barbados boats one of the best water supply systems of the world. One can actually drink the water supplied from household plumbing as it is fresh and clear. All my life I have taken for granted that I could just turn on a tap and out would come this all-too-natural and plentiful life-sustaining liquid. I never thought that there was someone providing this service until I got older and learned of the hard work and effort that goes into it. So it is only right that I give you a glimpse of the men behind the scenes providing me (us) with our daily supply of natural drinking water, The Barbados Water Authority. Pictured here are some of the guys fixing a broken main. Kudos guys!

Sunday Mornin’

2009-08-17T17:46:00.004-04:00

From as far back as I can remember Sunday has always held a special meaning in my life and maybe the lives of countless other Barbadians. I’m not referring to the Church service, no. I’m talking about preparation for that much anticipated extra-special Sunday lunch. All throughout the island, no matter where you went (or go for that matter, as it is a tradition still held to this day), you could smell the mingling, nose-tingling, taste-bud titillating aromas of a variety of foods. Macaroni Pie was my favorite, accompanied by baked Chicken or baked Pork, with a healthy helping of ‘greens’ got from the market. Like the ones pictured above (which was taken at Eagle Hall) these roadside vendors brought their fresh produce to the city early every Sunday morning so that we could have our fresh veggies to go with our traditional ‘best-meal-of-the-week’.