Celia Maeve
June 27, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
This is my gorgeous newborn niece, Celia. She was born happy and healthy on the 25th, weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces. We won't get to meet her until the end of July, but I cannot wait already. Congratulations to Meredith, Joe, and especially to brand new big sister, Louisa!
Puppy Mill (in a good way!)
June 20, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
On Thursday, an awesome group of students and faculty from Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) took four potcakes home with them. FOUR! Isn't that the best news you've heard all week? They found a litter of needy puppies in the settlement up the road, and when they expressed interest in rescuing a few, I set them up with the paperwork they would need to get through U.S. customs. It's actually quite a simple process as long as the pups are under three months old.
Then the day before they left, I drove down with them to pick up the little sweeties. The family whose property the puppies had been born on were quite relieved to see them go to good homes. And while the group had planned to take just three, in the end we drove off with four. Two girls and two boys. Back at the field station, we scrubbed them down and picked off all their fleas (there were a LOT). These photos were taken after their intense, nearly two-hour grooming session, which explains why they all look so super sleepy.
The FGCU group wanted to give them names that were island appropriate, so in the photo above, the little guy on top is named Grotto after the lovely Grotto Beach, and the gal snuggled up underneath is called Hanna after Hanna Bay, where the pups was born. These two are the smallest and perhaps most needy of the litter, but with a little extra love and care I know they'll be just fine.
In this photo, on the right we have a young man named Salvador, but you can call him Sal for short. Don't tell the others, but he's my favorite. I just love his coloring and blue eyes. And on the left is the most robust of the group, a female who has yet to be officially named. The grad student who has taken her home figured he better let his wife choose the name since he was springing the puppy on her. Probably not a bad idea. But based on her markings, the group decided to temporarily call her Baby Zipper.
Not only did this wonderful group of people open they hearts and homes to these puppies, they also make an extrememly generous donation to the San Salvador Pet Clinic and are looking into setting up some kind of additional fundraising back on their campus. The Potcakes of San Salvador can always use more friends, and we're so glad to count this great group of FGCUers among them.
Monumental
June 16, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
Have I ever told you that San Salvador is the site of Christopher Columbus' first landfall in the New World? Well, it's true, and when you think about it, it's kind of a big deal. I mean, for better or worse, for us New Worlders this is where it all began.
The founder of our field station is quite a Columbus buff, and while he was down for a visit a few weeks ago I got the chance to hear him lecture on the history of the man and his voyages. Everyone knows the basic story, but his talk included a lot of intereseting details that I had never heard before. For instance, before setting out on his famous journey in 1492, Columbus had never before captained a ship, yet suddenly he was in charge of a fleet of three that was sailing into the unknown. His claim that he could reach Asia by sailing east was based on inaccurate calculations of the circumference of the Earth. Calculations that Columbus almost certainly knew were wrong, but used anyway as a means to convince the Spanish monarchy to sponsor his hair-brained scheme. Why would he want to set sail with faulty directions? He'd been to Iceland as a younger man, and likely heard stories of the earlier vikings landfall in Newfoundland. So basically, he knew something was out there, but wasn't sure exactly what or where it was. Also, he had a son named Diego.
You may be wondering how we know for sure that Columbus landed on San Sal, especially since none of the island's origianl inhabitants, the Lucayan Indians, have survived to tell the story. (Not that Columbus himself killed them off. But with the introduction of European diseases and slavery, all native peoples of the Bahamas disappeared within two decades of the his first landfall.) First, Columbus kept a journal during his voyage that described the geographical characteristics of the island where he first made landfall, as well as its position in relation to surrounding islands that he also visited. By comparing these descriptions to Bahamian geography as we know it today, San Salvador, with its north-south orientation, large natural harbour (Graham's Harbour), west side beaches, large inland lakes, and long, narrow northern penninsula (North Point), becomes the most likely candidate for the first landfall. Second, in his journal, Columbus also noted that there was a great deal of trade between the natives and his crew. Modern archeologists from our very own field station hypothesized that if this was indeed the site of first landfall, then they should be able to find Columbus-era artifacts at the sites where native peoples once lived. So they set up some digs, and guess what they found ... Columbus-era artifacts! Most notable were a late 15th century Spanish coin, a European-style buckle, and several glass beads. The glass beads are particularly interesting because the lead they contain has an isotopic signature that can be uniquely traced to a Spanish mine located in the region where Columbus lived. Similar artifacts have been found no where else in the Bahamas. Pretty convincing stuff, no?
