Keep the larries away!

One of Susan's many larry's

All lizard like things are a larry to her. This one on Sanibel, but they do have them on St. Croix.

Lee banannas in paradise, soon to be mine.

These however at Cottages by the Sea!

Today my fingers just don't seem to be working right. I think someone switched the buttons on the keyboard last nite. No, I am not a touch typer or keyist or whatever they call it now-a-days. I still look, but if I since a wrong stroke I can usually find it, maybe. Oh well fucvk-it.

I had been trying to e-mail a friend and I kept sending partials so after three atempts I decided to try this. It aint going much better so I better stop. But keep them damn larries away from my mangos an 'nannas!!!

Hi Mel!

cheers!

Dan

Island Gardening, Caye Caulker style

Mom with the beginings of the garden.

Our first tomato !!!!

The garden grows. Great containers eah.

Milk container lined with palm husk. dries out quick.

salad garden and seedlings.

Gardening on a small island almost a necessity if you want salad and fresh greens other than cabbage. I couldn't have imagined the task ahead. Water was number one. All of our potable water was rain catchment. Quite valuable we came to know. Potting mix, what no potting mix. black dirt, where I find black dirt? Oh, the guy at the back bridge on Tuesday evening with the boat. He also has botons. Ok, I find the guy with black dirt, how many? He only has five, I take them. Next week he shows up with ten, I take them, the next week I see him in village he expects my to buy more, I say no, he not happy but ok. No more black dirt for me. But then I was in BC at Prosser's getting fertilizer and a 500g. vat and saw they had a bale of Fafard peat moss, price was good so bought it too. Out on that little limestone spit of land peat moss was heaven sent. Thus the garden grew and grew. It grew so well that folks walking by became interested and soon so did the police. Now the police Never came down to where we lived, but one morning three showed up. One plain clothes officer two in uniform one with a gun(Barney) don't know if it was loaded. Anyway they hailed us over Champ's barking and I went down to visit. the inquiry was all about the plants. What they were and what I was going to do with them. Yes,"what was I going to do with them?" "Yes" "Eat them" I said. "Eat them?" they said. "Eat them" I repeated. Anyway, they wanted to see what I was growing to eat. So I chained up Champ and led the parade up to the garden. They were impressed. Many things they had never seen, others they knew but had never seen growing. From chard, kale, okra, peppers, tomatoes, green onions, kalaloo, basil and a whole lot more. they finally became satisfied all was for eating, but where did I get the black dirt? Yes, "where did I get the black dirt?" I said some guy at the back bridge that's all I know. Then as they left the officer says, "I bet you could grow just about anything." I said,"Yes I could" He said,"You know what we were looking for" "Yes, and if I were growing that they would never find it" "Dat maybe true" he said walking away. "Have a good day" he trailed "you too" says I. Now to water the garden and scratch my head thinking what the fuck!!!!

The trials of island gardening, drip irrigation, water holding polymers, proper crop selection. Offer tours to the cops!

No I didn't share, and they didn't come back either.

Cheers,

Dan

Habanero Sweet Onion Sauce

While at the market a few days ago I saw some of the nicest chilies I'd seen in a while. Big red habaneros!!! So I bought all the ripe ones they had and now it's time to sauce them. I use equal weight of habanero to sweet onion, a third the weight of carrots some sugar, salt, alspice, then enough vinegar to sauce it. Grind it, simmer it, taste it, adjust the seasonings, blend it. I use a little xanthan gum to keep it from seperating so blend that in well. Let cool and bottle. Soo good!! Yes, I did was the damn things before grinding.

Last year I grew some Lemon Peppers, little yellow chilies that do have a slight citrus flavour. Great for eating and saucing too. Burpee Seeds sold them as Hot Lemon, an heirloom variety. Anyone who likes hot peppers should grow these as well. both work well in mango chutney/relish.

Cheers, Dan

St. Croix!! A new adventure begins!!

South view to Sea

South view

to sea.

Property on right,

not chopped yet.

North to mtns.

"Morning Joe" in paradise!!!

At Cottages by the Sea.

Well, we have finally decided. St. Croix will become our new "green acres", quarter acre anyway. I don't want to ever have to own a lawn mower much less a tractor ever again! If a machete can't do it, it's too big or too much grass. can't wait to get the gardens planted. Got to find a couple of large coconut trees first, will probably wait till after the "blowing season" though.

The decission was hard, it aint Belize and Caye Caulker where our hearts are, but it does have it's own island appeal. And no passport required!! I will admit that the one determining factor was that 88y/o Mom will feel more secure on this large island. It has a K-Mart, two infact. And there is a large hospital all to her liking. Since she wants to live with us these considerations had to be paramount. The kids and their families can come visit here just as easily and no passport. The grandkids are soo excited!! Heather is already saving her money, way to go girl!

So now the adventure begins. Building a new house on a new island and this one with beurocratic requirements. Shit!! Oh well; our carnival won't stop

our mangos will rot

we will enjoy

our wee sunny spot!!!

Cheers!!!

The adventure begins, party on!!!!!