How to give your plants a head start in Spring

This is a beautiful week end. We believe the nice weather will stay for a while so we got our plants and flowers from the sunroom to the back porch.

We've watching these seeds that Debbie has planted late Fall last year. They have germinated, then started to grow throughout the winter. We kept them in the sunroom and in another spot of the house that gets some sun. It was fun to see these seeds turn into different vegetable plants: broccoli, beans, tomatoes, ... Even the pear tree germinated and grew. The beans even produced in the winter!
As you can see in the pictures the bougainvillea bloomed!!! And the fig tree got bigger.

Well, this is how you get a head start on the spring. You save your plants and keep them cozy and warm, you plant new seeds in small pots, and comes spring, you are way ahead of the game!

The best part of this is that your plants and flowers keep you good company in the winter with nice greenery in the house. We use our sunroom a lot in the winter. You even marvel week after week as your seeds come out and take shape. The trumpet flower did great and the fig tree even gave figs at the beginning of the winter. Fig tree in a pot!!!

Did you know that broccoli plants bloom into little pretty flowers before the broccoli comes out? Just like tomato plant does? Just look at the 3rd picture and you'll see. Compliments to Debbie.

Did you know?

Did you know how much a person can learn quickly, and for free?

Do you remember the great philosophers of our time? From Socrates to Foucault? Well, I don't remember much about them either. How about the great classic music composers? Same answer for me as before. You may not be interested in these topics but I'm sure you have areas of interest or hobbies of your own. Sports, history, poetry, specific geographical parts of the world you've always been intrigued about, animals, and different aspects of our planet. The list goes on.
Why am I bringing this up? Well, I just find out something quite interesting. I've been interested in birds and after checking out a book at the library and skimming through some of the bird books we already have, I was surprised at how much I've learned. I didn't have to go to school or spend any money. Then I checked out a book on Starwatch in Georgia and learnt a bunch on Stars, Galaxies, and constellations. Then a book on knots (tying all kinds of knots), and I was quite getting into it this week end.

What do you want to know about, learn about, or learn more about? Between the public library and material you already have around in the house, you'd be surprised how interesting it can be.
It keeps your mind young and sharp too. Did you know that?

Our last camping trip of 2008

Our last camping trip of 2008 was our graduation camping test: Primitive Camping.
That's when you don't get the basic facilities you find at State Parks camp sites such as bathrooms with hot water, water and electrical hook ups at your site. This last camping in 2008 was also our first primitive camping, at least for me.

This camping trip was very impromptu and our hardest, but we were greatly rewarded. First of, our pump for the air mattress burned out before we could get any amount of air in. Then we had to run off animals we couldn't see away from our camp site at night. I did that stupid job and it was fun and dumb. What if the animal attacked me? I couldn't see what I was trying to scare off with a flashlight in the woods. It could be an armadillo, it could be a bobcat. May be a deer. It meant no harm; we were in his territory. He was just curious and interested by his visitors, us. Next time, I'll leave the poor thing alone.

For the first time, we were all by ourselves. No other campers around. The night was quiet and peaceful. Sure we had to bring our own portable toilet but it was all worth it. Actually, I can't wait to go back. It makes you feel young and adventurous again. Let's go camp in the woods!!!

Our big reward? The most beautiful night sky you've ever seen in your life. Period! Debbie woke me up because an animal was walking by the tent. The flashlight run him off. (Not the same animal I chased in the wood earlier before we went to bed). Then I said "I need to go pee". Of course, Debbie needed to do the same. We've been drinking together you know. We stepped out of the tent and...WOW, the night sky! Clear sky, totally full of stars that are bright like you wouldn't believe. I couldn't imagine the night sky could be so lit up with so many stars as BRIGHT as they were. I now wished I took a picture of it.

P.S. Please, do click on the collage pictures above I've made just for you so you can see something. Otherwise the pictures are just too small.

Christmas at Jean-Luc and Phoebe

We were invited by my brother Jean-Luc and his wife Phoebe this past Christmas.

Jean-Luc and Phoebe have a nice home in the suburbs of Atlanta, in the northern part of Gwinnett County.

Esther and her family were there. It was nice to see them again.

The Palmers (Phoebe's parents) are a regular at their Xmas parties. They live in Florida and they are from Jamaica so we always get to eat some good Jamaican food at the party.

The afternoon went well with some singing and games after a very nice meal.



It's nice when Kelly and Leah get to see their cousins. This time, it was just Ashley and Bradley. Jacques and his family were vacationing in Florida and John and Frida are in Togo.






It's interesting that after spending time birding this year, we became atuned to bird calls wherever we go. Debbie and I got up a couple of times to check through the windows to see which birds were singing. All of a sudden we seem to be aware of birds around us.

