Blogswap 2011

Shanoy, from Jamaican Mommies is taking over my blog for the day.

I'll be back to my normal programming later in the week, after I get all of my pictures edited.

When given the task of a blog swap with a very heavy photo content, coupled with the 'summer' theme, I instantly got excited...After all, I live in the Caribbean where summer means sunshine, friends, sea, fun, party, food, exotic locations, out of town treks, relaxation and the like (I'm already excited remembering the fun I had and continue to have this summer)...

In the midst of my fun though, it would be useful to note that as a 20 something mum and wife (who blogs over at jamaicanmommies.blogspot.com), summer fun often has to incorporate the family. So here goes my very own Jamaican mum's view of summer (complete with images) to maintain the essence of the My Life in pictures blog.

Also note, I'm trying to steer clear of the very 'touristy' image one gets of Jamaica from the tourist board ads, to really show some of what I think an 'average Jamaican does for fun in the summer

Also as one who resides in the country's capital and works within the 'new town' of New Kingston, this is one of the many lovely views I'm privy to from the office floor...It certainly comforts during many lunch times when I'd much rather be sprawled on the beach...

Then I'm a lover of the 'country', having spent great deal of my life in a fairly rural area of St. Catherine and being quite appreciative of the fresh air, cooler climate, animal sounds and general sense of calm, we had to make a summer trip out of town...

And what would summer in Jamaica be like without the river or beach??

So here we are on one of the many beach treks made this summer

And to balance it all out, I also journeyed with friends to this river we found along the border of St. Andrew and St. Mary (Castleton Gardens/Ginger River)

Then when we felt just a little bit touristy, we journeyed to one of the island's many All-Inclusive hotels, Iberostar Resort in Montego Bay! In a word Fabulous! Especially if you get the chance to check out the Grande Suite which provides waitered service, fully stocked ...heavenly!

and yet another

Then back to reality, there is a whole lot to do, like just jogging in the Emancipation Park in Kingston with its sometimes controversial statues.

A boat ride over to one of the island's many sub-islands (cays), in this instance, the ever popular Lime-Cay off Kingston's coast proved most appropriate.

Oh and for the super adventurous, a trek to the island's Blue Mountain range is a must...I didn't dare travail this path in the summer, but did do it over the Easter weekend and so I just have to include two of the fabulous scenic shots

You can also check out local offerings such as the Mystic Mountain and Sun Coast Adventure tours which offers skywalking experiences, zipline, bobsled etc.

and with budget considerations, house parties have become a good choice this summer... a few close friends, everyone contributes to food and fun fun fun... It works!

and of course the annual Independence gala is a big to do as we celebrate Jamaica at 49..Oh my this country is starting to get old :-).. so there's a shot of us being all patriotic

and because this post could go on forever, let me just say summer in Jamaica also means cool beverages, lots of food and the like... so after all the hectic stuff and as the day winds down, I enjoy a refreshing summer mix, yum!

Alas, time does not allow me to go on, but it is my hope that you would have gotten a good enough peek at some of the interesting sites that makes for excellent summer fun in my island home...Happy reading as I prepare to watch a local play "Charlie's Angel" , which is guaranteed to provide a belly full of laughter, this following my enjoyable episode last week with the local movie Ghetta Life, now showing in movie theatres here.

Walk good and enjoy!!

Adventures with Brioche

Alright, I fully meant to post pictures of the Easter Egg Hunt we had on Sunday, but I forgot to grab my memory card out of my camera this morning.  Whoops.  I'll show you the hilarity that was Sunday tomorrow, but I thought you should see the wonder that is my (in)ability to bake bread with cheese in it.

Brioche stuffed with brie.  Brioche is buttery, eggy, fluffy goodness of bread.  Seriously, it's heavenly.  I attempted to bake brie into it, but it didn't quite turn out.  It was still delicious.  I ate it, because, let's face it, I'm all about carbs and cheese.  My mom and my friend Katie had some too, and they liked it.  I'm not the only crazy I know.  

I think this bread-baking endeavor was the most fun I've had in the kitchen in a while.  I'm going to try it again soon.  This is going to be a tasty adventure for me.

-Erika

Easter Preparations

For everyone that didn't already know, Easter is this Sunday.  I'm not religious, spiritual, or whatever, so Easter is more about getting together with family for me.  This means I get to make the house pretty and smelling delicious while everyone else is at church in the morning.  Yay!  We've already started putting decorations around the house.  

This bunny is somewhat terrifying and hilarious at the same time.  He (it has a bow-tie, so it is male) squeaks when you squeeze him, and he's three feet tall.  I think this is a little excessive, but we've had him for years.  The dogs think he's a new friend to play with.  I like hitting people with him.  It's win-win for everyone.