Being such a historic site lends itself to commemoration, and as you are about to see, monuments honoring Columbus' voyage abound on San Salvador. The island has no fewer than four separate monuments. Three of these are conveniently located in 'Landfall Park' which is on the west side of the island where Columbus likely landed, while the fourth monumnet is somewhat more inconveniently located on the east side of the island.
We'll start with the Chicago Herald Monument, which is the oldest of the monuments and the only one not located in Landfall Park. I descibe its location as inconvenient because visiting it involves a four-mile, unshaded hike. I've been been wanting to go since I moved here, but hadn't been able to convince anyone to come along. That is, until my cousin Laura was here for a vist at the beginning of the month. I basically made her go with me, but really, I don't think she minded.
The Chicago Herald Monument was buld in 1891 by two reporters from (surprise!) the Chicago Herald. The newspaper's intention was both to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landfall and to publicize the World Columbian Exposition (World's Fair) that was to take place in Chicago the following year. The reporters chose to erect the monument on East Beach because they mistakenly believed it was the landing site, in spite of the surrounding reefs that would have prevented any ship from reaching shore.
(Plaque reads: On this spot Christopher Columbus first set foot upon the soil of The New World. Erected by The Chicago Herald, June 1891.)
The reporters brought 30 barrels of cement and the marble plaque and globe, now part of the monument, with them to the island. They then quarried the limestone blocks on site and the two men built the monument by hand. The marble globe has begun to erode over time, but you can just make out the outline of South America in this shot.
Upon investigating the monument, I realized that the reporters must have also brought a few of the building blocks along with them, because any geologist can tell you that the rectangular block of red sandstone and the square block of granite next to it (see below) aren't from around here. I wonder what the significance of those two blocks is. Maybe they come from the reporters' hometowns or favorite places, but probably we'll never know.
The next oldest monument, and the first to be erected in Landfall Park, is the Wolper Cross Monument. Ruth Wolper was an American ex-patriot with a keen interest in island history who settled on San Salvador in the 1950s. She collected Lucayan ceramics and artifacts and created the New World Museum (which has since closed). In 1956, she sposored a monument to Columbus, which took the form of a simple white cross.
Over the years the dedication plaque as become a little hard to make out. But as far as I can tell after zooming way in on the photo, it reads:
"On or Near This Spot Christopher Columbus Landed on the 12th October 1492."
-- Admiral S.E. Morison, USNR
Dedication Ceremony and Christmas Services Shared By All Churches
25th December 1956
Americans and Natives Worshipped Together as Symbol of Faith,
Love, and Unity Between All Nations and for Peace on Earth.
-- Ruth G. (Durlacher) Wolper
Having never heard his name before, I wondered about this Admiral Morison fellow, and after a little searching I found out all about him on this page. He was a U.S. Naval Reservist who worked as a Harvard history professor when we wasn't serving in the World Wars. In 1939, he organized and commanded the Harvard Columbus Expedition which retraced the voyages of Columbus in sailing ships. He also wrote a biography of Columbus called 'Admiral of the Ocean Sea', which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1943. It must have been his expert opinion on which Ruth Wolper relied for accurate placement of her monument.
I think the cross is generally the most popular of the Columbus monuments. Pretty much everyone who tours the island gets their photo taken with it. Perhaps it's the contrast of the plain white cross against the backdrop of the vibrant blue sea that makes it particularly picturesque. If you had asked me a month ago which was my favorite monument, I probably would have chosen the Wolper Cross. But now that I've seen it, the Chicago Herald monument is giving the cross a run for its money. Despite being in the wrong place, there is just something about it that I really like. Maybe it's that it is the only monument that faces out to sea (all the other face inland), or maybe just its rustic, handmade charm.
The third monument is by far the smallest and least ostentatious. Known most readily as the Japanese Monument and also located in Landfall Park, it was erected by Japanese historical foundation in 1991.
