A Photo Blog

What with family and friends and parties and cooking and cleaning and just enjoying the island like a tourist blog related topics have failed to materialize. So today i'm going to do a medley of photos taken since the beginning of the month. i have a new camera, broke my old one that i loved dearly and so i'm not quite as happy with the results most of the time. This new one is way more touchy and doesn't always turn out the photos the way i'd like or expect. There has been a ton of deleting while i work through the learning curve.

Feeding the hungry at My Brother's Table in Frederiksted

 

 

Cool clouds

A beautiful tree skirt gifty...pre tree.

What's that dude doing?

Birding

Cruzan Mead...yum!

A different view

Rust op Twist...looking east

Checking us in at Whim

Cruzan Inkberry Tree

Singhs all decorated

More Birding

C'mas Morning

Our Angel

Gingerbread Houses and Key Lime Pie

See ya next week!

Peace or a sick society?

Don't know if i mentioned that the Peace Pigeon flew the coop. A friend that rehabilitates birds had told me that once the three pigeons i originally had felt able to fly back home they would leave. Well the first one left within days, the second one stayed a few weeks and the Peace Pigeon who i really became attached to stayed for almost two months. She had gotten so accustomed to the feeding schedule that if i wasn't on time she would fly into the house and remind me.

i'd leave her food outside but some of the Zenaida Doves discovered it and she would have to battle them off. i've wondered if maybe she just got fed up with them and went home. i'm finding i miss her but not the bird poop all over the deck and railings.

i'm still musing on the massacre in Newtown...if your reaction to the killings was to go and buy a gun you are mentally impaired and that's just my opinion.

If you live in Florida the events yesterday when Mr. Jock pulled out his concealed carry gun to shoot Mr. White in a Little Ceasar's because the man was yelling that his order wasn't coming fast enough may make you decide to stay home and order in from now on. Florida's concealed carry law and stand your ground law is making what once could be handled by fisticuffs or yelling life threatening situations. Mr. Jock was lucky he didn't hit anyone else besides Mr. White when he pulled the trigger. i know i'd think twice before going into a crowded place in Florida with their gun laws.

And remember those gun carrier's in Florida don't view themselves as mentally imbalanced, only we do after they shoot.

This site has been focused on Peace since its inception and i'd just like to point out that the fear that pervades this country has gotten so out of hand that people are reacting to what once were considered slights with an overdose of violence. The fear factor needs to be dealt with as we become a country afraid of its own shadow. We are a sick society and maybe it is time to start treating the patient instead of adding more ways to kill each other. Why are so many afraid?

Is it marketing...making you afraid so you will go out and purchase guns and ammo to protect yourselves from the Bogey man? The gun and ammunition companies must love the fact that they have you so cowed and manipulated.

You do know we are the only country in the world that is perpetually at war. Right now we are killing people in nine different countries and as Jerry Kroth says :

“To finally address this problem is to begin a long and arduous process of cultivating a culture of peace. Such collective psychotherapy begins by treating the patient on many fronts and in a multidimensional way: To ration the sale of ammunition; to prohibit the sale of violent toys to children (Greece already does), to aggressively control the sale and access of violent video games to children (Australia, Venezuela, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Brazil already do), and to prohibit the broadcast of violent scenes, explicit or implicit, on network television during family viewing hours, a practice already in effect in many European countries.

And, who knows, we might even take it one step further and retreat from our aspirations of empire and global hegemony, close down our military operations, and bring our vast armies and armadas home --over 400,000 Americans at last count stationed in almost 1,000 overseas military bases.
Russia has ten overseas military bases. China none.
So much room to grow!
Imagine our progressive President, instead of limiting his compassion to the shedding of a tear at a press conference, actually proposed comprehensive and revolutionary changes and legislation that focused not on the symptoms but, at long last, finally started to address the disease itself.”

See ya next week

Gun Myths Busted

Of all the children killed in the 23 richest countries by firearms 87% are American.

As the number of guns available on the market has increased over the past three decades the number of mass killings and killings in general has increased. According to Harvard University School of Public Health more people die from gun homicides in areas of higher rates of gun ownership.

Gun laws in Connecticut, even though it is claimed they are some of the toughest in the nation are toothless wonders. Connecticut did not do everything “right” when it came to gun control. They do not have strict gun control laws as the conservatives would have you believe.