For Easter dinner (dinner? brunch? I dunno.) we're not having ham or lamb.  My brother wants steak, so we're eating a lot of beef this weekend.  It's his birthday, so I'll let it pass.  My job for this feast is to bake bread.  I tried out a recipe for Irish soda bread to see if I could actually make something passing for bread.

The final product actually turned out!  It's delicious and perfectly dense.  One tiny loaf is like 2 pounds of bread.  I'm excited.

Penny's job is to look pretty.  She's doing a pretty good job practicing so far, dontcha think?

I wish I had her job.

-Erika

Soggy Socks

It's no longer snowing, but I'm still soggy.  In other news, I went to lunch with my old roommate, Melinda, on Friday.  Yes, I'm just now getting around to writing about it, but I had to get over the snow thing first.  

Melinda and I are on a mission to find a Mexican restaurant to rival our favorite from college.  A restaurant of this caliber is proving elusive in Minnesota.  I think it is because there are zero restaurants in gas stations here. I dunno.  We ended up at an Ol' Mexico in the Twin Cities area.  I won't go back, as I had a couple issues with it.  First, the margaritas were less than mediocre.  I make better margaritas and I don't have a blender.  Second, a very nice young man offered to make us balloon flowers.  Kinda hokey, but I didn't mind that part. It's a family restaurant.  I minded the balloons.  I'm terrified of them, because they make loud noises when they pop.  They will always pop.  

Needless to say, I refused the balloon flower.  Melinda did not.  

The object of my phobia sat in my car for twenty minutes, and I had to deal with seeing Melinda carry it up to her dorm room.  With KEYS in her hand.  Whatever.  I'm over it now, and I will avoid anything with balloons for a very long time.  

On a happier (for me) note, my dog is evil.  She stole my mom's boyfriend's shoe.  Normally she will just chew anything she finds into little shreds of its previous existence.  This time, she just carried it to the other end of the yard, leaving Fabian to hobble across the damp grass in his sock to get it.

I laughed.  And took pictures.

I could have helped, but I didn't want to walk across the yard.  And this was kinda funny.

Seriously, the dogs just looked at him like they had no idea why he wasn't wearing both shoes.  Or why he was telling off Sniper for taking the shoe.  Obviously she was chuckling in her head.

Clearly, she is a devious one.

Things I love, Part I

Here are several things I am currently gushing over:

1. Diet Dr Pepper Cherry. 

I was skeptical when I first saw commercials for it two years ago, but I'm hooked.  Apparently cherry flavor makes everything except for cough syrup taste better.

2. Reading. 

I am not actually reading anything at the moment, (weird, right?) but I am about to undertake the epic journey of Stephen King's Under the Dome.  Seriously, it's over 1000 pages.  Epic, but not Homer or Virgil epic.

3 and 4. These two pups.

I know, I know.  Not exactly puppies anymore, but they're annoying and needy and smelly and perfect.

5. Going to lunch with Momma.

Her lunch was a Thai chicken and roasted soybean salad with some kind of vegetable soup.  It looked delish, but I didn't try it.  I was too busy stuffing my face with the following wonderment:

A simple turkey sandwich with arugula and red onions on asiago focaccia.  I had broccoli cheddar soup, too, but really soup is soup.  Not really anything to gush over.  

Lunch was fun, even if Momma had to go back to work.

6. These people.

Momma and Brother.  This was taken in Mexico in December of 2009.  It was our Christmas present.  Brother doesn't look like a sleaze ball anymore, either.

Seriously, we're a fun bunch of people.  I'm on the right with the cute shirt.  I'm not sure whose idea it was to accost this poor statue, but I'm sure tequila was involved.  That resort had some fantastic margaritas.

What are you currently gushing over?  I really do want to know.

Making out with my Nikon, Day 1

I finally got my Nikon D3100.  I'm in love.  I haven't had much time to mess around with it yet, but Saturday approaches.  Why must work always interfere with fun things?  I tried to make the dogs cooperate with my need to take pictures of them, but they just needed to be in my face whenever I entered the same room as them.  Honestly, I was a little surprised they didn't follow me around like they normally do.  

This is Penny.  She's huge, needy, and a leaner.  Seriously, she has almost knocked me over on several occasions.  She also refuses to look at you when you want her to.  She's the smelliest of the two.

Here's Sniper.  She's always in my face, trying to chew on me or something I'm holding.  She's hyper, annoying, adorable, and she drinks about a gallon of water at a time.

Seriously, in your face.  This was her doing, not mine.  I guess she's just curious.

Penny just needs to be close, but she still won't look directly at me.  

Unless she is somewhere she shouldn't be, like the couch.

Sorry, mom.  I can't help it.  I have no backbone when it comes to these two.  It's tough to be a dog.

Again, adorable.

Oh, yeah.  Breakfast was delicious this morning.  

Did I mention I'm in love with my camera?