Category Archives: Summertime

Red Rocks on the 4th of July

We had always wanted to see a show at Red Rocks Amphitheater on the 4th of July, and so with this vacation we made it happen. Blues Traveler has been playing there on Independence Day for about a decade now and we had always heard great things about it. Our show lived up to the hype even though you could tell they were a little used to playing there and had a lot of the opening bands play with them. Blues Traveler put on a decent show, but the real star of course is the location itself. Nestled between two huge triangular red boulders, Red Rocks is a natural wonder. I am generally not into concerts because they tend to be really expensive and indoor venues just never do justice to the music. But Red Rocks is special even to musicians. You just aren’t a “true” star until you’ve played there and been listed on their museum wall.


The rock formations are out of this world!

We took advantage of our family’s offers of free babysitting to go out to this concert. We were expecting a great show, but what we didn’t expect was a lightning show, rainbows and all the fireworks shows that lit up the whole Denver area. It starting raining in the middle of the show, but it cleared out half the crowd which made the rest of the performance all-the-better. The firework show put on by Bandimere Speedway was the best and it was so interesting to watch the displays from above instead of below. We loved our time at Red Rocks and encourage anyone who loves the outdoors and music to go (hint: pack some snacks and expect some outrageous prices at the concession stands). Here’s a little from our time with our niece and her boyfriend at Red Rocks.


With Summer in the summer of Colorado


Britton and his niece with an impressive rock formation


You could see Denver in the distance


And rainbows forming over it


We took the long way to the amphitheater and saw deer on the hike


And a bear (haha)


Our group at the concert


Fireworks going off as Blues Traveler played


Such beautiful countryside!

Here’s a little video of our time at Red Rocks:

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New Flowers and Friends


Newest bloom: Evita’s Rose

We are constantly on the lookout for new plants, trees and flowers. It seems that most of the viveros have all the same common plants: trinitarias, hibiscus, bromelias, orchids, citrus, avocados. What they don’t have are heliconias, gingers, plumerias and all the exotic fruit trees. We are currently on the lookout for durian, Australian finger lime, and reina de las flores (this is a common tree, but for some reason we have a hard time finding it for sale).


Also looking for Rainbow Eucalyptus like this one seen on the side of the road

At the last pulguero in San Sebastian we had a good score! We found another Ylang Ylang tree (the fragrance is so divine, it is used in Chanel No 5), an achiote tree (a natural food dye for the color red and very cool looking fruit), a huge Tibochino espiga and a Raffy palm (that’s what the vendor called it). At Jardines Eneida we also found some new trees like a Cordia, Saman and mamayito (lemon drop mangosteen).


The meadow area after a good mow -we need to mow about every 2 weeks now that it’s raining so much


I also found this nepenthes pitcher plant that reminded me of well…you know


All the rain has brought out the mushrooms


And so we bought some garden art to commemorate them


Rainy days at the cabin. Notice the new railings!


Still not sure if we want to put rails on the bridge though


The mosquitos come out a lot more in the rain, so we put a mosquito net on Aeden’s play pen outside, that he promptly pulled down 馃檪


He’s our little farmer so we did an impromtu photo shoot with him


Our little red is getting so big! 9 months now


Aeden’s 9 month video update

In order to find the heliconias and ginger varieties we want, we have to find direct vendors. The rhizomes don’t do super well in pots for long periods of time, so they have to be directly transplanted as soon as possible into the ground. They also need a lot of space and water, that the average home gardener can’t often provide (hence why they are not commonly found in the stores around here). Well, I found someone online who specializes in them! Not only did Carlos sell us some amazing rhizomes, he also delivered them from San German and helped us identify many of our wild species. We hung out for quite a while and got to know him pretty well. We scored some plants, but even more importantly a new friend who is as geeked out about botanicals as we are! He is a student at the University in Mayaguez and knows a TON about plants.


With Carlos and the new plants


We’ve also been busy delivering flowers to friends/businesses like these that are on the way to Karibe Kombucha and Ocean State of Mind

Other than that we have been going out and having fun enjoying the scenes around the island.


In Aguada, Puerto Rico


Cool building in Aguadilla


Selling fresh chopped coconuts in Isabela


A nice Sunday brunch at the Copa Lllena in Rincon


This guy was buying sugarcane from a neighbor


At the Sunday Farmer’s market a basket maker made me a crown. I was the reina de las flores for a day! 馃檪


Man on a bicycle at the airfield in Aguadilla

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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聽 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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More Fun with Family: Gozalandia and Beyond

Summer and Brandom’s stay was pretty short, so we tried to pack in all the stops we could. It’s hard when people come to visit because they are in vacation mode and we are not used to partying every night. Every other, maybe… (haha). But we had a lot of fun even if we are now completely exhausted!

Summer Brandon
Summer and Brandon at Gozalandia

We often go to Gozalandia with guests because it is just simply spectacular and close. This was probably our favorite trip because it was hot out and though there were more people, it was a Wednesday so it wasn’t too crowded. We each swung from the rope swing a few times and even jumped from the skull face.聽It was a聽great time.

Summer jump
Summer swinging from the rope

Group waterfall
Group pic!

Cassie climbing out of water
So much fun climbing, jumping and swimming!

 


Me swinging off the rope

Summer wanted to go to Villa Cofres铆 in Rinc贸n again to share with聽Brandon the famed pirata drink out of a coconut and watch the sunset before heading over to the Art Walk.

Summer and Brandon
Something so聽fun about drinking out of a fruit!

Britton and Cassie
Sunset from Villa Cofres铆

During the day I caught them a little iguana to hold. The darn thing kept snapping at me and trying to eat my diamond! But at least I haven’t lost my iguana catching skills!

Cassie lizard catcher
Cassie the Iguana-catcher extraordinaire!

On their final night here we went out with our friend Patrik in his nice Mercedes. Hanging out with Patrik is like being in real-life Grand Theft Auto. He is Swedish and very loud and intense, but a great guy. It was a lot of fun.

GTA night
Brandon, BK and Patrik

Brandon Summer BK
Brandon, Summer and BK

Bill Jenn Cassie
And it’s always a silly good time with the Kersches

They even got to see the Rinc贸n Lighthouse, but of course! Overall, I think Brandon got a good dose of the Rinc贸n/west coast vibe.

Summer and Brandon lighthouse
Summer and Brandon at the Rinc贸n Faro

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