The Year in review.

2008 is almost over. What a year! Every year seems to be unique and different. This year turned out to be not any different from the others, that is, unique and different!

Kelly started college this year. You almost feel old when your daughter is in college, driving her own car. No, no, I don't feel old at all, on the contrary. I lost 15lbs last year and never got them back, and I'm not even looking for them. Lost and gone for good, I hope.

Our multiple trips to the Dominican Republic were replaced by multiple camping trips and bird watching. Fun! Only Andre made one trip to the DR this year, for 1 day, for business! No snorkeling, no white water rafting, no waterfalls climbing, or any of those fun activities. I just went to sign papers, take care of utility bills and transfers and ... back home. I did spend one morning on the beach in one of those cute restaurants on the beach in Cabarette, having a loooong breakfast while waiting to head to the airport. It was cool to watch people parasailing and windsurfing, but I sure wished I was doing "it" instead of watching people in the water. Gosh, the Dominican Republic can be fun!!! Best kept secret in the Caribbean! Wanna go? I'll be your guide if you pay my airfare. Deal? (Hey! Don't forget Debbie!) You'll have a blast.

2008 was the year we discover what State Parks are for. Camping and enjoying nature. We did our share of camping, not so much because we are great campers, but more because that's all we could afford. It turned out to be a lot of fun. Right now, I wish I was camping somewhere! Oh..., not really, I wish I was in the Dominican Republic right now, or Togo for that matter! I'll go back camping next spring. We've learned a lot about birds, and watched a lot of birds. We did four State Parks in one year: F.D. Roosevelt, General Coffee, Santa Rosa (in Florida), Reed Bingham. We loved them all. Santa Rosa SP at Grayton Beach wasn't really camping because we rented a cabin instead of staying in tents. It's hard to say which one was the best because the State Parks with the lousy camp sites have the greatest trails.

This year is the year we ended up on a tight budget. Business is down with sales (no one is buying, I think, and I may be wrong; I just don't have deals good enough for these times) and we are so desperate in getting tenants that we are not getting the best ones because people are breaking in the vacant, ready to move in houses especially. So we want to rent those vacant homes instead of keeping fixing them up. You've got to see this to believe it; people stealing electrical wires, copper pipes, water heaters, forget about the AC units, you've got to take those quick or they're gone prompto! Remember, we're in real estate. The economic mess we're in started with real estate. So, it seems like we got hit first. Unfortunately, it seems like we keep getting hit because we haven't hit bottom yet. When Debbie is inspired, she said we can always go live in the woods in tents. We'll love it! Really? Oh yeah! We have two tents, sometimes I seem to forget. I guess that's what she was talking about.

At least we still have a loving and comfortable home in Macon! You feel love when you come to our house. People don't know what it is, and we don't tell them, but our house is filled with love. And peace. Anyway, we don't have to go live in tents. I always have a plan, and I'm always excited about my new plans. I'm excited about all the money we're going to make next year, and pay everything off, and go buy a country home in Georgia near the Alabama border, a home where people can come play "Rook" all they want. James, you hear that! We can also drink beer and wine, and eat good food. Everybody knows Debbie is a great cook and I'll help in the kitchen. We'll have chicken roaming around, vegetable gardens, (I'll like to have rabbits!, taste good!), plenty of solar panels and windmills, living off the grid...unless we don't make all that money we plan to have, like usual. Well, if all fails, my Dad left 200 acres of land in the middle of nowhere in Africa that none of my siblings really want. I know you are reading, brothers and sisters, and I know you don't care about Atsintsin, so I'm telling you now that I'm going to set up in Atsintsin if I have nowhere else to go. Debbie and I will hunt the gazelles and the wild hogs, and build a dam on the river. I saw huge flying squirrels last December when we went check it out. I'll hunt those too. They looked like game to me! (Anything that runs in the woods is good for you. These were flying!) I'll occupy 20+ acres by the time I get set up, by the river. I'll have to be by the river so I can fish! I'll need all the land I can get for all the people who will be working for us "for food" on our farm. I've got to give them something. You can come visit. What the heck! We'll cook you gazelle meat with "koliko", "fufu", and "galifoto". (For those who don't know what those are; they're good African dishes). We'll laugh all day, and run around like kids again.

My Dad passed away last year, and Levin passed away this year. Both passed away at about the same time of the year. Both "crossing overs" were very unexpected. Guys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, if you are planning to pass away next year, listen up! Put it off till the following year, like 2010. I don't think I like these good people dying on you all of the sudden like that. If you're thinking about it, just put it off. Deal? There is really no hurry going to the other side. People like to think the grass is greener on the other side, but it's really not! Just hang around a little longer, then you can go do whatever you want. This only applies to those who are planning to pass away on me in 2009. I love you all, stick around.

