Who Are You?

Do you know who you are? I ask this sincerely. I am genuinely interested to know if there are people who can stand back and say, with total confidence, "Yes, that is who I am." I have probably left this a bit late, this delving into what makes us who we are. I have been somewhat surprised by the characters I have discovered residing within me, not at all who I imagined myself to be. I am also hesitant to post this, in case they cart me off to the pink house.

I knew I should not have taken those Bloglines Quizzes too seriously.

Allow me to introduce to you, in no particular order;

• The Bossy Bitch.

She is my least favorite self. She is always right, likes to get things done, her way being the best and only way, is reasonably informed but intolerant. She finds it impossible to comprehend that other people do not think like her. She is very quick, can think on her feet and come up with solutions to problems, that are not related to her, at the drop of a hat. She has a sense of urgency, a judgemental attitude towards what she believes to be right or wrong and is insensitive to others when they cannot read her mind. She is an extremely bad communicator believing that everyone knows what she is thinking and what she requires from them. She gets upset when others do not work as hard as she does and exhausts herself because she believes that she is the only one who can 'do it right' and as a consequence, finds it difficult to delegate. She is very direct in her language and some of you may have met her already in the 'comment box' on your blog. I can only apologise.

• The Artist

I like her, she is who I aspire to being. She is hard working, focused, tuned in to an energy that she is delighted to be a vehicle for. She is acutely observant and quiet. She feels everything from a warm golden glow in her belly. Nature speaks to her. The one thing she needs above all else is to be undisturbed whilst working. The slightest interruption can throw her off and she vanishes, just like that. It sometimes takes quite a while to draw her back out. If everything is going well her spirit sings, when challenges present themselves, she stays with it until a solution is found. She has an open mind and an insatiable desire to explore the work of, and be inspired by, other artists. She is non judgemental, embraces the opportunity to learn new things and is constantly seeking out fresh ideas. She associates her creativity with her spiritual beliefs that she prefers to keep private and sacred, in order that she does not lose them .She is brave and honest and true.

• The Dreamer

The Dreamer is ever present, so much so that she can take over completely. She sees good in everything and everybody. She has no sense of time, self preservation or urgency. She allows her thoughts to float on an ocean of possibilities, each one replacing the next as they ebb and flow. She has so many of them that it is like watching a beautiful continuous movie with a wonderful soundtrack that you never want to end. Anything is possible in her world, where lives can be lived that would otherwise be impossible. She does not actually do anything, she simply dreams about it and is happy with that. She loves journeys and watching the world go by, she likes watching people and imagining lives for them. She does not like conversation or any interaction from outside. The only way to shift her is by an interruption from the real world and even then she is reluctant to let go.

• The Scaredy Cat

I have no idea when this self arrived. She annoys me intensely. She likes to undermine everything. She believes that all will end in disaster and she is negative about everything. It is she that has no confidence, turns everything sour, dismisses all creative possibilities as worthless, and would prefer to stay inside with the curtains drawn. She is miserable, unsociable, hates my clothes, my appearance, my lifestyle. She constantly harks back to previous mistakes as a reason for not attempting any new ventures. She likes to reside in the gut , where her anxiety can best claw and gnaw away at any attempts to dismiss her. She loves me to satisfy her cravings for cigarrettes and alcohol and then berate me about it at 3a.m. She is easily got rid of by taking a brisk early morning walk before she is awake or, simply remembering to breathe.

• Warrior Woman

Now here is someone who never fails to surprise and amaze me. Warrior Woman does not make an appearance very often but she is always there whan I need her most and she has never let me down. She feels as old as time itself but with a vibrant energy and wisdom that I know I can trust implicitly. She moves fast and instinctively and always for the common good. It was she that spoke on the veranda that day, she that works to protect, guard and nourish. She is a fighter, there is no doubt about it, a force not to be reckoned with. When she appears and makes her move there can be no argument or hesitation. This is what must be. When all seems lost, when life takes a dangerous turn, it is she who arrives armed with the resources to rescue, fight for and protect. She leaves just as swiftly as she arrives, leaving me breathless , thankful and astonished.