In fact, in Connecticut you can own an assault-style rifle with a grenade launcher. Yep you heard me right...this is allowed in Connecticut. If this is legal then how in the world can we call their laws “STRICT”?

Strict means precise or exact, kept within narrowly specific limits. Strict does not have loopholes. There is no state in the nation that has “strict” gun laws on the books. The NRA has fought vehemently to keep any form of strict regulation off the books everywhere.

So the argument on the other side claiming strict gun laws didn't prevent the massacre of little children is without merit because there is no such thing as a strict gun law in our nation. We do know that guns are the problem. In China a crazed man entered a school with a knife and carved up over 20 children. None of them died. They may be scared for life but none of them died.

Why should any civilian be allowed to own a weapon with a detachable clip? Why should any civilian be allowed to own a weapon with an extended magazine. These devices are designed for combat, not hunting and not protection. i looked up the Connecticut laws and there are no restrictions on magazine capacity. NONE

If you have no laws on the books mandating a restriction upon magazine capacity anyone can modify a weapon or buy one that takes a magazine. States claim they have the toughest laws on the books and yet they are smoke screens. If the laws don't ban magazines and clips they aren't tough laws. You can't have a tough law if they are allowed.

i was reading some comments on Red State and the writer was saying that in Massachusetts they passed one of the “toughest” gun laws in the nation but that “the decade since the laws were passed, firearm-related crime has increased dramatically. Gun-related deaths alone have increased by 68%, and gun-related assault injuries have increased by 72%. Emergency room visits due to gun-related assaults have increased by a whopping 222%.” The writer goes on to say that liberals ignore this even though the laws are quote "tough".

In fact liberals restate those facts all the time and point out that allowing clips and magazines on weapons should be outlawed. Liberals don't want to take away anyone's guns. Keep your guns just ban the magazines, clips and assault weapons. Enough fire power will still keep you safe or accompany you on a hunting trip by allowing no more than ten rounds to a weapon.

Many on the other side argue that Israel and Switzerland are gun friendly but don't have the same numbers of killings as we do. Well to bust another myth both countries are actually limited as to who can own guns. You don't have a right to own a gun, you must have a reason to own a gun. Every six months you have to go back to the issuing authority to prove you still have a reason to own a gun. In Switzerland because everyone is supposed to do military duty they used to let you take the guns home, now you have to leave them in a depot, the same is true in Israel, unless you live in a settlement. Statistics have shown that if guns are in the home the odds go up for accidents, suicide and murder and in fact in Israel they have proven that the rates of suicide have dropped since they stopped allowing guns to go home.

And if you don't train to use a gun regularly you loose the ability to act in as short a time as two months. Even those who are trained can't always act when in dangerous situations. So don't think just because you own a gun you can protect yourself.

Lets not let another moment go by without addressing our unreasonable addiction to firearms that can massacre untold numbers of innocent children and adults in moments.

See ya tomorrow

Season is here meh son

Is it just me or did season start earlier this year? The Gentlemen of Jones had the lights up on the poles just after Thanksgiving. They were almost complete in the town proper before the first of December. By the time i came through at night a week later they were up all the way to Pueblo. All the new ones look spectacular when lit and Christiansted looks so very festive. Its worth a drive through town at night just to gaze. Maybe i'll have a pic next week.

Starving Artists was probably the first real kick off event. i didn't go to that one this year...just totally forgot about it. So for me it was the boat parade that kicked it all off on Saturday, then Sunday the Botanical Gardens did their Christmas Spoken here.

This morning a friend trying to get through town ran into hoardes of people following some band...maybe it was Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Nights. They had so many tramping along that she had to take a real circutous route to make it to swim with us in time. Isn't this early or is it just me?

In the stores yesterday i noticed the big potatoes and the good applesauce were in short supply. i guess those celebrating Hanukkah have been cooking up some yummy Latkes.

Along the road my man that sells the sorrel every year came through with a really lovely looking batch from his field. i loaded up, brought it home and started to peel and yes my fingers turned a lovely red. We have steeped some really tasty stuff this year. i love its rich deep red color...really makes you feel like the season is here. You just can't have the season without sorrel.

If you don't know how to make it here it is. 

3lbs Sorrel...peel all the red stuff off the seed...toss the seed or save some and plant.

Ginger about the size of your palm...slice it up

Boil a big...like lobster size pot of water, put the sorrel and ginger in and let steep over night.