The foundation built a replica of the Santa Maria, and sailed the ship from Spain to San Salvador, then through the Panama Canal to Japan, reaching Columbus' final intended destination.
The monument displays two plaques, the upper one in English and the lower in Japanese. They read:
In October 1991 a replica of the Santa Maria -- built by the Nao Santa Maria Foundation of Japan -- made landfall here on its journey from Barcelona, Spain to Kobe, Japan. We came to pay homage to Columbus and his crew and to carry our message of hope for a grand harmony in the future: harmony between men and nations, between man and the environment, and between the Earth and the Universe.
Haruki Kadokawa
Executive President
Nao Santa Maria Foundation of Japan
Haruo Yamamoto
Captain
Nao Santa Maria
Is it just me, or does taking the Panama Canal shortcut seem a little like cheating? Maybe it's just me. Either way, it was still quite a gesture.
The fourth monument was built in Landfall Park in 1992 as part of the celebration commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' Landafall. The Quincentenery Monument is made of abstract girders in the colors of the Bahamian flag. (As you can see, after 17 years it could use a coat of fresh paint.)
The tile plaque on the front of the monument was a gift from Spain. The inscription comes across quite clearly in the photograph, so I won't bother typing it out for you this time.
For the sake of completeness I should probably tell you that there is actually a fifth Columbus monument on San Salvador as well, except that it is underwater. I've heard it mentioned a time or two, and I think I even saw a photo once. Supposedly it commemorates Columbus having first dropped anchor in the surrounding waters. I have no idea when it was built or even where exactly it is. Those details don't seem to be general knowledge, as far as I can tell. Although some seem to think it must be pretty well obscured with sand by now. And I also think it might be something you have to scuba dive down to, which is out of this snorkler's league. But who knows, maybe I'll get there one day.
[For the general history of the monuments, I referenced 'Historic Sites on San Salvador, Bahamas: A Field Guide for Teachers and Students' by Jane Eva Baxter and John D. Burton of DePaul University (2006).]
Graduation Day
June 10, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
Yesterday the island primary school held its Sixth-Grade Graduation. Alexis was graduating , so Tom and I went to cheer her on. It was a very cute ceremony, complete with the Bahamian national anthem played on the recorder and the graduates singing both "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "I Believe I Can Fly". The class salutatorian and valedictorian each gave short addresses, the highlight being when the salutatorian, a young man named Rashaun, revealed that his motivation to do well came from his desire to avoid the principal's friend "Betsy the Beating Stick". The keynote speaker then encouraged the students to always be themselves, be polite and respectful, not be afraid to ask for help, and never quit, which all seems like pretty sound advice. Awards for "Most Improved" and "Highest Achievement" in a variety of subjects were also given out. Here's a shot of Alexis getting her diploma:
During the awards portion of the ceremony I was surprised and honored to receive a plaque of appreciation for the work I did as Alexis' spelling coach. Alexis herself presented me with the award, saying a few words about our journey to the Bahamian National bee together and how I was "like a big sister to her". It was very sweet and quite touching. Here's a shot Tom took of the pressentation (that's me way up there in the blue stripes):
But my very favorite part of the ceremony came at the end as the graduates processed out of the hall to music. When they were about halfway down the center aisle, they stopped and did a really adorable choreographed dance. Our spot in the audience gave us an absolutely perfect view of Alexis:
I tried and tired to get a shot of her dancing with her eyes open, but to no avail. Obviously, the girl was feelin' it.
Cuz
June 9, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
Last week my cousin, Laura, came for a visit. She gets the special distinction of being the first extended family member to come and see us. Given the rain we've been having lately, I was a bit worried that we'd be stuck inside for much of her stay. If that happened, I was going to make her help me paint the bathroom, but lucky for Laura she hit a five-day patch of beautiful weather in the midst of the rainy season.
Laura took to snorkeling like a fish to water (ha!), and we had a lot of fun in the sea. She got to see a sea turtle her very first time out, and after that there were barracudas, trunk fish, trigger fish, star fish, and lots of blue tang. I dragged her around to various historic sites on the island, and we even had a nice visit with Foo Foo, the 97-year-old basket weaver. He was shocked that he's the oldest person we've ever met. Laura also fell in love with all the tide pools and hermit crabs that San Sal has to offer. And after spoiling him rotten, Zipper misses her desperately.
