Musing :: Style : Country Casual

Sorry this picture is a bit blurry but what can i say? I still really like them.

I'm in that tiny window of halfway freedom, with my foot in the door of being so busy i can't hear myself think again. When i go back to being 'Miss' said by the students who count on me and 'Miss' by teachers who expect me to prove i have a brain and can learn what they spit out in order to get my degree.

During this time I'm retraining my brain to dress like an adult who children must look to and see a professional put together responsible woman of greatness. Being a teacher does not end when the school day does in so many ways.

It's not so hard, my style is pretty sassy classy anyway. I've just got to go back to putting the classy before the sassy.

These days i've been working on taking photos of the things in my country i really love and appreciate. This building i absolutely love walking past. I've only ever been in once and i'm pretty sure i was in primary school so that means under the age of twelve. I should go in again since it pleases my soul so much. Crazy since it's right next to multiple areas i frequent rather often and smack dab in the middle of the city. In fact the entire street is littered in building that have been around since the beginning of my nation and back to when the hierarchys were still fighting over it. They hold ghost stories of wars and war men, hurricanes and carnivals, revolutions and earth quakes and they still stand with their back straight and their eyes to the sky in living colour.

What do you think? Don'it got character? I think it's got character, much like a good teacher.

Peace. Love. Character.

Musing Summer 2014 - The Beauty of Being

This summer went by in a blur...The only thing I honestly remember is my mini staycation with a group of friends who do not revile in the carnival season. I think that's likely because it's the only part that went slowly and without a plan...I've been so busy, writing articles to keep my creative juices sharp and active and formatting my anthology of poetry that, before I knew it summer break was just a list I had to get through.

 Luckily i had some off time with great friends, learned how to make the most perfect sandwich from scratch and just breathe in life. I'm grateful.

 I  tried very hard and often succeeded though in taking time out of my day to appreciate these beautiful bits of being alive. I've also peered them with my words as I closed up to them again too. For someone as active brained as I am, always thinking, always planning, always wanting to be moving in the right direction it is critical to stand still and appreciate the wonder of being and the beauty that exists without interference of humanity. This gives me much solace.

Musing :: My Plush Palette : Summer Snacking

Fruit local names: wax apple, yellow watermelon, cilon mangos (my FAVORITE kind!) rock fig.

I'm not going to lie, being at home and being lazy to go get groceries has done good things for my diet this summer. I've been flirting with the idea of going vegetarian for about five years but because of personal life bits it hasn't work out that way thus far.

Which is okay really, i am learning to appreciate the present state of life as it is in the now until one can move to the place where one wants to be.

I have had so much yummy yummy yuuuuuuummy fruit and vegetables!

Musing :: My First Waterfall : Annandale Falls

This is another throw back, I've been thinking a lot about this friend lately. Wondering how she is doing and if she's had her beautiful baby boy yet.... When she was here we really did have a good lot of adventures crafting and discovering and learning so much from each other on so many many different levels...worlds truly did collide.

On that day we set out and the first thing we came across it this cheeky named little shop. I don't know how to translate that for ya, its basically a very tiny store in a village that has as many of the essentials they can fit on about four shelves that tend to span the entire room.

This waterfall is very easily accessible. What makes it most fun is that there are a few little waterfalls on the way to it, such as the one in the very first picture. I have found that there are usually mini waterfalls around on my island though, so that is always a fun surprise.

Then there is a beautiful and well kept walk way down to the Annandale waterfall, no trekking, everything has been paved for your leisure and there are even signs to remind you to keep things as beautiful as you met them.

Usually for added tourist wonder there are people who are willing to, for a small and reasonable fee considering, jump off the top of the waterfall for your amusement. I however, am not about that life but feel free. They are usually well organised and have quite the expertise in battling the VERY chilly water and avoiding the jagged rocks below.

I wish I had a shot with me in it or a better shot of the top of the waterfall from where people jump but I truly cant find it. I'm growing up and I'm finding that the things i thought were numerous are actually few. It is making me painfully sentimental.

Peace. Love. Learn.

Musing : My First Hike

Almost there!

Then we saw it!

This was actually in October I think, I didn't get a chance to post it because of school and many other things that kept getting in the way but this is my first hike experience! It was a ball of a time so I really wanted to share it.

It was an overcast day, ideal for someone like me who has the sun as my everyday enemy so I wasn't complaining. It was cool and a muddy hike but I loved the red clay like mud that is not common on the part of the island where I originate.

Red clay mud is so clay like it makes it very very hard to walk in, with and without shoes, which is why many opted to take their shoes off. On the upside it feels FANTASTIC on your feet, at least to me. Also there is nothing like the experience of water that is as clear as it is near a waterfall. So says this island girl!

Hiking is something i never had any hopes of doing given my visual impairment. However I had a sweet friend that helped me along the way. My New Year Resolution was 'Everyday do something that scares you' and while I may not have succeeded in doing it everyday it did help me to experience some new things I may not have otherwise considered.

 I loved all the little treasures the most, like that make shift plank bridge that to me is one of the most beautiful things i saw along the way but was really scary for me to cross cause I'm afraid of heights a bit still, the little rive that is hidden in the bushes that comes down from the waterfall, the way there were red arrows on the tree trunks marking the way, the red mud and the abundance of lush green local forestry goodness!

The waterfall was not in full flow, we suspected because there had been so much rain maybe it was blocked by debris from higher up stream, the fact that we went during the dry season and you know, climate change :(

Honestly I hear this can barely even be considered a hike by most experienced hikers but I had a darn good time!

The best part about my New Year resolution? I chose my experiences on my own terms, I didn't let what people thought I should tackle as some kind of proof of my commitment influence my choices. I decided and then I did what I wanted to do, which made me very happy.

An  adventure can be a very spiritual and personal experience, even when you are surrounded by people.

Peace. Love. Adventure.

Musing :: On being a Working Writer

I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth! Honestly I've been working like crazy. While studying my creative soul cried a lot as i realised education is not so much about learning, as I love to do. The harsh realities of a dreamer...

Now that i'm on holis i have been living the dream as a writer. Haha the problem is that though it is the work i love the most and doesn't often feel like work at first, it is work. So i left the work of uni and the work of employment and CHOSE the work of a writer while I'm on holiday. Which is leaving me so very very tired!

On the bright side, isn't it lovely to have work that you choose to do? This is my heart, writing is my heart, if i'm not doing it i'm thinking about the next time i will get to do it. I suppose this is what love is.

In this same vain I've also finished number 11 on my list of things to do this summer list. Which was so very much work, I will be writing about what that was like soon. Now all that is left is to get my front and back covers designed and have someone proof read my work and I'm done, ready to print and launch! I can not tell you how exciting that is for me! This has been over a decade in the making...I won't talk too much about it yet though as I still can not believe it is happening.

Peace. Love. Passion.

Foral Friday :: Flower Arrangement

Well apparently i can arrange flowers? I think. They look pretty nice to me. I have to admit this was a huge challenge for me. I am an avid believe that flowers should remain attached to their original home so ripping these poor things out hurt me a lot. I did want to know if this was something i could actually do though and here we are.

White bougainvillea, violet/ burgundy rose and a mauve/light hibiscus. It didn't take much and I just popped them into a whine glass once I was through because for such a small arrangement I thought it was appropriate and pretty.

This post is a part of the Floral Friday blog link up.