Category Archives: Flowers

Aibonito Festival de las Flores


Me and a HUGE bromeliad

This week we decided to check out the Aibonito Festival de las Flores (Flower Festival) with a friend. We have wanted to check out this festival for a long time, but Aibonito is a looong way from Rincon as it turns out (about 2 1/2 hour drive). We went the south way through Ponce and then through a panoramic route through the mountains to reach it. Since we came during the week it wasn’t too crowded and we found free parking close to the festival. The entrance charge was $6 per person. We bought quite a few flowers, though I was expecting a lot more crazy and exotic plants. Maybe it’s because I am a plant person, but there wasn’t too much that I haven’t already seen. I would say it was worth it to go at least once if you haven’t seen it before!

The flowers we were most interested in: Gingers and Heliconias


We got some of these cool varieties


These carnivorous plants are so cool


Hanging out under the shade


Quite a few booths and vendors


Nice bridge and pond in the permanent Festival area


Cool Aibonito sign -Aibonito supposedly was named that when someone arrived and said “Ay, que bonito” or “Oh, wow, how pretty!”


Lots of orchids!


Live music and carnival rides. The Gran Combo is coming to play on Sunday which is a big deal! Also check out how much harder this area of the island was hit by Maria -the trees are still stripped of leaves!


Some music of El Gran Combo


The drive to Aibonito is spectacular!


On the way back we stopped at the Holiday Inn in Ponce for dinner.

Overall, it was an exhausting yet fun day and now we have a bunch of plant starts to get in the ground!

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Random Growth and Update


In the jungle of our yard, growing and growing!

We have been pretty busy lately with doctor appointments for the baby, making a space for him in our cabin, keeping up with the landscaping (Britton has been having to pull a lot of weight, and I have been putting a lot on -haha), Farmer’s Markets and cabana rental activities amongst all the other various things we have to do to keep all the balls in the air (lawn mower repair, car repairs, house maintenance, shopping, etc). Here’s a little glimpse into some of our random life as it grows along.


Putting the crib together. A beautiful gift from a friend!


Snail hitched a ride to the farmer’s market


Some of our flowers and goods at the market


International Folk Dance night in Rincon was fun


These little geckos are everywhere. They have just become part of the background now


A walk through the tropic gardens


Plumeria in bloom smell so good!


Baby belly needed a rest


Croooaaak!


We hadn’t seen the inside of a hospital at all in many years of living here, and now seem to be getting a whole island tour! Mayaguez Medical Center


Britton and one of the friendliest souls in Rincon, Angel


Britton, turkeys and a cute back-up crib that was also a lovely gift


I actually use these scales that are everywhere in Puerto Rico. I also get my horoscope in Spanish! All for a peseta (quarter)


Dragonfly resting on the truck antenna after eating up the skeeters


A cool car and a cool spot by the water


A wild fruit we found growing by the quebrada that I learned is the delicious local named: pomarrosa blanca


Farm grown pomegranate isn’t as big, but is pretty juicy and good!


Fun girl’s night out (at the Goat house)


This guy is so funny! He dresses up as various comic characters and sells popcorn and other snacks around Rincon (that’s got to be hot!)


View from on high when we took a jaunt up the high hills of Rincon to Pico Atalaya to this abandoned property. It’s a steep trek on scary roads, but the vistas are amazing.

Well, that’s it for our little mish-mash of random life updates. You can also check out my latest baby bump update.

Oh and here’s a cute little song we made up one night at home: Enjoy.

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The Hope of Spring Has Sprung Up with a Force


Gardenias in bloom

After Maria took down a lot of our trees, it was so disheartening. It looked as though a bomb had gone off and nowhere was it more evident than in the vegetation. As “plant people” and people who live directly in the jungle with all the other forest dwelling creatures we took notice of the changes. We humans weren’t the only ones traumatized by the hurricane. Birds, bees, mongoose, iguanas, and all sorts of other creatures were displaced. There was a sadness that is hard to describe to those who haven’t been through something like that. I am still trying to wrap my mind around the complete and utter chaos that that storm brought to life and its still rippling effects.

In the plants, it was so obvious. Many were pulled from the earth, trees lost all their leaves, and others leaned so far sideways they will never be straight again. The plants that lived through it seemed to go into a shock survival mode of instant spring within about a month, trying to bring on more leaves and flowers, but they were just  trying to hold on to life while they restored themselves. Like us all.


Our ravaged tropical gardens the day after Maria

So this spring we have been even more renewed by the sight of true spring. The flowers are blooming again. The bees are pollinating. There is new growth and repair. There is hope. And this scent fills all of us with it. For us, at the farm, this means more work, but we are enjoying it. As I grow this new life form as well, we are preparing in harmony with nature.


Many of our parcha -passionfruit- vines were severely damaged but they are growing and blooming again!


Farm meadow area


Takes a lot of mowing to keep the yard looking sharp -before and after mowing about 2 acres with 2 push mowers (one each)


Lots of yard work!


New baby turkeys came out of the jungle with their mama and we put them in the coop out of harm’s way


Some of the bounty of flowers we take to the Farmer’s Market on Sundays


A new area we are cleaning up and replanting


Turkeys roaming the pineapple garden


From the farm to the Farmer’s Market-flowers, pomarrosa, guineos (bananas)


Scene from the Sunday Farmer’s Market


Another section near “Ridgeline” that we cleared of downed trees and is now being replanted


Hawk Lane and the end of the pink roble bloom


Mulberries (a favorite tree of the birds)


Pineapple that is almost ripe enough to pick


More pineapples growing


Sale and delivery of banana plants (long load!)


Pretty birds, sugar cane, palms, bougainvillea and bananas


Britton and a HUGE bunch of bananas


Even in the jungle we can clean up nice sometimes


And we still make time to go to the beach

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Puerto Rico Scenes: Post Cards and Preposterousness

Sometimes I look through my photos and think they look like postcards. Other times they make me laugh out loud at their absurdity. Such is life in Puerto Rico. Here are a few glimpses.

Tropical paradise
Palms and waves

Restart Puerto Rico
Beer and a slice of pizza at Pepe’s in Stella 

Coqui flower
This coqui and a friend hitchhiked a ride with us to the farmer’s market one Sunday morning

Wave
We had a swell swell the other day

Clown
You never know who might be clowning around

Fila Larga Line
Sometimes the lines (filas) here are insane, but somehow most people are completely ok with them

Cassie in a tree
Beachy days plus tree climbing = Happy Cassie

Drink specials at the gas station
No, Puerto Rico doesn’t have a drinking problem or anything (cheap beer advertised at the gas station pumps)

PR scene
Hammocks are for hanging out!

Palm Scenes
Tres Palmas Reserve Majesty 

Cassie underwaterWe can do underwater photoshoots in winter even if it’s a little chilly for us! (photo credit Laura and Frankie)
Anasco church
Añasco Plaza church

Shucking
A street vendor shucking habichuelas (beans)

Salcedo
This statue celebrating a murder seemed weird to me –the drowning of Diego Salcedo

Spanglish
Spanglish is everywhere in Puerto Rico -Happy Cumpleaños

Britton and Cassie
Poolside brunch by the sea at Casa Isleña

Cassie beach
More fun at the beach

Steps always beautiful beach
Steps

Steps Beach
More steps

Cassie hammock street small
And more hammocks! 🙂

Que vivan la belleza y locura de Puerto Rico!

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