It's interesting being back in Trinidad in a different season. From June to December is the official rainy season. After an intensely dry season which saw the hills ablaze with forest fires, the rainy season brings with it relief and more misery. Relief in that the earth and plants are crying out for rain, but without the vegetation to hold the soil, the rain washes away the precious topsoil (which tends not to be very deep in the tropics anyway) and there is the real risk of mud slides.
Small, still puddles of water are breeding grounds for mosquitos. And my goodness they are vicious. In April, I could get away with a casual slathering after each shower, now if I don't re-apply every 2 hours, I look like a dot-to-dot picture. Very unattractive and itchy to say the least. Of course there's also the risk of a nasty tropical disease called dengue.
It's still mango season and I've got my eye on several large avocados growing in my brother's garden. I'm told we're off to The Bush on Friday, which I'm really, really looking forward to. Unfortunately, the rural mosquitos are 10 times more assertive than their urban cousins and they will bite through clothes, hats and even hair. A trip into the rain forest will mean a head to foot dousing in repellant.
I've got a huge pile of reading next to my bed. Nothing lascivious this time, it's all about permaculture. My brother has approved my plans of World Domination and when I step into The Bush, I'm hoping to see his work with new eyes. I'm off to read, talk amongst yourselves while I'm gone.
Bank Holiday Sunday
Dear Dave I woke up today with Philip Glass' Metamorphosis in my head. It's apt really as it was part of the music chosen for your...
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Dear Dave I woke up today with Philip Glass' Metamorphosis in my head. It's apt really as it was part of the music chosen for your... -
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Today, this blog is a year old. In the next two weeks I will be coming to the end of this particular journey. I'm still not sure how I f...
*Thinks of Scarlet and tries to avoid saying anything about a trip to the bush*
ReplyDelete*Says nothing*
We have two seasons in Texas, drought and flash flood.
ReplyDeletedave ~ tacky Dave, very tacky...thinking about another woman's bush on my blog.
ReplyDeletexl ~ sounds very....wearing.
No no, I was merely thinking how other people misunderstand poor young Scarlet when she writes about topiary, and I was trying to avoid falling into the same trap.
ReplyDeleteOf course.
dave ~ of course you were. I believe you. Really.
ReplyDeleteI have not too much hair left, so the mosquitoes will find it boring to attack my head ... ?
ReplyDeleteNo way, eh?
One could always wear what the bee-people wear, kind of mosquito-net from head to toe. BTW you know austere?
mago ~ one day I'm going to ask you to send me a picture of you. A bee-keeper's uniform sounds just the thing.
ReplyDeleteAustere? Tell me more.
If Al and Dilly visit Trinidad in the rainy season, I'll remind them to pack their beekeeper suits.
ReplyDelete