Recently I was in Sarasota, Florida for ten days visiting my dad and my youngest daughter Tara. It was a great surprise for them both and I had a wonderful time. Tara went to see her Granddad and I decided to crash their party. Tara has since left for Korea, next to Hong Kong and then, hopefully on to India. She will be gone for two years and I really, really wanted to see her before she left. It was such a marvelous time, helping my Dad and having some great Mother / Daughter time. Tara and I visited so many galleries in such a short time that my head was spinning. Just to have but one gallery in Belize would be such fun.

Since being back Marlene and I have been hard at work trying to get the front garden in. We planted many flowering shrubs and other tropical flowers like hibiscus, bougainvillea, poinsettia, buttercup, rose bush, ginger lily, bird of paradise. Most of these plants are from cuttings. I have been giving them lots of care in the nursery and now they are ready to face the elements and stand on there own. In Canada Marlene was never one to work in the garden but here in the tropics she has become a real gem in the garden.

The orchid needs lots of work; it is a struggle for two people to keep the jungle at bay. Today we hired a beautiful quiet man from the village to help us. He loves gardening and can do with some hard wealth. He has five acres of his own but his property and fruit trees are older and do not require as much care as a new orchid.

Today Marlene and I had sugar cane from the garden. I planted two joints of cane that was given to me for eating. Today I have two stands of sugarcane, could not wait any longer, I just had to test one. It is very soft and sweet sugarcane. I feel we have begun to feed our self in earnest as I await the first digging of our cassava.

Trying to control the jungle continues to be hectic but I do find times each day to give Gratitude. I am so Blessed. Joy and Light to all.