the dirt road

ezra and i took the dirt road to the store the other day.  i wanted to see if it went all the way through which it does.  but, we don't usually walk this road without michael.  it is a forbidden trail for us because there are some things that go on here that i wouldn't want to stumble upon with my four year old let alone by myself - and i'm not even talking about the nude people on the beach.  fortunately, we just saw the beautiful moving sky of puffy clouds, swaying over the blooming cotton plants, and the steep hillside views of the ocean below.  i didn't take pictures of the naked men frolicking in the waves.   

blue

i love blue!

inspired by "red redux"
by beth from acorn pie

yoga

yesterday i lay out my mat and prepared to align my chakras with the aid of my handy chakra deck.  this wonderful deck of cards has been in my possession for years now and has helped me through the ups and downs of life.  as we find ourselves on the last two months of our caribbean journey i am beginning to feel the transitional pull of the imminent uprooting.  i must let go of my island life and it's not something i am easily giving up.  

during my yoga sessions i look out at this from my living room.  

the medical school journey michael is taking us on brought us to the beautiful island of st. maarten for 20 months and in a short while we will return to america for the next phase of the journey.   we are not sure yet where we will be placed for clinical rotations.  but, we do know it will not be on an island in the tropics.  we must allow ourselves to be open to where we will be led to next and it's not something that comes without a struggle for me.  the unknowing is perhaps the hardest part.  not being able to start researching a location or housing accommodations well in advance makes my heart beat a little faster.  i am a planner.  i like to be in control.  this is something we have very little if any control over.  

some of the grounding meditations that were especially helpful to me yesterday were:

i am grounded and balanced.  i am safe and secure.

i am in the flow of my life.

i am able to surrender my fears.

my little fearless flyer up above made the beautiful arrangement of chakra cards while i was working out my fears.  it is amazing what a scan of the different energy centers in your body can do for you.  i am grateful to have this ancient practice so readily at my fingertips.  i am feeling much better already.  some other suggestions for balancing the sacral chakra (which is the one that brought the most release of tension for me) are to get a massage, enjoy favorite pieces of music, take a warm bubble bath, and do gentle yoga.  

this moment

a friday ritual.  a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  a simple, special, extraordinary moment.  a moment i want to pause savor and remember.  inspired by soulemama

4 seasons

there truly are 4 seasons in the caribbean, however subtle they may be.  one way we see that it is winter here is by the masses of tourists that arrive on their boats, cruise ships, and airplanes.  the increase of activity in the air and on the water is visibly noticeable during the winter months.  this catamaran that offers sunset sails may only have a handful of people on it during the hottest low season summer months.  but, during the winter it is so full of tourists i often wonder if they aren't uncomfortable being packed so close together on that boat.  

it is late winter, my second winter living on st. maarten, and i am in love with living on an island in the tropics.  my first winter here, especially at christmas time, i was missing fires in the fire place and the real need to bake warm meals and delicious treats.  i wanted to wear wool, scarves, and dresses with tights and boots.  

now in the winter i enjoy that i can wear a cover up over my bathing suit at the beach if i want to without feeling too warm.  we eat more healthy raw foods all year long and feel light and carefree.  every night we see cruise ships lit up like mini cities floating across our view of the dark night ocean and sky.  the arrival of the mega yachts in the marinas is always impressive and reminds you that you truly live somewhere special.  altogether i love the winters here for the same reason the tourists do.  the weather is mild, the trade winds are blowing, and the beaches are waiting for you.

these jolly catamarans go by every evening in the winter to watch the sunset.  sometimes you can hear the music blaring on the boat or their voices carrying up to our balcony.  the driver honks and ezra runs out to wave and scream, "ahoy!"

yesterday evening we watched it sail by as we sat on the beach with cat and bianca.  this time when the driver honked it gave the children a little fright.   they jumped up from their play, ran over to us and then quickly ran back and started to wave.

they enjoyed one last little sand shuffle

while cat and i looked at this beautiful winter sunset.  

if i ever need a traditional winter scene, i look at some of the blogs i follow in traditional seasonal geographical locations.  my friend lou is enjoying late summer in her homeland of new zealand.  she has started a 4 seasons link up.  will you link up and share the season you're in too?

weekend rain

on saturday morning it looked like this out the kitchen window

and like this out our bedroom window.

on sunday you could see saba from the living room so clearly once again.  

we say, "there's saba" and ezra says, "there's the volcano" which indeed it is.  

we had a lot of grey clouds blocking the hot sun for most of the day making it a great day for staying home.

the sky went from this

to this

to this within about 10 minutes sunday evening.   it is mesmerizing to watch the sky change at such a fast pace here.  that is about the only thing fast paced about island living. we spent the whole weekend at home.  michael studied. i cooked, cleaned, and crafted a bit while ezra played all day with his trains.

 the weekend allowed time for me to take a picture of this finished cardigan for stella stellina 

and to finish ezra's giraffe! 

making all those spots and pom poms was a lot of work!

but it is always worth it.