Andy's Nuts and Kate's Bananas

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Here we are without guests for a few weeks. Here's an update of what we are up to and a selection of recent photos - to see larger images click on the first one then view each in turn. And, by the way, your comments in the box at the bottom are always welcome.

In a couple of days, Steve, Jo, Tom and Ollie will arrive - the excitement is palpable!

Andy's Nuts

With the dry weather and some strong winds, the coconuts have been crashing from the trees in the garden. I (Andy) have taken on the task of opening them with my cutlass but it's a lot harder then Son makes it look.

Kate's Bananas

Kate planted a few banana trees this time last year. One has produced a huge bunch of bananas so we are now just waiting for them to grow and ripen.

In the Garden

The fairy ring is excavated, levelled off and some grass planted. Meanwhile, the bananas, mangoes, guava, pineapple and sapotilla are all ripening. Tiny coffee, lime, almond, pomme sitté, tangerine and grapefruit trees are growing plus a christophene vine. We have just bought 2 little avocado trees to plant when the moon is right. Kate's kitchen garden is producing lettuce, rocket and chinese cabbage, we await the tomatoes and peppers.

In the Kitchen

Armed with a few internet recipes, we have managed to produce mango chutney, mango jam, grapefruit and orange marmalade, paw paw jam and our own yoghurt.

In the Workshop

The woodwork and varnishing is almost complete with the recent addition of the garden shade, a coffee table, a garden table, some kitchen shelves and two sunbeds. Kate's little sewing machine has worked well above its weight on canvas seats, cushions, matress covers and even two frocks. If we can just finish off the electrics and a bit of plumbing, we won't have any jobs left for Steve when he gets here next week!

In the Sea

When we can, we take our snorkelling gear down to the beach and have a drift about. The trip is different every time, the visibility, the currents, the fish and the surprises. Last week it was a turtle. I (Andy) had my sports camera mounted on the end of a 2 foot aluminium pole and dived down to get some really close video - the little fella didn't seem to mind. In fact he followed me a couple of times. View the vidoe by clicking on the icon.

In the Evening

But, it has to be said again... There is always time for a cocktail at sunset!

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Photos

Beautiful Toucari bay
Mango Lodge is on the right of the picture, just above half-way up.

Our timid Purple Thoated Carib
So small and quick they are not easy to photograph

Produce from the Portsmouth market
Breadfruit, plantain and pawpaw (papaya)

Trying out the 2 sunbeds we made
Tom and Ollie - these will be your beds inside the house when you are here next week

Comments

[V&C]

I could really do with........
being there right now! We opened last night and I feel old. Thank goodness it's only lunches this week. Enjoy having the kiddies. xx