Making it Paradise...bits of Bajan life

Two weeks ago, my son developed a major sinus drip. The poor child has apparently inherited the health issues of my lactose intolerant, respiratorily-challenged (is that even a word?) family and had started that annoying snorting noise that all sinus suffers make and which I absolutely detest. I hate to administer medicines (they call me Bush woman for a reason) but had to resort to over the counter meds to stave off any dripage into his lungs. Well, old Bajans have a saying," God don't bring, but he sends " which kinda loosely translates as whatever your needs, they will be met from even unexpected sources, and such was the case with this situation. I stepped out (Bajan parlance meaning I went out for a brief while on an errand!) and on my return I found my partner sitting in the verandah - a custom which many have relegated- but we still like to sit out and people watch, speak to the neighbours and exchange pleasantries with passers-by. Well, my partner was sitting ou...

One of the highlights of living on an island for me is the fact that vegetation is always abundant. So abundant in fact that persons are always willing to share excess or sell at ridiculous prices just to be rid of produce. Such has been the case this week (and it's only Tuesday!). I received a call from my sister Evelyn this weekend  and I kid you not these were her words," Merlene has a bag of bush for you, someone gave them to her and she figures you will appreciate it." Why thank you very much cousin Merlene, I surely do. And so this morning, my sister brought over this bag of Bajan bush packed with a lovely variety of cooking and medicinal herbs. I wish you could smell my hands and kitchen right now....heavenly! Wormwood ..so very green and such a intoxicating aroma Mexican tarragon, not a favorite of mine due to its heavy licorice odour so some lucky person will receive this as a gift (maybe Ken) Who does not love bayleaf? A Caribbe...

Hey blog world, how are you folk doing? I am well entrenched in my 2nd semester of study and it's already coming on fast and furious. I just completed my first assignment and wanted to fill you guys in on the only thing I've been able to reap from my now almost non-existent garden :( ...... Scotch Bonnet peppers aplenty!      I never knew that the Scotch Bonnet pepper got its name because it resembles a Scotsman's bonnet!  Well thanks to a generous mix of heat and rain, my tree is yielding peppers daily. Unfortunately, they are nothing I can eat out of hand or use copious amounts of so what's a girl to do? Take plenty pictures and give them away that's what!....lol Officially called Capsicum Chinense (hummm sounds Chinese), the plant has such beautiful flowers and fruit. Tiny white flowers give way to pale green fruit which gradually change to yellow, orange and eventually  bright red. I can easily reap about 12...

Do any of you readers out there still have a medicine cabinet? I don't mean the fancy mirrored item purchased from a home supplies chain store that sits above your bathroom sink either :). I mean the real old fashioned deal. The made from wood kind that extended quite a bit from the wall and were closed with a small latch. Well I actually live in a house that has such a contraption and I know for sure that it is older than I am. While the medicine cabinet of my childhood was affixed to my parents' bedroom wall, this one juts out next to my bath stall and I love it.     Thought of painting it once then changed our minds, like the wood.:) Front view...mirror bringing in light from opposite window. Notice the little top latch and the wooden knob! But what can you find in a medicine cabinet?  I know I still keep some of the staples my mother did!  Like Iodex, Vicks vapour rub, BNT powder, Spirits of Turpentine and a few new additions o...

What is it with this woman and bush, you may be wondering, but I love me some greenery! I love bush tea, I could eat bush rice everyday (seriously, I could), I study bush (herbology), I plant bush, I bathe with bush sometimes, a brother calls me Bushwoman as if it were my real name and I even call myself Wonderworld Bush for goodness sake! I am known to carry a camera and a plastic bag with me everywhere just in case the opportunity presents itself to take cuttings or at the very least to capture a pic of new plants for later research. My "condition" is so well known, that last summer I was asked by the Nuwaubian members of my community to accompany them on a walk to identify wild plants in our area. We walked for a good hour or so and it was quite amazing to note the many things I myself discovered for the first time. In fact I was so impressed that I wanted to see what I would unearth a little closer to home. I literally went on a ten minute walk around my house and wow...