Category Archives: Spring

Mother’s Day, TARS, and our Tropical Gardens

Overlook spot in Moca

A quick update. We have been tackling house repairs and building of the deck railings, keeping up with the cabana (recently painted the entire interior again) staying on track with all the mowing (we maintain about 2 acres of green areas) as well as planting and watering the tropical gardens when it’s dry. When we are not at the farm, we go out for drives or on searches for more plants as well as just normal chores like grocery shopping and things like that. We have also had the opportunity to spend some time with friends which is always nice.

The farm always feels so refreshed after we mow it, it’s like our own personal park

It would be a rare occasion at a plant store that I don’t find something to buy

Quick stop at Borinquen Beach in Aguadilla

Aeden loved it!

We also went to TARS in Mayaguez. It has been a long time since we’ve visited. Now that we’ve been doing this tropical gardening for a good long while I can appreciate the collection that they have there even more. It looked to have suffered some damage from the hurricane, but overall it is still quite impressive. So inspiring to see what’s possible here. So many home gardens are plain and this is extraordinary!

Britton and Aeden under a huge palm

Me and a HUGE Panama Canoe Tree

Britton and Aeden with a large agave

Me and a jackfruit tree/fruit

We just started a pandanus. It would be amazing to see it grow into this

Back at our farm

We are growing a new variety of microphone/beehive ginger

Another turkey came out of the woods with babies

Early morning sunrise at the finca

Peaceful serenity in the gardens

A mango tree releafing over head

Newest additions to the farm -2 tortoises (I think sulcata but not sure)!

Amazing number of torch gingers to take to the farmer’s market lately

At the farmer’s market with the babe

Celebrated my very first mother’s day as a mother. Here’s the mother who made me, and who made me a mother (around the same age 8-9 months)

My precious boy

Crossing the suspension bridge in San Sebastian

Everyone loves Aeden, everywhere we go. His hair is so “llamativo” and many people want to hold our smiley coloraito/ cano

Doing a photoshoot with friend Laura. Going to miss her so much! We always have fun together. And I have loved being her muse!

Tree-mendous!

Going away party for Laura and Kara

Receiving party (Hawaiian themed) for someone who got out of hospital with our neighbors

A normal day in Rincon -cows crossing the road and mangos falling from the sky

What a beautiful life!

Here’s our 8 month baby update video!

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Easter, Spring Time, Deck Rails, and More!

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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

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April Update -Finca, Flowers, Friends, Fruit and Fun

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Hanging with my little guy in Rincon

If it weren’t for me being a chronic photo-taker, I don’t know if I would ever blog anymore. The pictures help me to remember what we have been up to which has been a lot of fun! We have been busy with visiting friends, the flower business continues to grow (literally haha), the cabana has been booked regularly and we have seen some cool sights as well. Aeden is growing up fast and at 7 months can now sit up on his own and eats sooo much regular food! Here are quite a few pictures that tell so much more than my hands can type.

Babies grow so fast! I had no idea. Compare 1 month to 6 months

Britton and Aeden at Rompeolas in Aguadilla

We have a bunch of new varieties of flowers coming in right now

Family fun at the farm

Why is Britton usually carrying Aeden? Because he is huge in comparison to me! These pictures were taken at the same moment in time 🙂

And work -clearing out more underbrush and dead trees to plant fruit trees and flowers

One of Kitty’s last pictures 🙁

We buried him near the bridge so we can think of him every day. We miss you, Kitty. You were a good cat

I am also so saddened by the death of our former bandmate, drummer, artist, jokester and friend, Rob

We finished the concrete staircase that enters the jungle and added solar lights

Fun in Aguada

With the babe

At the pool of Casa Islena -Aeden loves kicking water

At the pool of Villa Montana too!

With his sweet little friend and our new friends

At the pool of Rincon of the Seas

With friends Tracy and Fernando

We’ve had some large orders of flowers lately!

And more and more keep growing like these gardenias

Peek-a-boo!

New variety of starfruit started growing on a tree we planted!

And our first ever Siam Rose flower bloomed! We weren’t sure about this one since it usually takes a lot more rain than Rincon gets

Grosella tree is going off!

So I brought a bag of them to Roots Bar to see what magic Sashary can make with them!

These gals are so fun!

So sad to see our good friends the Kersches move away (at Ode in Aguada)

Chicken in the bushes

We spend a lot of time outside on the farm with the munchkin

Manzano guineos as they ripen – apple flavored bananas! Not your typical store banana!

It’s a colorful time of year! Ornamental Turmeric Flower and caladium from our farm and a Reina de las flores in the market

Our little boy is growing up too fast!

Go where love grows! My two cowboys!

Yeehaw at Cowboys in Rincon

Palm Sunday procession in Rincon

Gecko visiting an ornamental banana flower

“Bienvenidos” is too cool! And a great part of Rincon

Stopped in at the Ag Fest in Mayaguez

And the ArtWalk -we don’t go out at night much anymore with the little guy

Britton, bananas and baby!

Fun seeing our friends Matt and Jamie again

Hanging at the beach

And my friend from high school/Colorado, Sarah and her family at Villa Cofresi

Pineapples are growing good!

And more bananas! These are the “Cuban reds”

More flowers! Double hibiscus and orchid

We also ate our first jaboticaba after about 4 years of waiting!

The gardens are really coming in beautifully!

Driving along in Mayaguez, this horse was standing there like “Am I not Magestic? You should take my picture!” So I did

Plantain delivery in action!

Saw these ornate Don Quixote (I assume) carved figurines in a garden store!

Check out this stinky star flower I saw walking around too!

Cool mural in Aguada

Selfie time!

Papaya grows wild here! We didn’t plant this, but we sure did eat it! Tasted like cantaloupe

Well, that’s all folks! Until the next time!

Oh and here is Aeden’s 7 month update video! Enjoy!

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The Hope of Spring Has Sprung Up with a Force

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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