Bummer Boat Day!

We went out to the Secas Islands yesterday,

a trip that we've had to put off for one reason or another several times.

Anyhow, we finally made it...

And were lucky to have made it back home!

Billy recently had some work done on the engine,

 evidently the guy was unqualified!

Oh-well, long story short...

they were able to get one dive in

 and we hung out at the beach for a while before things went awry.

(PS The brand new 'back up motor' with zero hours, shot too)

Obviously I didn't get many pictures,

three guys hunkered over an engine didn't make for many smiles!

 We brought 1 fishing pole, which broke...

So we had to break out the big guns.

 Dylan jumped in to see if there was anything hanging out with this drift wood.

No luck there either!

On the way home we stopped off at 3 1/2 Palms for lunch.

The good news is, we didn't get rained on!

 

Another finished gourd!

 I started this one before my trip to Florida & finished it last night.

 As excited as I was to use my new Dremel bits,

I found that good old fashion carving knives achieved a more detailed look.

Time to hit the drawing board for a new design...

To me that's the hardest part...becoming inspired!

 

Ha!

I sold my 1st gourd today!

Yay me!

$25 for a very simple design!

Go me, go me!

It's better having the money in my pocket than something else to dust on a shelf next to my work bench!

Ha! ;0



Sunday boat trip

 

The boy's are preparing the 'air machine' for the 1st time!

 

There she blows!!

Portable air lines for diving! Yay!!

 They set out from the beach for a practice run. 

 Though there are enough lines for 3 people,

I was trying my hardest to stay out of the sun...

so I stayed ashore, playing in tidal pools with the fish:

 

It was a nice day!

Billy & Dylan had fun...even found lobster!

Maybe next time they'll find enough for a meal,

and ones without eggs that we can keep!

Into the Wild!

Ok, I need to get caught up on some blogging.

Here's some wild life that's been visiting the island:

Remember the unfortunate story about my opossums?

Well Bingo only captured one of two,

 I'm hoping this is the other...all grown up!

This picture was taken from the front porch

where I've spotted him many times.

He's awfully comfortable being so close to us...

Anyhow, here's to hoping!!

   

The "Common Tent-making Bat"

They bite the leaves of palm fronds to bend, or "make a tent."

Pretty cute for a bat...?

A finch has taken up residency in some deco block down at the out building.

I've made him a nesting box, but don't think he's taken to it as of yet.

(PS He sings the most lovely little tunes!)

Just your typical wood-pecker...

Thought he looked pretty sitting on my flower.

Well, I've finally done it!!!

Captured the "Laughing Falcon" on film!!

I've heard him laughing soooo many times 

but haven't been lucky enough to see him!

(Too bad I didn't have my zoom lens with me )

I love monkeys!!

This guy has been hanging out on the island quite a bit also.

(Unable to identify in my bird bible though)

Black Iguana...just chillin'!

 "Mr. Raccoon" that was stalking my parrots...

 

My latest project....

I've just completed 3 gourds.

Instead of paint, I finished them with polyurethane wood stain.

The pictures don't show how well it really worked out,

but I love it and will definitely be finishing others the same way.

This first one is my favorite:

It's 6 1/2" tall, 4 1/2" wide

I don't yet have the proper bits for the kind of detail I was trying to accomplish,

which made it hard to 'get perfect,' 

now I know!!

 

Here's a picture before I stained the next one:

  

After:

Again, it was so hard to capture the detail in pictures!

(Also, the texture of the inside of the gourd is much different, and not as pretty as the outside.)

The 3rd:

 

 

 

Crafty Me

When we bought this table, it came with a glass top...

that only lasted until it was about half way out of the box!

To replace the glass would have been $500...!?

So, for $100, we bought another table!

Billy cut a piece of plywood to fit the original

and we've been looking at that for several years,

until now!

I decided to take my boredom out on it and gave it a new look!

PS If your interested in doing mosaic, 

I can tell you everything you don't want to do!

Amazingly enough, I didn't loose a single piece during the grouting process!

(I couldn't be happier to be done!)

I'm starting to run out of room for my (very organized) shell collection...

and since the outdoor bathroom needed a mirror, and the theme is beachy...

I did this:

Also, a shell wind chime and a bird house:

And finally:

A QUILT!

My first in Panama!!

Well, it was actually something I had in the works before we moved down.

I'm not fond of it much, but everything was already cut!

Anyhow, to pull it all together, I made some pillow covers.

Well, there you have it.

Now I am without a project and going crazy.

I spent some time at the beach today collecting some shells,

trying to get inspired,

with no luck!

I guess I'll get caught up on blogging...;)

One more thing...

Before I close out 2011, I have to add these:

His 2 favorite Christmas presents!

Video game, from Grandma Barbara

and a hand made gun rack, from dad.

(I put the finishing touches on it, but that was about all!)

Below, a couple pics from one of the parties we went to.

All in all, it was a quiet but nice Christmas.

OK, maybe a bit lonely.

 I wish it wasn't so damn cold in Florida this time of year!

Christmas in July anyone...?!

Holiday Boat Trip

 To celebrate the holidays we went out to Isla Secas!

We did a little fishing...

and little beaching!

As you can see it was a beautiful day!

Hope you all had a happy holiday season!!



Our last guest(s) of the year :(

Well, here I am again behind as usual!

She's been gone for a month now and I'm just getting around to blogging it!

Barbara and Vicky's visit:

We went out to Isla Secas and had a wonderful day!

Unlike the weather during my dad's visit,

they enjoyed sunshine the whole time they were here!

Rainy season can be fickle that way!

 

Dylan found a (sick) Hawksbill Sea Turtle...

Poor little guy!

 

(I just love sea turtles!!)

Dylan enjoyed some spear fishing!

On another day Barb and the boys went out for a little fishing trip:

(African Pompano)

(PS Dylan is actually taller than Barb, I don't know what happened in this pic!)

Well, that's it for pictures.

The last week or so Barb was here we were in the hospital with Dylan.

The next thing we knew she was leaving...:(

So that's it for company this year.

If you haven't been down to see us yet, or it's been a while,

WHAT are you waiting for?