The rest of April was spent a little closer to home celebrating Easter, Earth Day and nearby explorations while still keeping up with the farm and life.
The kiddo’s first Easter
We have had a busy few last weeks. We’ve been working on the farm with a lot of guests staying with us. We are in process of building the deck railings so that Aeden doesn’t fall off, clearing and planting more and keeping up with the flower orders. We also had a really nice Easter with friends and have generally been enjoying ourselves.
Fun times on Easter
The fam
More flowers for the garden. We’ll see how this rose grows.
Clearing more paths thru the gardens/jungle
Lots of mowing in the meadow area now that it’s raining more
Lots of flowers in bloom like these heliconias
And gingers
The iguanas are nuts! They keep eating our mulberries and hibiscus. Thankfully they don’t eat heliconias or gingers or we’d be really po’d
Britton has had some time with Aeden alone while I take a French class down by Lala’s beach/La Mojonera
You can’t take a French class and not get a glass du vin with your new copains!
Working on painting and installing the railings at the cabin
More rails! Like almost 200!
Cabin before rails
Working with Roberto on the install
Coming together nicely!
Torch ginger! One of my faves!
Walking through the jungle to the cabin in the rain
Parenting is a team effort! (Thanks Laura for this great picture)
Aeden is a joy to be with most of the time!
Sunset at Cofresi with the classic Pirata drinks!
And a ride in a golf cart
Sunsets over the Caribbean still don’t get old
Still working on the whole photogenic thing with Aeden -haha
He’s getting there though (and notice the rails coming along?)!
Our first avocado flower buds on trees we planted about 5/6 years ago! And a bee working on the quenepas! Could be a productive August/September!
Which is good, because Aeden is a comelon (likes to eat). Both breastmilk and baby food now!
Fun pool party at Keith and Linda’s boutique guesthouse (Casa D’Palma)
Our water baby, Aeden, was totally blissed out
Pomarrosas in bloom, Esperanza bug, hanging out in downtown Rincon
Farmer’s Market in Rincon every Sunday!
A Mariachi Singer in San Sebastian’s Pulguero (Random note: people seem to LOVE Mexican music here, there was so much cheering and “ay, ay, ay que viva Mexico” I had to laugh it was so fun!)
We saw a huge bee swarm as we were leaving the house. Good to see the bees are alive and well at least around here!
Aeden having fun steering the shopping cart at Selectos in Aguada
We took a ride in an old Model A from Missy’s neighbor, Gerardo! So fun!
Aeden didn’t know what was up!
Well that’s it for now! Chao with lovely plumerias in bloom once again
In Puerto Rico because it is a tropical environment, many people think that there are not seasons. This is not exactly accurate. While it does stay between 75-85 degrees F year round there are still subtle changes. Because we work outside a lot and we live in a cabin in the middle of the jungle we notice these changes perhaps a bit more than some people. For one thing, many of the plants begin to flower in preparation for fruiting in the summer. One of my favorite flowering plants are the robles (Tabebuia rosea). For about one month these trees add a rose colored hue to everything including the ground! It is like living in a pink snow globe especially when you see them softly twirl to the ground.
The trees and I are pink!
Roll out the pink carpet!
Turkeys enjoying the changing colors of spring
The rambutan are already flowering! Let’s hope they form fruit!
Like this grosella
The papaya and bananas are constantly producing! I love the way this trunk looks like ancient carving
I think all plants are beautiful in a certain way, but not all of them are friendly! We have been working on clearing around the cabin and replanting with fruiting trees and ornamentals. In doing so we have to clear out some pretty mean and nasty stuff like the Puerto Rican poison ivy they call Carrasco that no matter how careful I am, I always somehow manage to get on me. About 2 days after this happens I swell up really bad and start itching uncontrollably. Then my skin erupts in a pus-y mess and then finally scabs over. It is not fun!
Spring for the Carrasco plant too! Here is its flower/berry
Another mean plant are the wild bromeliads. While beautiful they have the most vicious spikes on them. I have many pokes and stings from these bad boys. They are very difficult to eradicate from an area. We just threw them over the fence line. They would make a good living fence because no one would want to walk through these!
Wild bromeliad and its thorny weaponry
Side of the cabin that we cleared of bromeliads and other brush and have begun to replant
When we’re not enjoying spring in the jungle, we have been out with friends at various events including the Stand Up Paddleboard race, and Spring/Easter parties. The 2017 tourist season was a little slow, but that doesn’t mean the partying was. One thing about living in Rincón (and I think Puerto Rico in general) is that there is never a shortage of parties! It’s a good-time island. We have to consciously choose which events to go to and which not because we’ll never get anything done around the property otherwise!
Villa Cofresí and her famous piratas during the SUP contest
Fun times with friends!
On Easter weekend we went to a friend’s farm in Aguada and set up a campground. We sang songs around the campfire and toasted marshmellows and relaxed. The fireflies came out and danced alongside us. It was truly magical!
Road through the woods to the campsite
Campsite by day
And by night (thanks Daisy for this pic)
Easter we had a wonderful time with a variety of friends!
The Van Ees
So much fun! Slip-sliding away…even with chickens!
¡Felices Pascuas!
And another party at the beach!
So yes, there is a spring in Puerto Rico even if it isn’t quite as pronounced as up north. Everything is in bloom, the birds and insects start mating more, the rains begin to come more regularly, the temperature and humidity go up a little and the ocean warms up just a bit. In Rincón the northern tourists leave and the local Puerto Rican tourists start arriving. I hope we can continue playing music through this summer, but if not, come check us out at our next show this Saturday at Willie’s Bar and Grill in the marina!
Rincón Continentals Live