• Little Miss Ants in Her Pants

As the title suggests, this one hates to be still. She likes to be constantly on the move. She hates to take the time to read instructions for example, and would much rather go ahead and assemble something without them. She likes to walk very fast, taking long strides, to always be in front to get to wherever she is going, but dislikes arrival. She loves to dance. She likes to force and work physically hard, not stopping for breath. She loves adrenalin and the rush that it gives her. She and Bossy Bitch work quite well together, Miss Ants in Her Pants is also bad at communicating with others because she cannot get the words out fast enough. She hates to be in one place for long, she needs constant stimulation and a diversity of things to do. She loves nothing better than to be working on more than one thing at a time, but seldom finishes anything. She has a myriad projects that the Artist would be more than happy to help her with, but Miss Ants in Her Pants is already off and running towards the next one. She loves adventure and taking risks. She has an aversion to authority, responsibility and conformity. She annoys people, almost as much as Bossy Bitch, but she is not intentionally annoying, she is just constantly searching for something, either that, or she is afraid that something will catch up with her. She puzzles me and The Dreamer doesn't like her at all.

There are more, but Miss Ants in Her Pants is getting twitchy because we have been sat here for so long. Scaredy Cat is trying to persuade me not to post this on the grounds that everyone will think I am mad. Fortunately, The Dreamer seems to have nodded off. Bossy Bitch is nowhere to be found, only being around when she feels that other people need organising, but The Artist is calling and I cannot refuse her.

Mango Season

English Girl Eats Her First Mango

by John Agard

a kind of love poem

If I did tell she

hold this gold

of sundizzy

tonguelicking juicy

mouthwater flow

ripe with love

from the tropics

she would tell me

trust you to be

melodramatic

so I just say

taste this mango

and I watch she hold

the smooth cheeks

of the mango

blushing yellow

and a glow

rush to she own cheeks

and she ask me

what do I do now

just bite into it?

and I was tempted

to tell she

why not be a devil

and eat of the skin

of original sin

but she woulda tell me

trust you to be

mysterious

so I just say

it’s up to you

if you want to peel it

and I watch she feel it

as something precious

then she smile and say

looks delicious

and I tell she

don’t waste sweet words

when sweetness

in your hand

just bite it man

peel it with the teeth

that God give you

or better yet

do like me mother

used to do

and squeeze

till the flesh

turn syrup

nibble a hole

then suck the gold

like bubby

in child mouth

squeeze and tease out

every drop of spice

sounds nice

me friend tell me

and I remind she

that this ain’t

apple core

so don’t forget

the seed

suck that too

the sweetest part

the juice does run

down to you heart

man if you see

the English rose

she face was bliss

down to the pink

of she toes

and when she finish

she smile

and turn to me

lend me your hanky

my fingers

are all sticky

with mango juice

and I had to tell she

what hanky

you talking bout

you don’t know

when you eat mango

you hanky

is you tongue

man just lick

you finger

you call that

culture

lick you finger

you call that

culture

unless you prefer

to call it

colonization

in reverse

Step by step

This was going to be kept secret until everything was ready, but I need HELP.
Please come and visit over here if you can.

Yippee, I won a Lemonade Stand

Allow me to introduce you to two of the coolest people that you are likely to meet, when visiting Annandale Falls. Chris and Don sell souvenirs, beautiful handmade craft, and heaven scented spice necklaces. For the longest while, I have admired them and their stand, so imagine my delight when I received this totally unexpected award from Blackgirl On Mars, a writer and a teacher, who speaks from her heart, with words that have been crafted by her beautiful soul.

(Whoa, 50cents lemonade)

The Lemonade Stand Award, is for attitude and/or gratitude , and I would like it to go to;

Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping
Pohanginapete
Beyond Words
Ruthibelle
Indigomar
William
YingYang
A Kite Rises
Colouring Outside the Lines
Merry go Round

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Nominate your favorites, and link to this post.

SPLASH!

I got a nice surprise this morning when I went on one of my many virtual trips , to visit my good friend Guyana Gyal. Now if you haven't visited her blog before, then you are in for a treat. This gyal can tell stories like no other. She can turn what to you and me might be everyday stuff, into a magical fairytale. Not only are her words entertaining, they are full of humour and wisdom, some sadness and lots of love, and before you think that reading is too much effort, not so, when you visit GG it is as if she has sat you down in a warm, relaxing place and then you 'hear' her voice, as though she is right there with you. So, as I said, I dropped by for another tale this morning and was knee deep with her in the river, and the pool, and watching her turn into a " water-mooma" right before my eyes, when she SPLASHED me. She did. So I SPLASHED her right back, for meeting all of the categories for this award.

I am also SPLASHING ;

Slacker for being so alluring,

Stephen for amusing me with this
Samantha for bewitching me in a magical way
Laila who impresses me in the true sense of the word and beyond
and to Sabrina , for being so inspiring.

The Splash award is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs.

When you receive this award, you get to:
1. Put the logo on your blog/post.
2. Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your Splash award.

