Veranda Vibes
March 1, 2026
Blessed day to everyone!
If you don’t read past these two lines the energy has been sent to you from Jamaica anyway.
Enjoy!! Life is the greatest in every moment we are given.
Alexa told me this morning it’s an optimist that sees opportunity in each challenge they are given. Count me in.
Gordon Parks once told me to never pass up an opportunity. You never know where you may land. I’m onboard where ever that ship sails.
Weather in Junction Jamaica
84° - 61° Dare I say delight?
Sitting on the Veranda last evening I was reminiscing about how much I love this weather. A quiet moment in this temperature is genuinely a slice of heaven and…
It has opened up and rained heavy not once but twice this week. I have to say given the amount of sunshine that defines Jamaica a partly cloudy day is a slice of joy!
The foliage is mad. I may have mangoes to eat by month end!
Gardens and gifts
Marshal brought me new plants for the wall garden and a new Hibiscus. Even with the rain they are still suffering with transplanting but soon I’ll snap photos of their happy new progeny.
That wild pedestrian purple ivy is crazy with the rain. Today, I need to prune it back big time! It’s strangling even the giant Sansieveria. The Marigolds are fighting it off. I know it’s super common but I love, love, love the color and it’s ability to grow absolutely any where. Quickly!!
Right now, I need to fill areas in with plants that choke out weeds and provide color in the garden.
I’m not setting any food seeds since I’m leaving the island April 4 and not returning until late May. Gardens are a lot for Marshall to manage without me.
I’m happy if he will manage our Veranda plants.
Buff the magic bulldog
The opening photo is where Buff generally spends his after breakfast crazies. We can’t eat breakfast without a begging bull in the china cabinet bumping into us as we try to drink a cup of coffee.
I mentioned last week that he has taken to digging in the walled garden so “Time Out” has been developed for his behavior modification program.
He will be a year old March 28. He probably weighs over 100 pounds. He actually eats rocks when he’s really bored. I guess he’s sharpening his teeth.
I have a recipe for peanut butter dog treats. He might find a sack for his birthday celebration.
We can tell he’s beginning to understand his limits but it’s still necessary to give his monster energy time to chill out.
House progress
Every building change is on hold while we organize papers to present to lenders. Download and copy is the game now.
Tedious paperwork but all necessary on our path.
Good Food
Panganats
Marshall brought me a hand full of what I call Pomegranates. They’re similiar but different from what we get in the US.
Panganat is the Patwah word for Pomegranate.
Pomegranates originally came to the Caribbean from the Middle East. They’re considered a symbol of fertility, prosperity, and good health.
Pomegranates are thought of as a super food providing all sorts of densely packed powerful antioxidants.
The multitudes of seeds (Arils) we find inside one pomegranate provides the following:
• Calories: 234
• Protein: 4.7 grams
• Fat: 3.3 grams
• Carbs: 52 grams
• Fiber: 11.3 grams
• Vitamin C: 32% of daily value (DV)
• Folate: 27% DV
• Magnesium 8% DV
• Phosphorus 8% DV
• Potassium 13% DV
All these important ingredients are said to help keep inflammation at bay, promote heart health, support immune function, improve cholesterol levels, and potentially boost memory. They contain anti-cancer properties as well.
I score the hard outer shell with a knife and slowly pick out the arils to form a pile. Then scoop a bunch at once, suck out the juice and spit out the bitter seeds.
An enjoyable treat that reminded me of a treasured Italian Antipasto recipe I make around the holidays. Layers of garlic marinated roasted red peppers, black and green olives, salami, prosciutto, anchovies, topped with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds then served with crackling torn hunks of Italian bread. It’s a beautiful holiday colored feast!
A good life
I have to say I can’t believe it’s March. The slow sleepy days of January and February have melted away. This month will disappear as quickly as the first two. Already the end of the first quarter of the year.
Preparing to leave the island, Marshall and Buff left behind is not an easy task.
I can’t take Marshall into the unrest that plagues our struggling country.
I would never be able to get Buff back into Jamaica. Jamaica is considered a rabies free country as a result of crazy difficult and expensive protocols. Besides, I couldn’t manage him by myself. Imagine what that would be like at my daughter’s castle with three dogs, two cats, and three grandchildren. Let’s talk chaos!
We love, love, love, dogs and cats!
We had the best time this weekend watching the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The Agility events reminded me of the obstacle course that Leawood Park built by my daughter’s house. I would love to have Marshall and Buff there.
Our endless travels to Kansas City’s restaurants on YouTube makes me want to share KC’s vibrant food scene with my Jamaican chef.
Not to mention all the friends and family I have in KC that I would love to introduce Marshall to. How much laughter would that bring!?
He talks funny you know. Patwah is an interesting language.
His childlike wonder at a world like Kansas City would be so fun to share.
This is one of the downsides of a foot in two countries. I never expected it to be so hard but so wonderful at the same time.
I guess that is the yin and yang of life. You can’t have one without the other. It makes life sweeter than you knew.
Thanks for reading until the end.
I have so many more stories to tell!
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Join us for our Newsletter, Veranda Vibes or Writing in Your Ear. I may wait until Aprill when I’m in a quieter place with strong wifi to add to Writing in Your Ear. The motorcycle noise here plus my wiggy wifi doesn’t lend itself to good audio recordings.
Come sit a spell in Jamaica on our Veranda. We love to have you here.
Blessings from Jamaica