Sept 10 is the zenith of hurricane probability

Ever since Hurricane Maria, hurricane season has become something different in our minds. We came to Puerto Rico very naive about hurricanes, and we lived here for 4 years with basically nothing ever happening. We had an occasional tropical storm, but we’ve had stronger aguaceros (downpours) come out of the blue. But Maria changed all of that optimism and surety. We have a deep underlying trauma associated with hurricanes now. On the surface, our logical brain tells us that if we can survive 2 + months of living like primitive people we can survive anything! But underneath, our subconscious says “Ah, hell no. I don’t want to do that again!” So we have our conscious and subconscious minds competing against each other.

This time last year I was 8 months pregnant going through hurricane season!

I was particularly nervous last year for a few reasons, most notably that I was pregnant with a due date right around the climatic probability of storms. After the birth my medical care turned out to be VERY lacking as it was without a storm, so I can only imagine how bad it would have had there been no electricity, water or medical supplies. I am SO grateful everything turned out ok. It was iffy there for a bit. My medical care nightmare is probably for another day, but suffice it to say, I don’t  ever want to be in another major medical emergency in Puerto Rico with or without a hurricane looming.

Last year in our tropical gardens

One of our neighbors is currently about as pregnant as I was, so we thought it would be fun to do a photoshoot in our gardens that we have finally named. Since Puerto Rico is La Isla del Encanto (The Isle of Enchantment), we named our farm/gardens The Garden of Enchantment. You can check out our new Facebook page and give it a like if you want. Julie is about as nervous as I was having her first baby in an unfamiliar land and so we thought it would be a nice de-stressor to take a little of that anxiety away and focus on the beauty that she is emanating! I gathered materials from all over the gardens and made her a flower crown to make her a jungle queen.

Finished flower crown

Here’s a “How-to” Video on the making of the crown.

It turned out so nice.

What a gorgeous mama-to-be

Even Aeden got to check out his jungle friend in making

When we heard a storm called Dorian was forming and heading straight for us, our nerves started to fray a little. We turned on the hurricane brain and started prepping. Extra gas, water, food, batteries, clean out the cistern, shut the windows, check, check, check.

There are always runs on water. We just rinse out and refill our jugs

Day of Dorian right outside Econo…wouldn’t think anything was abnormal!

Dorian thankfully turned anticlimactic and didn’t even really have any rain. But it did bring back lots of memories. We ended up going to a pool party for a friend who is moving away. We had even partied at Yukayeke a lot after Maria, so the recollections are stacked. Strange how much that period of time is embedded in our psyches now.

Fun at Yukayeke

Yukayeke Resort in Anasco from the road

Living in the tropics of Puerto Rico is 90% awesome. We get to live like we’re on vacation! But interspersed are moments of sheer panic and annoyance. I guess there’s nowhere on Earth that is 100% paradise all the time. But to me, this sure comes close. Even in hurricane season. It gives us all a little something to get worked up about I guess. No one would read a story if it didn’t have some complications to resolve.

Most days are wonderful

Calm, serene and peaceful on the farm

 
Fun family times