smiling in south carolina

robin and i made it back to tilarán early this morning...time for me to unpack the suitcase and make a pumpkin pie! this afternoon, bobby, robin and i finally had our better-late-than-never thanksgiving dinner. the works....it was so good! and there are lots of leftovers, too. love, steph

robin's saturday afternoon antics included spelling his name with chicken soup noodle letters. there didn't seem to be any H noodles, so my name didn't make it out of the bowl.

okay, i know it's a bit early for thoughts of christmas (it's early for ME, anyway. the stores here are already stocking gold glittery ornaments and stuff) but the christmas poinsetta in front of our house is on its own time schedule and it's blooming! i wanted to post this picture before the neighbors start sneaking off pieces of it for their christmas decorations. there is also a white poinsetta bush peeking out from behind it which will also be quite pretty whenever it decides to bloom. last year i transplanted it and it withered down to a pathetic nub in the ground, so i'm just happy it's still here! it grew back healthy and happy. the little tiger striped butterflies are all over these plants right now. have a happy day! love, steph and robin

sick, that is.... he looks pretty healthy and happy for a little boy who claimed to be "all achyandsick" a few hours ago. now that he's officially out of school for the day, it's another story. but it's been windy and rainy and cold here and he HAS complained of an on-again, off-again tummy ache all week. at the moment he is teaching the neighbors dog to sit and shake. hm. anyhow, i thought you'd like a happy picture of my special guy. have a happy weekend!

NOT boiled peanuts, NOT turtle eggs, and NOT doodoo! those bags contained coffee beans. actually, they are coffee berries. aren't they cute? apparently someone around here made their harvest and sent it off to be processed. some guys picked up the bags later that afternoon. inside the berry is the bean and it's not black, it's greenish gold. they call that the "grano de oro", or grain of gold, since it's so valuable. valuble in more ways than one! i can't imagine my mornings without a cup of hot coffee-or 2.