Even with our action-packed days, there are still things that we didn't get to. Laura didn't find perfect conch shell or sample the local Bahamian cuisine, and there is always more snorkeling to be done. So I think (and hope) she'll be back again soon.
P.S. You may have noticed that Tom added a simple math problem to our commenting form. This is because we were getting a lot of unwanted spam in the comments, and apparently evil spam computers can't do math when it is written out in words. Don't be intimidated, it really is quite easy.
I'm Back!
May 31, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
But you probably didn't even know I was gone. A few days ago I got back from two weeks in the states. I couldn't tell you I was leaving, beacuse the trip invovled a surpise birthday weekend in New York City for my Mom. Since she reads TBL, I had to keep things under wraps.
Despite being born and raised in NY state, this was only my second trip to "the city". My Dad really outdid himself with all the planning. We stayed in an awesome apartment near Times Square. We saw South Pacific and went to a Yankees game. And I ate at Papaya Dog twice. (Including a breakfast of two eggs, homefries, and toast ... for $0.99! Amazing!!)
I spent the rest of my stay in Baltimore with my sister, Meredith, and her family. Louisa is getting cuter by the day, and will be a big sister very soon. We took walks, went to the zoo, rode a carousel, and ate ice cream cones. I was also spoiled with some delicious Indian, sushi, and foie gras.
Poor Tom had to stay home and miss all the fun. His response to that is, "Yankees suck!" so perhaps he wouldn't have enjoyed himself all that much anyway.
What A Rascal
May 12, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
Our friend Poncho stopped by for a visit this morning. He has become quite the charmer. Take, for instance, his adorable mug:
Just when you think he couldn't possibly get any sweeter...
... he winks! And then you melt into a big, sappy puddle of puppy love. I've always swooned for a winker.
Where's My Hundred Grand?
May 8, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
I saw this article on CNN a couple days ago. It describes a British guy who beat out 34,000 applicants to be awarded "the best job in the world". For the next six months he will live on a tropical island in Australia, stroll the beaches, snorkel the reefs, take lots of photos, and post a weekly blog about what's happening on the island. Oh, and he's getting paid $100,000 for it.
Um, does that sound familiar to anyone else? Except, of course, for the part about the sweet paycheck. Here I am the sucker doing it for free.
A Portrait of the Dog as a Young Man
May 7, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
It's no secret that Zipper is luckier than most Potcakes on San Salvador. He sleeps the sweltering days away on his fluffy bed in our air-conditioning. He rides around in the backseat of our car. And he gets sudsy baths with apple-scented dog shampoo.
He's also lucky because he has adoring friends that take beautiful photographs of him. And not only do they take beautiful photos, but then they turn those photos into something even more gorgeous, like this:
As you can see, our friend Li is a very talented artist. She's also a devoted dog lover. She and her husband, Dave, are now living at the field station, where he is working as the facilities manager. We're so glad they're here!
Lost Larry
May 6, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
This is Larry the Spider. He is about to enjoy himself some tasty moth.
Actually, that is Larry about two and a half months ago. Here's a photo of him taken almost 2 weeks ago.
See how fat he got? It must have been all those moths. And look at that skull-shaped marking. Very menacing.
Larry is a Golden Orb Weaver. He built a spectacular web outside our front door and lived there for about 4 months. He was a quiet neighbor who never left his web (which is why I let him stay). He was good about keeping the mosquitoes down too.
But then the very evening after I took that most recent photo, sometime between 10pm and 7am, Larry disappeared without a trace. His web was undisturbed.
I like to think that Larry needed a change of pace and went to stay with relatives in the bush, but Tom, cynic that he is, believes he probably ended up as a juicy morsel for some lucky night heron. Either way we miss the little fella. It was always fun to watch him exsanguinate his unsuspecting (insect) victims. Not to mention the endless amusement we derived from the startled shrieks of visitors approaching our front door. He was a great conversation piece.
So long, Larry. You were one heck of a spider.