I'm late; I'm late; I'm late.

I've been a busy girl and my bicycle is harder to peddle in snow. Be back soon...miss me.

Merry Christmas!!!

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The Saturday Farm snowbank

I think I'll make a snowman today!
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Baa..d timing

We're back from the Caribbean just in time for a major storm. Why are we here? Oh yeah, we misses the Baa Boys!
"Okay Bromley, the only way out is to just keep eating the snow- but not the yellow stuff!," says a determined Jobey.





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Thank you so much for visiting my posts

Good morning, brave ones. Turn your lights on and face the day!
( This is one of my paintings at Island Cottage.)


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We get pulled over!

So, we're driving down Centerline so Har can go to the paradise for Handymen ( again) and we get stopped! The only way to stop Harry is to lay down in the road. It was risky, but he stopped. Very brave of the officer. Then his partner had a talk with Harry as he checked inside our vehicle.
Phew, he didn't give us a ticket.
I told Harry to slow down!






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Vie's Snack Shack and Sloop Jones

Handyman Har and I got into his 'chick magnet' (beat up Geo Tracker) and cruised the beautiful road to East End
to see Miss Vie for lunch. Miss Vie is famous for her Garlic Chicken snd Conch Fritters that she sells from a colorful little shack. Going the 10 and 20mph speed limit it's about 20 minutes from Island Cottage, but Harry drove.



East End is hotter, dryer, rocky and more remote than other areas of St. John, but it is incredibly beautiful.











(You can see Miss Vie's little head inside the shack taking this gentleman's order.)



Harry ordered the Garlic Chicken and; since Im a veggie, Miss Vie made me a
delicious Johnny Cake with rice and beans. All wonderful and it is so peaceful eating outside on her picnic tables.



Vie and her family have an incredible beach that they maintain. it's one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. And for just $2.50 you can have it too for a day. She also rents out kayaks. Since it is so remote and there's a fee, there's no one here today. It's awesome.



(Here's a small mural across the street from Vie's - it says 'Bush Cat Snack Shack' . Try saying THAT 3 times fast!)

While we were at Miss Vie's, we met a couple who told us our friend, Marsha, was creating some beautiful clothes up at Sloop Jone's place farther out on East End. Marsha is a sweet, cheerful, creative, woman who, with her husband, spends 1/2 the year here on St John and the other half of the year in Maine. Sloop Jones and his life partner, Linda Alperen,are artists. They have beautiful clothing, totes, signs, paintings and more for sale. ( See www.sloopjones.com)











Marsha explained to us that the Century Plant is the Christmas Tree of St. John. Since she loves this plant, she is painting clothing with her century plant design for her children and grandchildren that are arriving on Christmas Day. I think this piece she's painting above is a little girl's dress.




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Carolina Corral

Well, our dear friend, Tracey, has the flu. So. Har and I went to her shop, Awl Made Here, to put a 'closed' note on her door. As we were walking back to our Geo Tracker (or 'Chick Magnet', as Harry calls it), Dana rumbles by in her beat up, old pick up truck with her dog (Red Dog) in the bed and a donkey tied to the right side and a horse tied to the left side; both trotting like crazy trying to keep up. Yikes!


I was amazed. Although you never know what you are going to see on the road in Coral Bay. 'What are you doing Dana???! I bet you're wearing your seatbelt, right?'
I turn to Harry and he's just shaking his head in disbelief.
"Aww Harry, I miss Dana! Let's go see her!"
So Harry and I made the short trip over to Dana's Carolina Corral. (In Coral Bay, just past Skinny Legs and the mangroves.)


When we caught up with her, Dana explained that she, Red Dog, the horse, and donkey just came from Career Day at Guy Benjamin School. Wow. That must of been interesting for the kids; I wish I could have been there.
Dana is possibly the most amazing woman I've ever met. I believe that if Dana had time to hang out with poets as well as horses, there would be volumes of poems written about her.


(Dana checking out Winter's eye)

Everyday, twice a day and by herself, Dana feeds and waters 20 or so donkeys ,horses, several goats, sheep, deer, a dog, cats and more. In addition, she gives medicine, injections, does an occasional surgery and an occasional middle of the night sickness or birth. Then there are the administrative duties of running a business and, of course, her primary focus of saddling all the horses and taking dozens of tourists on three tuff mountain trail rides 6 days a week. AND she maintains the trails when they get washed out and does most repairs as needed at the Corral- all of this and I have never heard a swear come out of her mouth.
I helped her one season and collapsed from exhaustion and heat everyday after only a few hours and I gave up completely after a couple of weeks. By the way, she also has a limited amount of cistern water and only solar energy.
I highly recommend a visit to Carolina Corral. Dana's trail rides are special - you just don't get trail rides like these anymore. These are mountain trails and the horses are alert, not bored. And you won't be bored either; the views at the end of the trail are incredible. There's not another ride like it anywhere.
By the way, Dana rescues and brings back to health many St. John animals. Even if you are not taking a trail ride, you might enjoy visiting her corral and leaving a donation. Call 340 693 5778 to visit or arrange a trail ride.
Here are some of the characters you'll meet while you are there:


This is Rock Star; who, of course, stole attention


Andre



My favorite horse, Ivan



Sebastian




Fanny



Ginger - she wears special boots for the mountain trail



and Mindy



Love is........ :-)

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We Walk on the Wild Side

Handyman Harry and I walked the 5 minute hike to Drunk Bay from very tranquil Salt Pond Bay. It's a wild rocky place where you can see the 'ghosts of pirates' laying on the rocks. Drunk Bay is one of the ruffest, rockiest bays on St John and that's facinating because it is just a 5-10 minute easy walk from the most tranquil bay beach - Salt Pond Beach where we begin our walk.



Salt Pond Beach is beautiful and great for snorkeling. Crystal clear water, lots of fish, rays, octopus, and my favorite- turtles!


Near the end of Salt Pond Beach is the Drunk Bay Trail.





Turks Cap cactus


As you come around a bend there will be the dramatic rocky coast of Drunk Bay



Beachcombing is great here, but please don't try swimming or snorkeling. It's name is a corruption of the word 'drunken' which really means 'drowned ' in Dutch Creole. The waves here have travelled all the way from Africa with nothing to stop them. This wild area is famous for it's shipwrecks.







Over the years people have taken the coral and made their own art and messages on the rocks - there are a lot of pirates smoking and drinking.







Must we always anatomically exaggerate?



A Love City snowman



Drug Smugglers pass the Virgin Islands on their way to Florida so sometimes 'burlap seafood' washes in here. If you find one, your suppose to contact the authorities. Har says, "Are you sure we shouldn't suggest that they should test it first before bothering the very busy local establishment?"
"'Not me, Har, not on my blog."
"Geez, what happened to that wonderful sentiment 'Save the Bales'"



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Paradise for Handymen

We are off to the island's only lumber store because we already need to replace the rails on our deck. Harry drove and I was photographer and navigator ( yeah, can you believe that - I had TWO jobs! Harry knows how to get there; the 'navagation' is the occasional need to say 'keep left' - a life saving job.)
He hates to stop when he's driving so he swerves around dizzy tourists, goats, and donkeys. But you can't swerve around a cow!
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Sunrise, rain

See Cin at Sweet Saturday World
http://itsa-world.blogspot.com
Sent from my iPhone

Crabby's

Harry and Doug (the Crab) gazing out at the boats and chatting about good books.
















Yesterday Handyman Harry and I spent some time hanging out with The Crab, at Crabby's. Meris, don't you think your Dad should get that 'Don't worry be Crabby' Tshirt? Harry isn't really crabby, but he has moments where he tries to show potential:-).
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