Veranda Vibes
July 19, 2026
Up Top Day Everyone!
Life is the greatest but not without tough trials to face.
Got to keep going. Those mountains and valleys contain lessons to be learned.
“Ever forward never backward” Elizabeth Gilbert
Neighborhood weather
Low 79°— High 87°
35% chance for rain (When it has rained recently it’s been mostly a drizzle) POO! Only adds to the sticky air.
69% humidity
Wind 5 - 15 mph with gusts of 22 mph
Life is often on hold around here due to the weather
Now the rain’s refusal to drop keeps me from setting out some of my seeds. My current plants are struggling in the heat. Me too, the heat is making me slower than my normal pace. Which is very, very, slooooooowww!
House projects
All on hold.
Waiting for appraisal, car decision, crate shipping.
These are times that test my nascent Buddhist faith. I dislike the space in between progress toward a goal. I like to have a project, task the project out from beginning to end and move on to another project.
This is why I often tell myself, “Jamaica teaches you a version of patience you’ve never known.
Find your flow Diana. Chill out. You’re where you’re supposed to be.”
I know you think I’m crazy but astrology has informed my entire life. A Mercury Retrograde (which is over July 23, thank goodness) is rarely easy for me.
Gardens
The picture below is from my simulated hot house experiment. I managed to drown some of the seedlings with my impatient watering. The two plants that survived have HUGE, hardy leaves. This plant should be great in the raised bed.
I can’t wait to set the Mustard Spinach seeds. The plant is a crazy producer. I’ve eaten two salads off the one big plant that grew rapidly. in my miniature hot house experiment. The leaves taste sort of like strong Arugula. Delightful on my plate.
The Jacob’s Coat starts I randomly dropped on the earth are growing like crazy. Despite the dryness they thrive in the wall garden. On the Veranda cuttings from them their roots in simple water are flourishing.
Good food
The opening photo of Jamaicans national fruit, Ackee depicts open fruit ready to clean.
Ackee probably came to the island via slaves. It’s name derives from the Twi language in Ghana. Originally, Ankye, it has evolved into present day Ackee.
Its botanical name, Blighia Sapida, came from Captain William Bligh’s name. Yep right out of Mutiny on the Bounty. Captain Bligh was responsible for bringing Ackee tree starts to England in 1793. An act which first introduced the fruit to the world of science.
In 1778 is it recognized that Dr. Thomas Clarke was one of the earliest propagators of the tree broadly introducing it to eastern parishes. Jamaica is the only island where it is widely enjoyed although other Caribbean islands use it under different names.
The canned Ackee has a lucrative market exported to happy expatriate Jamaicans. You may find the canned version in speciality groceries in the United States and the UK.
The above information was gleaned from the Jamaican Information Site (JIS.gov.jm).
Preparation
Never try to prepare Ackee that has not popped open like you see in the picture.
Ackee contains a poison (hypoglcin) which disapates when properly harvested and cooked. The yellow arils have to be separated from the shiny black seed and red shell. Wait until the red shell opens naturally, pull out the yellow arils, clean out all the red fiber, gently boil, and discard the. cooking water.
It has a mild flavor so it acquires the seasoning and spices it’s cooked with.
While I was wandering around the internet I found a fun site that has many recipes. I was so excited to see yummy looking patties on their gorgeous site.
Ready to get in the car as my stomach was rolling, sad for me, perhaps great for you, their restaurant is in Windsor, Connecticut! :-(
Give their site a peek. It’s beautiful, Amazing Ackee.
It’s so hot everywhere these days. This looks like a great bedtime desert.
Here’s a recipe I can’t wait to make:
Easy No Churn Ackee Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 C parboiled Ackee (I suppose if you use the canned version you just drain them and skip this step)
1 Can condensed milk
2 C Heavy whipping cream ( divided into 1 1/2 and 1/2
splash vanilla
Procedure:
Line a 9” X 5” loaf pan with plastic wrap (using enough to generously hang over the pan)
Combine Ackee with 1 1/2 C of cream in a small sauce pan to just simmer. (this warms the Ackee just enough to blend smoothly)
Blend the mixture with the condensed milk and vanilla and set aside to cool
Whip the remaining cream with a hand mixer/blender/standing mixer until peaks form
Fold into your prepared pan
Freeze solid and enjoy!
Let me know if you try this in the comments. I’ll let you know when we gather these high calorie ingredients!
You can make all kinds of variations here. We love pistachio ice cream. I think this is a serious possibility for us.
You can see from my screenshot how gorgeous this site is…
Buff the Magic Bulldog
Home in Jamaica almost two full months now Buff has consumed almost all his American toys. Two Frisbees lasted a day apiece, three big consumable bones were eaten each day we gave him one. His tennis ball was a quick afternoon. He has one very hard bone that’s covered in some sort of hickory smoke sauce which he licked off. The sauce gives him nuclear gas! One nuclear gas bone left in his toy drawer. We’ll save that until this one breaks or gets buried. These bones seem to be indestructible. They sound like pottery as they hit the floor during his games.
This week Marshall took one last stuffed toy out of his toy drawer. He was ecstatic!
I thought his tail was going to wag off his body!!
He loved his baby so much it died a very early death in a cloud of fluffy stuffing. Its fatal flaw was not one but two squeakies hidden inside!
A good life
It’s been another up down week.
The heat has taken its toll. The Master bedroom that we finished a few months ago is on the south side of the house. It absorbs all the hot, hot, afternoon Jamaican sun.
Our standing fan of about 6 years died a not so silent death. I thought Buff was going to eat it alive it it didn’t stop shreaking!
The car deal completely fizzled out. I feel so bad for the Rasta who was the point person in the deal. Hurricane Melissa destroyed the road to his car repair garage. He has no electricity. Hardly any way of making his regular living. He was counting on a small payout to buy some groceries.
We were counting on it too. As Marshall says, “So it goes.”
I have a new plan. I’ll send up a flair if it works.
I know the Universe is going to come through for us.
We all chanted our hearts out for our friend Michelle in Canada whose house was perilously close to a forest fire.
Look what happened two days later…it finally rained!!!
Life is the best, all around, up, down. We are so lucky in each moment we are given.
Thanks for reading until the end.
I have so many more stories to tell!
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I’m praying that we get a Starlink connection soon. It takes forever to upload pictures here with this Wifi.
Come sit a spell. We love to find you here!
"Jamaica teaches you a version of patience you’ve never known." Island time, for sure! You both look wonderful and happy. Everything happens for a reason and for a season....all things change, a Buddhist concept. Thank you, for the updates, Diana!