Sunday, September 19, 2010

beautiful beach days


the last few days we have been going to the beach everyday. we went to our local mullet beach a couple of days in a row. it is five minutes away and a great way to just get out of the house for a bit. on the first of our two days, there were huge waves and a high tide that brought some fresh puddles for ezra to play in. he ran through them yelling, "splish, splash, splosh!" while ronan and dillon enjoyed being tossed by the waves crashing on the shore. when the older boys tired of the waves they came up to the puddles and skim boarded across them on their boogie boards. dillon let ezra try his out and ezra said he wanted to take it home. regrettably i forgot my camera that day and i have decided i am never going to the beach again without it - even on these short trips meant to just get out of the house for a bit.
the next day i had my camera and got a lot of great shots of ezra and ronan flying ezra's space shuttle kite. i am going to make a separate post with those shots i love them so much. here's one of me holding the kite while ezra sat in front of me watching it fly up in the beautiful blue sky.


every now and then he would scamper to the shore to watch the boys in the water.



we watched them together at a safe distance.


yesterday we went to guana bay on the other side of the island. it has a stunning view of the island st. barthelemy - aka st. bart's - which due to my damaged designated beach camera unfortunately has a dark line across it in this picture.


we went searching along the shoreline for shells and rocks of which there were plenty due to the high tide. ezra collected mostly rocks that i almost left at the beach but in the end decided to bring home. i'm glad i did because they are really beautiful and bring a different element of nature into the house other than the ubiquitous seashells. i think we may even paint on them if ezra says it's okay.





i love how i caught his shadow in this picture which was mostly an accident. it is often too bright at the beach to see well on my view screen. most shots are point, shoot, and hope for the best. this was a fun little surprise capture.



i like the wavey lines of the shoreline and horizon and the cloud patterned sky above in the picture below.


the continuous flow of low waves are great for boogie boarding at guana. dillon and ronan went straight into the water with their boards when we got there and shortly after declared it was their favorite beach.


we drove home in the rain and through a flooded golf course. when we got home our kitchen had been flooded too by the pounding rain blowing against the kitchen slider. we're up on the 8th floor of our hotel, so i guess that's what you'd call a torrential downpour. luckily michael was home studying for block exams and laid a half a dozen beach towels down to stop the flow of water coming into the apartment. we've been having quite a bit of rain since hurricane earl, but luckily it's either raining after we've been to the beach or during the night while we are sleeping. rain is good, because it helps the plants grow back and cools the island off, but rain is also bad because it creates more breeding grounds for mosquitos, including the infamous dengue variety that could give you a panic attack every time you or your child gets bit by a mosquito. another good thing about the mercurial weather of the island is that it brings awesome skies during the day and in the evenings. here are a few of those skies i grabbed my camera for.




Friday, September 17, 2010

Sunday, September 12, 2010

gratitude sunday


another gorgeous day in paradise here and i have so much to be grateful for. our week has been filled with fun with our new friends that arrived to the island. you can check out their blog here. i am extremely grateful for these new friends of ours because we are having such an easygoing time together doing what we love - exploring this beautiful island. it feels like we've known each other a long time already, our conversations flow effortlessly, and there is laughter and love. ezra is enamored with the two older boys and they are playful and patient with him. cheyenne feels like a kindred soul to me. after spending time with them, ezra and i feel recharged.

this week i am grateful for:

days like these



rainy days


a shopping trip to marigot to spend some of my birthday money on new clothes and a purse for me

here i am with some of my new clothes and my new longchamp mom-carry-all tote (i can fit my wallet, camera, phone, lip gloss, face wipes, a coloring book and crayons, hats, an umbrella, a knitting project, water, snacks and sunglasses in there!)


and a new table and chairs for ezra - here he is eating his broccoli


ezra picking out an apple to eat at the store today and taking bites out of each slice when we got home


and sunsets like these...


wishing you all love and light.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

wedding wash cloths, a penguin, and a summer dress

in case you wanted to know what my knitting needles have been up to as of late, i just finished the set of 6 wedding washcloths i made for an island girlfriend who was married over the summer.


these were so fun and easy to make from a purlbee pattern in mercerized cotton. i love the colors and simple stitch pattern. the french lavender shower gel is one of my favorite french finds on the island and even matched the colors of the washcloths.



ezra has a deep love for penguins and was more delighted than i expected with this little penguin i knit up for him. he has been bringing him into bed every night since with him and this morning when he woke up he wondered where he was - i was up early and stole him from his pillow to take this picture. i have knit a few rabbits and gnomes for him that he never bonded with, so maybe it's the fact that this is a penguin or it could be it's very cute design from susan b. anderson's book "itty bitty toys."


i am also having the pleasure of knitting up this adorable sundress in blue sky cotton for my friend's daughter.


the weather here never cools off to make proper knitting weather. nor does it ever seem appropriate to wear anything knit as it is far too warm and humid all year round. but, lately we've had little storms swirling in and out of our atmosphere before and after earl's arrival, and the gray skies and white caps out at sea always make me feel like there should be a fire crackling in the fire place while my knitting needles are clicking. i'm looking forward to it getting so cold in the apartment that i have to wear some knit wool socks. as soon as i go outside though, it's sandals or flip flops all day and night.


you can take the seasons away from a knitter, but you can't take the knitter away from ... well i guess that doesn't make sense here, but you know what i mean, right?


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

running with the boys




this was our day at orient bay yesterday. ezra and i have made some new friends. it was so nice to get to know cheyenne while watching ezra run around with her sons ronan and dillon. i couldn't have asked for cooler, kinder boys for my little big boy to play with. and it is always nice to hang out with a like-minded mom. that is not always easy to find... i'm excited about these new treasures that have come to our shores!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

gratitude sunday


this week was eventful. i had my 34th birthday on the same day that hurricane earl came to st. maarten. michael started his fourth semester of medical school and my brother left after a 5 day stay with us. the loss of the trees' leaves all around our little side of the island look a lot like the dismally barren trees after the roaring hillside fires i'm used to coming from southern california. i saw three bright green iguanas crossing the road yesterday while i was going to and from the grocery store. are they looking for a new tree to live in? life goes on.

this week i am grateful that:

i celebrated my 34th birthday! it's good to be alive here on earth! i love life and am grateful for it and who i share it with each and every day.

my brother came for a visit, brought me a big package full of yummy yarn, shared his joyous singing and guitar playing self with us during hurricane earl, and spoiled me with birthday presents.


my family back home loaded me up with birthday money - thanks guys!

michael is starting his 4th semester in medical school, continuing to work hard and strive for a worthy goal for himself and our family.

new auc families arrived with children for ezra to play with and mothers for me to visit with.

the change of the seasons - even if it is hurricane season here and not a continental type fall season. i am enjoying the rain we've been having and the earlier nightfall.