Fanfare

Datura Brugmansia,
in a corner of the back yard,
a chorus of Angel Trumpets , illuminated by
the strong golden light of a late afternoon,
sway seductively,
on a breeze born of oceanic oratory.

Creativity and making ends meet, or not

Like most people,
it is always such a
thrill when others
tell me that they
like what I do,
but for some
inexplicable
reason, if the
compliment is
followed by the
remark,

" You should sell them"

all my joy, enthusiasm
and inspiration, turns to
a muddy mess, and
goes straight out the
window.

This is not to say
that I do not want
to sell anything,
I do, I really do,
I really need to.


I really, really need to.

Likewise, when
trying to make
something with
the intention of
also making a living,
all muses promptly
exit stage left.
Equally, you will not
find any Adsence
on this blog, oh no,


commercialism being anathema to my soul.

So this week I am
tricking myself into
believing that I am
just having fun
making these paintings,
which are in acrylic, painted
on little wooden blocks
and measure 9x9x2 cms.
When I have completed
the series, I may even take
them for a walk to meet the visitors
at Annandale Falls , just for fun you understand , although I
might be persuaded to part with one for say, $10 U.S.?

The April Fool

I know that I offend you, a mistake I make is all,
stepping outside of my space and into yours.
Turn a blind eye while I beat a retreat and
let us forget this ever happened.

Preparation of stretchers

Before I go any further, I would just like to say,
to any misdirected web surfer, that this is not
a 'how to' site, but you can find all the very
useful and correct information if you visit
Sue Vesely , which I did this morning,
after embarking on my own, personal,
canvass stretching adventure.

Having bought 2, 12' lengths of, finished, 1"x2"
wild pine, from the local builders yard, and then
setting T to work with his power saw, cutting
the 45' exactly measured angles. (I know this
because I bought a protractor specially,
once I remembered what it was called, and then
spent an interminable amount of time
marking them out. I did suggest he may
want to use a table and a vice but he seemed quite
happy and confident working bent over the old
breadfruit tree root in the yard)
My initial mistake became apparent,
having sanded down the now cut up lengths,
nothing what so ever to do with the precision
cutting of the power saw operator, or the fact
that one of the lengths of wood was thicker than
the other, oh no, the problem apparently lay
with the angles.
Undeterred, and spurred on by brute force
and determination, the industrial stapler and I
joined forces until, give or take a gap or two,
the wild pine was tamed into something vaguely
rectangular.
I now turned my attention to the fact that I did
not have any edging, not having studied
Sue Vesely's excellent site until my return
from the builder's yard.



















Cutting off the pelmet of one of the bamboo blinds
seemed to me to be the best, free and immediate
course of action and, I have to say, the little strips
seemed to work admirably, all things considered,
although wood glue would, most probably, have
been more efficient than the PVA School glue that
I found in my tool box.



















Spurred on by this success, and having finally
located the canvass, (yes, safely put away in a
black plastic bag, which is where we put things
if we don't want them to get damp or eaten, and
I only had to open four bags before I got to the
canvass and I did find that lovely fabric that I
bought last year, anyway, I digress,) and having
searched endlessly for my scissors before recalling
that my father-in-law had borrowed them to
trim the clumpy fur from his poodle, I was
delighted to discover that the kitchen scissors,
performed wonderfully well, and the end result?




















All primed and ready for action.

Slightly more than '25 Things About Me'

YingYang at Blah Bloh Blog, is responsible for this post, having 'called my name' in the '25 Things About Me' meme. Hers is a hard list to follow, for, somehow, she has compiled some heart wrenching, soul baring truths with rib tickling humour, acute observations and a delightfully spontaneous 'joie de vivre'. So here is my evasive response, ( see the quiz results below) but one that I hope everyone can have some fun with and , perhaps, glean a little about themselves that they did not know already. (Surprisingly accurate, yes, I have always aspired to be a tight rope walking astrologer although, surely, my hygiene is more than passable.)
In this spirit, I invite Guanaguanare , Guyana Gyal, Minerva and Deb to share their '25 things'.

Your Life Path Number is 5 Your purpose in life is to life freely and collect experiences. You love life - new adventures, new people, new ideas. You are very curious, and you crave novelty in all forms. You tend to make friends easily, and you enjoy the company of all types of people. In love, you are fun and even a bit intoxicating. But you won't stick around for long. You are impulsive and spontaneous - which sometimes leads you to do things you regret. Sometimes you can be overindulgent with food, sex, or drugs. You have many talents, so many that you are often scattered and unfocused. What Is Your Life Path Number?

