Cocoa time again

 Today we went up
to pick cocoa again.
The new bamboo rod,
(the last one having
broken when the
breadfruit tree at home,
fell on it)
was still a bit heavy
for me, so T picked
and I picked up.
We put the pods
in a fine bag and
T put each load
below the mango
trees.

It was a cool,
cloudy day with
a few sprinkles,
sunny interludes
and as always
it felt lovely
to be up here,
working together,
at our own pace
in our own time
with just the river
the cow the dog
and the birds
for company.

Once we had
picked all, we sat
in the shade
under the mango
tree, where I cracked
the pods
and T emptied
the beans into the
bucket.

Picking peppers and other things

Weeding continues and has become 'mantra' like, but even my soul has difficulty being convinced that rooting out this grass is good for it. Especially as, just as you think you have it and pull up the root, it sticks a fine picker filament in your finger.

Some cocoa had finished fermenting and was put out to dry in the sun,

peppers  and cucumbers were picked and beans were weeded 

and this visitor stayed posing on the blade of grass, long enough for me to reach her. She has the most beautiful turquoise blue highlights which I failed to capture.

 Oh, and finally....
the mango thief has taken to stealing pen manure as well!

Mango Time Again

I stand beneath the big mango trees while T
goes to the highest heights to pick the half ripe
fruit before throwing them down to me. Am
always amazed at how heavy the Ceylon are,
but my heart will always lie with the Julie.

Team work

Trev cut grass for the cow and I wet the lettuce, Trev forked, made holes and wet them while I sowed, 3 seeds to a hole, we both covered them. I weeded beans and we picked them together.

Dry Season

There is a change in the air
since the previous post and
the rainy seasons' grand finale.
Now the days are shorter,
the nights are cooler
and there is less humidity. T makes
preparations by putting a pipe
in the ravine that marks the boundary
at the top of Corn Buck. Using a series
of Heath Robinson pipe and hose
connections, we will be able to water
the hundreds of lettuce that we planted
in the beds that T made on the top.
Meanwhile, the dwarf beans
are bearing so I weed, mole , mulch
and pick them









together with more sorrel
and give thanks for nature's bounty.