A Knight’s Tale (132: Awaiting The Arrival)

With about two days to go before Sam’s expected arrival into Port St Charles, excitement was enhanced by

Sunset 5.04 1
Sunset 5.04 2
Sunset 5.04 3

a golden sunset, which is almost a cliché. Not in Port St Charles.

Jessica, Louisa & friend 5.04

Jessica watches as Louisa shows her photographs to Dixie Dean, the Society’s cameraman.

Sunbury bird 5.04

Birds like the Yellow breasted Sunbury,

Barbados bullfinch 5.04

and the Barbados Bullfinch, the only indigenous species, which is found nowhere else, take advantage of nature’s camouflage,

Barbados Land crab 5.04

as does the land crab.

Grackle 5.04 002

The grackle

Sanderling 5.04

and the sanderling don’t seem to need it.

Coconut cutting 5.04

This gentleman demonstrates the method of releasing milk from a coconut.

For a number of years my friend bo Beolens, who has written a number of bird books and who, as Fatbirder, runs an international birding website used my picture of the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch to illustrate his Barbados page.

Caribbean Sea

Just before the expected arrival time even the previously bright blue Caribbean Sea darkened,

Rainbow 5.04

and a rainbow arced over Port St Charles.

I was regularly in touch with Radio Nottingham to deliver live updates from my mobile phone. That night, I opened our balcony doors so that listeners could hear the deafening waves crashing in from the Atlantic. Unknown to me, these were the forces that had caused Sam to drop his anchor to prevent him from arriving during the night.

Around The Island

On yet another rain-slashed August day, I spared a thought for those holidaymakers who had come to the forest and the seaside for their long-awaited summer break. The last ten days hasn’t bothered me, because my chest infection has kept me indoors anyway, but they can’t have had much fun.

Needless to say this was another day for scanning colour slides, this time from Barbados in May 2004. If nothing else they remind me of sunshine. This set of photographs was made a day or two before Sam was expected to reach the island, having rowed The Atlantic solo from the Canaries.

Unknown plant 5.04

Both Jackie and I think we ought to recognise this plant, but we don’t. Fortunately Mary Tang has identified it as frangipani.

Bougainevillea 5.04

Bougainvillea brightens every landscape.

Sunset 5.04 1Sunset 5.04 2Sunset 5.04 3

A golden sunset is almost a cliche. Not in Port St Charles.

Jessica, Louisa & friend 5.04

Jessica watches as Louisa shows her photographs to another member of the waiting group.

Sunbury bird 5.04

Birds like the Yellow breasted Sunbury,

Barbados bullfinch 5.04

and the Barbados Bullfinch, the only indigenous species, which is found nowhere else, take advantage of nature’s camouflage,

Barbados Land crab 5.04

as does the land crab.

Grackle 5.04 002

The grackle

Sanderling 5.04

and the sanderling don’t seem to need it.

Coconut cutting 5.04

This gentleman demonstrates the method of releasing milk from a coconut.

Caribbean Sea

Just before the expected arrival time even the previously bright blue Caribbean Sea darkened,

Rainbow 5.04

and a rainbow arced over Port St Charles.

I was regularly in touch with Radio Nottingham to deliver live updates from my mobile phone. That night, I opened our balcony doors so that listeners could hear the deafening waves crashing in from the Atlantic.

This evening we dined on barbecue pork ribs, savoury rice, and green beans. Jam tart and custard was to follow. Ian drank Heritage de Calvet cotes du Rhone 2014; Becky drank lime cordial; Jackie, sparkling water; and I, another glass of the pinot noir.

Succulent Graffiti

On another rainy day, with me not yet fully recovered, and Ian coming down with the cold, we had to postpone Becky’s birthday meal out. I scanned another batch of Barbados colour slides from May 2004, and Jackie stocked up on tissues and medications.

Flowering cacti

Cacti were flowering profusely.

Unknown plant

I don’t know what this plant is (See Mostly Mondays’ comment below. It is calotropis),

Hibiscus

but I do recognise hibiscus,

Bougainvillea

and bougainvillea which grows everywhere on the island.

Breadfruit

Maybe these are breadfruit, (actually coconuts, see PS) but most of the Google images have dimpled skins.

Stork

A lone stork stands out from the long grass by the sea,

Homes on coastline

on the coast of which expensive holiday homes

Chattel houses

contrast with the traditional wooden chattel houses.

Horse

I was surprised to see a horse lurking in the hedgerow, but have since learned that racing is a popular pastime, dating from the colonial years.

Grackle

This is possibly a grackle, or a Barbadian Black Bird.

Zenaida dove 5.04 02

The iridescent blue tinge on the neck of the Zenaida dove is intriguing.

Rusty drum

I expect there were plans for this rusting drum.

Succulent graffiti 1Succulent graffiti 2

Succulent graffiti 3

I have seen graffiti in many forms, but only on Barbados has it been carved into succulents.

This evening Jackie collected our meal from Hordle Chinese Take Away which was as good and as plentiful as usual. My drink was Kumala reserve shiraz 2012; Beccy’s, rose; Jackie’s, Hoegaarden; and Ian’s, Tiger beer.

PS. Following the comments of wolfberryknits and Mary Tang, I have corrected my text to show coconuts for breadfruit.