Strain and sweeten to taste. i usually leave it unsweetened and let everyone do their own thing.

People are coming home too. Everyone is making trips to the airport picking up family and friends. Its like old home week out there every time anyone goes. This time of year brings everyone back because its the best time of year to be here. So much celebrating, so much good food, so much great music.

And the biggest meteor shower of the year is this week. They say the best time to watch is the early morning of the 14^th. If its clear it might be worth waking up around 3:30am and going outside for a look.

The annual Christmas Bird Count for St. Croix is this weekend too. Sunday maybe you will see those of us counting stopped in the road with our binoculars up to our faces. Don't get mad if we have held you up this is important stuff we are counting.

Tonight in Gallows Bay there will be live holiday music, quelbe and fire dancers and Santa ready to avail his lap for all the little kiddies needing to make their wishes known. Tomorrow night is Art Thursday, there is so much going on its hard to know what to do and what to skip.

But the Season is definitely here meh son.

See ya next week.

St. Croix Boat Parade 2012

Here are some pics from last nights Boat Parade which was really fun. First we have the wait.

Then we have the fly over for the start of the parade.

The first go round.

The second go round.

An eager participant

The fire works.

It was a wonderful evening.

Fortune telling

When i was out in San Francisco in September i went to the Musee Mecanique which is a privately owned warehouse on the waterfront full of old arcade games that actually work. These machines that are loud and clunky are the precursors to video games. Anyone who has every played with one will certainly take a trip back in time when they see these.

The most exciting part for me was finding “Laughing Sal” still able to get laughs from anyone popping their money in. i actually paid to have the fortune telling machine pop out the Wizards Prediction. i of course pumped my money into whatever caught my fancy but i have to admit i still have the Wizard's Prediction sitting by my computer.

She really makes me laugh

i don't know if everyone gets the same fortune but i think it would be a great idea if they did for here is what it said.

“It is dangerous to go through life thinking too much of the serious things. Cultivate a sense of humor. Have the fun you deserve. Don't overlook opportunities that require some imagination and daring. There may be certain circumstances when you should gamble with Fate for the best results. If you lose—so what? The experience gained could be worth far more than a state of indecision or no action at all.

Whether married or single you should never neglect romance. It should prove to be a real tonic: stimulating your activities, inspiring you with higher ideals and putting a sparkle to your personality. Travel is not recommended and it may be better for you to remain in a familiar environment. You will be happier by entertaining relatives and friends than visiting them. Money should not be one of your particular problems, for likely you have learned to save. You are lovely and are loved.”

How could anyone not be happy with a fortune like that?

i think it's my Irish heritage that encourages me to be open to all sorts of stimulus coming in from the wee spirits in whatever form they decide to communicate through. Of course the bad fortunes we try to forget quickly. My father once had a fortune teller say he would be plagued by fire and he was. We really wanted to get rid of that one but nothing could remove the bad juju until he died.

My mother had one tell her she would live to be 92 but she was off by ten years and since she thought she was going to live that long most of the last part of her life was relatively healthy. i dragged my step daughter into one in NY when she was going through all sorts of turmoil and damn if the fortune teller didn't give her a future that was most welcome and did turn out. i can't remember what she told me.

And what about Fortune cookies...don't you just love them, i like how they taste and i can't wait to find out what they have to say. Too bad we can't get them before dinner instead of having to wait until the end. Have you ever wondered how the fortune gets in the cookie...well i of course have and looked it up. They cook the dough in a circle and while they are still cooling the paper is folded inside. It hardens and voila. 

Once i had one that said:

“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”

So of course i always listen to that little voice telling me to write about fortunes today and not next week. Some people consult their psychic on a regular basis...i do it for fun, i read my horoscope and if it is good i remember it and if it isn't i don't. i mean really i don't think i could even tell you a bad one if you asked me. 

Oh no i just remembered i can...whenever i get one that says i'm going to make lots of money it never happens...but i'm ever the optimist. i go to Astro.com which i think has the best horoscopes around and its free if you don't want the long and involved look at your whole birth data.

If people really knew how many Fortune 500 CEO's,bankers and politicians go to psychics they would be shocked. We all know our time here is limited so some use fortunes and psychics to gain control over something we have no control over. i just think its fun and if you haven't ever been to a palm reader or fortune teller or had your horoscope cast go and have some fun.

See ya next week.