You Are An INFP

The Idealist You are a creative person with a great imagination. You enjoy living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close to you. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards. You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings. At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual When other people don't get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What's Your Personality Type?

Your Spiritual Number is Seven

You bring knowledge and wisdom into people's lives. You are an expert in many fields, and you give excellent advice. Right now, your life is about perfecting your skill set. You are almost a virtuoso at the thing you love best. With some practice, you'll get there. You are highly intelligent and intellectual. You have profound analytical skills. But you also have the soul of an artist. You long to create.

What's Your Spiritual Number?

You Are an Astrologer

You tend to be a fanciful, spiritual person with many interesting theories. You are always trying to figure out how all the pieces of the world are connected. You have a knack for predicting the future and reading people. In modern times, you would make a good self help guru or a director of a non profit.

What's Your Medieval Profession?

You Should Walk the Tightrope

Any subject you study, you aim to master. You enjoy being the best. When you're good at something, you like to show off your skills. You're the type of person who would practice years to walk the tightrope. And you'd love the glory you'd get from walking it in front of a crowd.

What Circus Act Should You Perform?

You Should Live in the Country

You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself. You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy. You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.

Where Should You Live?

Your Blogging Type Is Thoughtful and Considerate

You're a well liked, though underrated, blogger. You have a heart of gold and are likely to blog for a cause. You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you! A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others.

What's Your Blogging Personality?

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid imagination takes you away from this world So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time. You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all... But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult. You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you. Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses. Underneath it all, you are brimming with passion that you keep hidden. Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life. Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Your Home Says That You Feel Settled and Calm

You come across as somewhat intellectual. You can be quite insightful at times. Your hygiene is passable, but you may be hiding some dirty secrets. You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey. You are a very nurturing person. You find meaning in taking care of others. You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details. You are not a very self sufficient person. You depend on others more than you realize. Your friends see you as courageous, dynamic, and bright.

What Does Your Home Say About You?

Earth Hour

TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR THE PLANETS SAKE!

On Saturday 28 March 2009 at 8.30 pm, we want a billion

people across the

world to turn off their lights for an hour - for WWF¹s

Earth Hour.

Homes, businesses and iconic landmarks in more than 1,000

cities will go

dark, sending a truly dramatic message to world leaders -

simply by turning

their lights off.

http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/aboutearthhour/

Please forward this to as many people as possible. Time is

ticking away and

a lot needs to change!

Meditation

Beneath the shade of the mahogany tree
she washes turmeric, in cool river water,
simultaneously cleansing her muddled mind.

Coconut Beach Restaurant and Bar

It is true, Grenada is blessed with an abundance
of wonderful places to eat out, meet and make friends,
and sample delicious local and international cuisine.















But, if you want to sit with your feet in the white sand
of Grand Anse beach and enjoy a glass of your favourite
drink, whilst being serenaded by lapping susurrating surf,
as you watch for the green flash after the sun slips into the
Caribbean Sea, then there is only one place , in my opinion,
to go.



















Coconut Beach, French Creole Restaurant and Bar,
Grand Anse, St. George's, is where you will have the
chance to choose from the mouthwatering menu or
simply sip a glass or two as we did, meet our good
friends Curtis and Chester and ,( not that she will
thank me for this fun but unflattering photo,) the
irrepressible, delightful owner, our good friend,
Mrs Pat Henry McIntyre.

Grenada Arts Council

The Grenada Arts Council, following the success of their Annual Open
Exhibition, decided to hold a juried show. News of this welcome
event arrived at short notice. I was trying to force a three painting
series, as stipulated in the rules,which resulted in a lot frustration,
an errant muse and a headache. Then I remembered these small
illustrations that I have been working on, with a view to submitting
them for use in the tourist, hospitality and agricultural sectors.
Nothing ventured etc.



















Cocoa pods and beans drying on the galvanise
Acrylic on canvass 8"x8" Sold




















Nutmeg tree Acrylic on Canvass 8"x8 Sold




















'Saffron' (turmeric) Flower, stem and tubers
Acrylic on canvass 8"x8" Sold

The show runs until the end of the month in the old Bain's sports shop in Young Street in St George's, where you will be able to see, and have the opportunity to purchase, an eclectic delight of work by local artists.

Buenos Dias Mi Amigos

Muchas, muchas gracias y todos los amigos de Colombia, Los Rollos Bogota, el Bingo Santander, Manitee, Pedro el Leon! y todos los amigos, dispénseme, no recuerdo todos, pero, muchas gracias y todos por un dia perfecto.
I was helping my mother in law in the bar at the waterfalls today, and these lovely gentlemen from Colombia, who are here in Grenada helping to upgrade the electricity supply, came and spent some time with us.