Obama got elected president this year. It felt weird to me. He is going to be the first black American President!?!? I feel he is so much like me. We're born within a week from each other, same year and month. Half black, half white, from African and Caucasian decent, like me, but considered black in America. How did the black blood become dominant in determining race? I never figured that out. He is smart, dumb, and naive, like me. How can a person want to be president of the United States of America unless you're smart, dumb, and naive? Just to start off, you get old in 4 years for carrying the burden of the world problems on your shoulders for 4 years! Why would you want to do that if you're not also dumb beside being smart? Can't you figured out anything else to do if you're just smart and not naive also? Then you get into politics??? You've got to be smart and dumb. But I voted for the guy. Someone, smart enough, has to do the job of cleaning up house and getting things back in order. Heck, I like McCain until he deeply disappointed me by changing so much to please the "conservative coalition" base. So I looked back at Obama that I didn't like at first. No experience, you know. But then, I was impressed by his judgment and the people he surrounded himself with. Just to confess, and don't get mad folks, Hillary was actually my first pick. The lady impressed me right off the bat! It felt like she could get things done, then came Obama. So was 2008. Very unpredictable. That was my year, unpredictable.

This post should provoke some comments! Post some. And remember, the most interesting posts are the "old posts".

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Levin, we miss you, we love you.

We remember Levin as she passed away this past November.
We all gathered at James and Melba's house for a memorial for our sister and sister-in-law.

Everyone showed up, which was beautiful.

Levin's passing caught everyone by surprise because we were just not expecting it.

Levin is a beautiful soul. She did not care what anyone thought about what she said. She just spoke her mind. She loved nature. She grew her own garden of vegetables, a corn field, and a blueberry's patch (with Don).

Debbie and I were at Don and Levin's not long ago before she passed. We enjoyed ourselves. We were happy to see them both. Then, just like that, she was gone, a candle snuffled out in the wind. How more precarious can life be!
Elvin and Linda just got in, hugging Mama and Debbie. It's just nice that the people you don't get to see often were there for their sister, like Louis and Elvin. Can we see you more often? I enjoyed a very good conversation with Elvin. Can you come visit us sometimes? If a person scrambles Levin and Elvin's names, you'll get the same letters; and both love nature!

Martha brought some good pulled pork for the occasion which everyone enjoyed. Carey brought his "new" motorcycle "which everyone enjoyed". I rode it too. Fun! Then we rode James "new" ATV. Fun! Then Don wanted to play a Rook game. Great! I played too. Isn't he the widower? Actually, that's what Levin would have liked. "Don't be too somber about me, have some fun too". Well, we were there to honor her. Some people even watched the football game!!! Some memorial!

Levin, trust us, we love you and miss you. We had a sad memorial and a fun one too. Because you always laughed.

Remembering Papa

This 17th of November marks the first anniversary of Papa leaving us. Everyone remembers him fondly. You have to be a really, really good person for EVERYONE who knew you to only say good things about you. Papa was such a person. A loving father to his children who made each one feel special, a father to the orphans he met, an angel of God in time of need for those you needed help, a messenger of God spreading Good News to people and a mentor to many, the list can go and on.
I remember how people would always be nicer to me whenever they find out I'm his son!
I remember when I was in Lome after his passing, a man flagged our car to stop. He said he heard that Papa passed. He continued and said that Papa set up a hospital in his village (it must be a dispensary) and his family and anyone else could go there and get free medical care. He deeply regretted that he passed away. How did he know me? I was with Debbie and the driver. He knew the driver and when he saw me, he thought I must be one of his children. What a privilege to be the son of the unselfish man who spent his life building schools for free education and "hospitals" for free medical care.
I remember that as a child my Dad never had any extra money (because he always gave any extra away to someone in need) but he always had enough to make us happy. God provided for us because He knew my Dad. They were friends. They communed regularly. That check will come from Switzerland or Germany or France just on time to pay the electrical bill.
I remember Papa taking us to the beach to play soccer. Boy, we had fun! He can shoot that soccer ball.
I remember the trips to the mountains of Palime, at Missahoe. Cool, quiet (he loved the quiet), pleasant, and just him and his kids. Our special moments. Usually, there were no other guests at the motel we regularly stay in.
I remember when I was in the Dominican Republic, always thinking that I need to bring my Dad here, he would like these pretty beaches, these cool mountains, I need to get him a place here, he would love it. Little did I know, he appeared here among us to do a special labor of love, he was done, and he had no time to enjoy life a whole lot. He went back home where he came from.
Well, Dad I'm coming to see you (after I turn 100! earth years). We'll have fun when I get there. Get the ludo game and the soccer balls ready! You made me a better person by just being you.
I love you, Dad.