Before the parade passes by

Greetings from day two of  St. Croix AgriFest 2014!  The day started out rainy and gray but ended up
as colorful as a rainbow, with every possible shade of madras plaid on the many family members that went by.

Quadrille dancers in full regalia--swishing plaid dresses  & matching starched head wraps with white eyelet trim--paraded by one after the other, bound for the stage and a lively performance.  And I survived the second full day of torture, watching patrons go by burdened with bags and boxes full of gorgeous & colorful tropical plants that I would most assuredly have spent every penny I have on, if anyone had been foolish enough to watch my booth.

Just some of what I made in preparation for the fair...see more at  fromthecjewelry.com

Eager culinary students met in the Innovative tent in the morning to compete in a test of culinary skills and knowledge.  And speaking of eager, Stephen O'Day and his famous donkey Eeyore came by, giving happy children rides through the fair.  Those not brave enough to ride walked along, gesturing excitedly.  One little boy just stood stock still, gaped at the furry, friendly beast & squealed.

Even bigger squeals came from adults running into people they hadn't seen for years. Agrifest is always a source for homecoming and a lot of people come to visit their families during this special time of year.  Some people come home for Cruzan Christmas carnival and some people come home for Agrifest... and some people come for one and stay through the other!  There were college students home on break, running into old classmates, schoolchildren running into current or former teachers,  and just a general whole lotta catching up going on.  I must've overheard the question how's mommy? About two dozen times today.

Also eager and enthusiastic were the two impromptu interns that helped me sell today, Naomi and

D'Janee.  They pronounced my work their favorite at the fair and when I commented that their clothes even matched the colors of the booth and that they could be spokes models... they took me seriously.  They pitched to passersby in the street for about 20 minutes before their enthusiasm flagged and they moved on, but I was very happy to have them there. They were bright and sunny and despite their age (probably 11-ish) would be an asset to any company lucky enough to have them.  Thanks girls!

Joy in a Rainy Night, by Lea Ann Robson

My 'office' booth by the ship pier in Frederiksted

So the ‘Adventure’ has sailed away & the weather was merciful & didn’t settle into this torrential rain until it was well out of view.  Merciful to the visitors, because we wanted a bright & sunny day for these refugees from ice & snow, & we got our wish.  As for us, we don’t mind the rain.  99% of our houses are built on a cistern as the foundation, & we collect water from our roofs & contain it below for our daily use.  We shower & wash in rainwater, & though some of us have connections to the ‘city water’ system, we’d all rather use our cistern water first, before having to pay through the nose for pumped or trucked water. 

So it is pouring & loud (most of us have a roof of tin or galvanized), & the temperature has dipped to a chilly 78.  Sounds crazy I know, but 78 & rainy feels deliciously cold when you’re used to the sometimes sultry daytime island temps.  The dip made me crave & eat hot soup for dinner, & I’ll go to bed early & actually have more than my usual sheet on the bed.  My akc (all kinds Crucian—put together from all manner of spare dog parts) dog is grateful for her thick fur right about now.  She’ll wait until I’m snoring & sneak in the bed to burrow next to me tonight.  I guarantee it. 
 

Company Is Coming! by Lea Ann Robson

The car is loaded, packed as tight as a hybrid can be.  Laundry is hung to dry (including today’s bathing suit).  Banana/Mango smoothie (product of my prolific yard) is frozen, along with my big water bottle.  Iced coffee is chilling in my big stainless mug. 

'Bamboo wrap' sea glass necklace

The cases in my car are loaded with fresh designs, from palm trees to earrings, to holly clusters, all bright & cheerful & as happy as I was making them over this last week.  The only thing left out is my tools, wire, bells & some glass.  I can never put those away until the last possible minute, always thinking ‘what if there is an emergency & I need to make reindeer…tonight!?’  Don’t laugh.  Could happen. 

Tomorrow morning will start at 5 & not too long after I’ll be at my spot on the seawall in Frederiksted by the pier.  I’ll be building my little house (tent, actually), decorating (filling tables & hanging racks with all my designs), & then I’ll put on a fresh coat of lip gloss, fluff my hair & wait.  I’m waiting for company.  I’m waiting for you.

Aqua long earrings

You got on the boat in Bayonne, or Miami, or San Juan.  You’ve left snow or freezing rain, or just bare trees & days when you can see your breath.  You may have had to scrape your car windshield before you could start the first leg of your trip.  You’ve been at sea for days or weeks or just hours.  You may have been to St. Croix last year or this could be your first trip here.  You’re on vacation, & I’m lucky enough to live where you want to visit. 

Believe me, I know how lucky that is.

If I don’t know that tonight, I’ll definitely know by the time you have to get back on the boat tomorrow.  Because for one day I get to talk to people from all over the country & the world, find out what makes them happy or curious, & share a lot of my island & a little of their vacation. 

I’ll meet honeymooning couples & people celebrating landmark anniversaries, & those will leave my booth with a handmade memento & my admiration of their faith in love & their fortune at finding the one. 

I’ll meet kids slathered in sun block & curious about sea glass & how the waves & surf make this phenomenon.  I’ll meet kindred souls who have been beachcombing as long as I have, & I’ll listen with some envy as they describe beaches full of treasure scattered all over the globe. 

My 'From the C' booth by the cruise ship pier

I’ll recommend the St. George Botanical Garden to all who ask about attractions, because I have so much affection for the place that after renting for 16 years here, I actually bought a little house in the neighborhood (knowing I’d be able to grow stuff there).

And as you board the ship & sail off to your next island or the final port on your journey, I’ll pack my tent, load my hybrid & return to my permanent house to water my orchids & pineapples, to skritch my dog Mu, & to think about the connections made with you on one day of your vacation. 

With luck I’ll have an email or a blog comment from one of you who I met a year or a month ago, one who was hesitant to break the connection or anxious to make the move to paradise.  I hope so!