Closer

Felled nutmeg tree trunk detail.

What would you have done?

It was hot when I was planning on leaving town this afternoon. On reaching the bus terminal I was the first and only passenger. School was out but no-one seemed to be in any hurry to go home and I knew it would be a while before the bus filled up, which would entail sitting in the dark and the dust and the heat and the fumes that are integral to the building's design. (Whoever designed the terminal should be made to sit, interminably, on a bus that is waiting to fill ) I digress. I decided to go back into town and buy a soda from the nearest rum shop with a small veranda, that offers the chance of some breeze, a place to people watch and a nicotine opportunity. Now, I know this is a rum shop and can get a little rumbustious but everyone is friendly and we are accustomed going there and being outside is different from being inside. I buy the soda and take myself outside, sip, inhale, relax. Wonderful. It was only on hearing a raised, male, repetitive voice, from the opposite end of the veranda, that I realised all was not well. He seemed to be remonstrating a beautiful woman for something she had or had not done. When he pelted his half full drink in the drain, by way of demonstrating how vexed he was, I knew this was turning nasty. Quite a few people passing, slowed and turned to watch as he put his hands around her throat and shook her hard, but none stopped. He propelled her down my end of the veranda at the point where I was really hoping someone from inside would hear what was happening and come and restrain him. He was big, I am small and his wife/ girlfriend, whilst taller, was mute and passive, as he pushed hard and prodded hard and cursed harder. I knew where this was going, you could see the extreme anger about to surface, like milk when it is about to boil over. I felt like I had to catch it before it was too late. The veranda is small, I had my back to the wall and they were about six inches in front of me. He had her pinned to the railings. I cannot deny that I did want to up and leave at that point, but it just seemed so wrong. I heard a very small voice say "Excuse me", so I tried a little harder and shouted, in my best 'you are a very naughty child' voice, "EXCUSE ME. " and I hoped it would provide a little diversion for her to escape while he focused, as he did, eventually, on me. The response was what I should have expected and, thankfully, nothing more . "SHUT YOUR @#%&IN @%^*" Ah, yes, well, I did as I was told but not before going back into the shop and alerting them to what was happening and then, quietly, headed back to the bus. I was shaken. I have no idea what happened after I left, perhaps everyone laughed and ended up friends but I don't think so, was it a stupid thing to do, drawing attention to myself in an already volatile situation? Did my actions change anything? I doubt it. I write this post having read this just recently, I hate any form of confrontation and much prefer to live a quiet life but sometimes, I have to speak.
What would you have done?

Conspiracy

Tom.












Tom...











"Who?
Me?"

Yes Tom,
can you go
and sit
somewhere
else please?
I want to
stretch that
paper.


"O.K.
I'll just lie down
here then"


Tom, I need the
paints....






Dick,
what you doing there?
I trying to paint.



Yawn.
"Whatever"




Oh f*#@k
now look
what happen,
the paper
buckle
while my
back turn.





"What this is
Tom?"
"Dunno Dick,
I just
minding me
business,
seems like
she vexed
for some
reason."


"I wouldn't
eat that if
I were you"

DICK,
lay off the
Rose Madder
will you,
is all I have left.

"Told you"

BAD DA BOOM....


..... and
who pelt
the drawing board
in the yard?

Citronella

After weeks of unseasonal rain, the late afternoon sun kisses basking grafted limes.
The strong long shadows awake me to the fact that I have not left the house in a week.

Kite Season 1

This bamboo kite is 6' tall and will require skill and strength to fly it.
Kite season commences with a very strong breeze that threatens to burst the strongest twine. The raging bull lullaby affords me deep sleep , safe in the knowledge that our sheets are well hidden.

Grenada Arts Council Annual Exhibition

"Coconuts with trunk detail" Acrylic on canvass 20" x 16" Sold .

I almost decided against entering the Grenada Arts Council Annual Exhibition but .....

With thanks to all those who encouraged me, especially, T, E & Z, Dad, Francis, YingYang , the people who bought it and all at GAC. The Exhibition is on until the end of February, situated in Young Street, St George's, in the old Bain's Sports World shop, opposite Courts, and is well worth a visit. There is some amazing and wonderfully diverse work on show and the venue is perfect.

Hoop and stick

Some boys in the village playing the ever popular hoop and stick game, in the road after school.
The stick is made from a bent piece of wire and the hoop from the rim of a plastic bucket cover.