Everyday thoughts

 Reasons to be grateful today!

1 didn't drop phone in loo

2 Henry didn't complain / go on strike when I pulled him along by the nose instead of by his handle😉😉

Interesting video _ Now I'm flipping over to the other side again

A couple of recent morning walk/jogs in and around Molineux, St. Kitts - 2020

Looking back over some previous posts, I realise several years have gone by since I last posted here! I continue to enjoy my lovely surroundings (though day-to-day that may only be during the daily commute, and when hanging out washing or maybe looking for a windfall orange in the back yard). But recently I've started to make morning walk/jogs a more regular feature again.

Here's a few snippets from the past week's exercise/sketching sessions,

Recently-started Botanical Sketchpad course

on the (farmed) fields, near where I live in Molineux.😎

Everyday life update

Everyday life in St. Kitts - update, April 2016

In May I will have been living in St. Kitts for ten years, and it continues to feel like a fun adventure, and a unique experience. 

A quest for a weekly pay has taken me now into factory life, where one again I'm embroiled in the delights of electronic ins- and -outs, and the almost machine-like experience of being a part of the 'production process' in this competitive industry.  

Arriving for work at about 7.30 a.m.

The surroundings are pretty, and I have a glimpse of the top of this tree (including coconuts) when I use the bathroom!

Then there's the view from the shipping container-entrance door....nnice

 Recently I took a couple of mornings off work for a jaunt up to Harris' village, to see some youngsters about some art work. This view caught my attention on the way up - going towards the mountains.

The cool night air provides a welcome relief from the heat of the day. All for now.

Here is my December update for Life in St Kitts, and it's all about the beauty and moods of nature here in our lovely island home. First - the biggest items, then some of the smallest, are celebrated!

Here's a few snapshots showing the Moods of the Mountains - ever-changing 

Joyous mountain number 1 -  seen from the road from Cayon to Ottleys

I must have taken hundreds of pics (almost) of the mountains during my time here in St. Kitts. They are so awesome.

The mountains dominate our lives, though we might not even think about them much, they're there, adding beauty to each day.

The mountains also remind us to look up to where our help comes from: they're a tangible symbol of the realm 'above'.

Joyous mountain number 2. This is Mount Liumiga - the largest - seen as you enter Molineux village

Sometimes the clouds do strange things like hiding the mountains altogether, or other strange smothering-type things.

Rainclouds licking the mountain tops

 Sometimes you might be lucky to see a mountain in a very special mood, pretending to be Mount Fuji or so.

White clouds resting on a mountain top - seen from Brighton (near Cayon)

Now here comes some medium-to-small things, seen whilst walking back from Mansion area to Molineux. Oh how I like to get out and about! Must do more of that! (Life is short.)
These medium-sized things are a couple of cute white puppies belonging to a farmer who also gave me some of his herbs, just for passing by. (By the way, I was playing with the toy camera setting for these shots.)

They didn't stay still for long.

 

Seems like they were looking at something in particular.

Then off they went.

 
Lastly, for the smallest items - some cute bees enjoying some flowers - which were taken with the close-up setting of my camera. (Luckily, the bees were ignoring me.)

Many lovely sights if we just keep our eyes open to them

 

Happy Christmas and New Year to all readers of this blog!

Basseterre - an afternoon in the life of

Here are some shots I took recently, of a normal day in the life of Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts. You know you're in the Caribbean. Bit run down, but quite homely in parts....

My first impression of the place when I visited in about 2001 I think, for a week, - something appealing to me in the lack of perfection (eg rotting wood on some of the old houses, some bit-smelly drains, etc) somehow made me feel, probably, that perfection would not be expected from me...(see my next blog entry which will feature the International Museum for some more about history in St. Kitts) -

(this blog is not intended to be a tourist promo)

Another first impression in that visit of 2001 - The torrential downpour at about 6am, followed by blazing 'angry' sun an hour later, as I stayed in the  Glimbaro Guest House cum pest control specialist business on Cayon St. (will insert pic of that if I get around to taking one).

Felt somewhat ambiguous, as a 'white' person, I was still feeling like a tourist as I took pictures, and one or two persons perhaps were not too happy to get 'shot'

How does it feel to walk the streets of Basseterre on any average day? - busy, always pretty busy, usually hot (somehow the sun seems hotter than in the 'country' but that's probably because at home, one simply avoids the direct sun, usually). This worker can't do that too easily!

Builder on top of part-constructed building adjacent to the Museum, on Bay Road, Basseterre

People interacting with each other in a lively way, music from buses and cars that are passing... 

Waiting for a bus

Lady just about to board 'De Prophet' , going West. Note the fresh produce for sale at right, and Rams supermarket across the road (a good place to find curry ingredients and imported speciality items from the UK). The tree is a flamboyant, or poinciana, which produces much-needed shade.

But still it is possible to relax - to find a spot somewhere, and just sit and watch people going past - like these people are doing. Notice the 'kits' (re-used paint buckets) that serve a multitude of purposes (for example, for holding boiled salted peanuts (yum), for selling)

Near the main bus park and ferry terminal (the ferry to Nevis)

Port Zante - the cruise ship tourist arrival shopping area - a bar worker takes a break in a quiet period.

Two of my own favourite spots for a tea or cold drink are the Ballahoo and the Circus Grill, both of which offer a balcony view of the town (you could Google both of them to see if you wanted - ok now it's getting like a tourist promo - this is for the benefit of Dad and Trish, who might be visiting, hopefully, in 2015 http://metrocaribbean.com/St-Kitts-And-Nevis/ballahoo-restaurant/).

This post is just to show a couple of photos taken  during my daily commute from Molineux to Basseterre - something usually just catches my eye, and I have to stop the bike and dig the camera out! For example, this shot was taken on the way home one early evening, because the light was kind of magical, and the sea looked so calm and silky, as you can see below.

This next one shows a bar with the St. Kitts flag - the morning sun lighting it up with the mountain of Conaree in the background.

All for now!