Monroe, Virginia

I've been in Monroe now since last Monday, November 1, 2010. I'm taking care of a cousins farm while they're enjoying time spent together in Greece. Tis' the deal I made...they watch Ashley, my dog, while I was in Haiti & I would come take care of the farm for them till about November 20th. Not a bad deal either as I think I definitely got the better end of the deal!
There are only 4 dogs, including Ashley, & maybe 20 chickens, but my days are actually very busy here. Although the days are long, they go by very quickly. Next thing I know, it's tomorrow!
I feed the chickens in the morning & evening, give them water every 2 - 3 days, check for eggs, put them all in their area in the evening, lock up the fence at night & turn on the electric fence in hopes that no predators get in during the night.
The dogs, well they're a lil' more work. Not really more work, but for only being 4 of them, they definitely take more out of me than the 20 chickens do! They want to go out all throughout the night, sometimes at different times. Needless to say, I'm not getting much sleep! Lily, a 10 year old black lab, & I fight for real estate all during the night in bed. She's one of the most stubborn dogs I've ever met! She eventually likes to sleep on top of me. Sometimes I wake up & she's just sitting there staring at me. I wonder what she's thinking? She also has to sit on me while we're on the very long couch. When I brush my teeth, she comes in & lays of my feet under the sink. She's at my feet every move I make. If it's not her, it's Ashley. Ashley has been really good about it though. I think she realizes that the shoe is on the other foot now & feels for the pack because their parents have left them.
Zenia is a 12 year old, medium sized black lab & had been a bit depressed when Sue & John first left, but seems to be doing better as each day passes. Her & I also fight for real estate in the bedroom at night, but she settles in at the bottom of the bed much easier than Lily.
Hansel is about 17 years old, we figure, is deaf, partially blind, had been hit by a car in his early years, so he can't sit, only lay down. He has a thing for trash, not that most dogs don't, but Hansel, once he gets into trouble, gets into trouble! By Thursday, Hansel had to spend the night at the vets down in Lynchburg. Picked him up on Friday & he is doing very well now! Smile back on his face & he has his trot back!
All the dogs have great dispositions. Who wouldn't living on a farm with Sue & John? They have it great here!
We hike through the mountains every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. It's invigorating, & good stimulation for the mind, body & soul. I love it here! It's the most time I've ever spent alone with myself & I am totally enjoying it! I like my own company, shopping for my meals & cooking for myself. I have people to talk to if I need to, but as of right now, I don't feel the need. It's nice to just "be" sometimes.

Back Home...

We're finally home again! Can I tell you how grateful we are?! As many of you may already know, Haiti has had a lot happen since we've been there. Now the people are battling cholera amongst all the other battles they must contend with on a daily basis.
We returned from Haiti on October 13th & we did the Batsto Country Living Show on the 17th, nice day, but not a good show for me. That's ok though, not every show is "my" show. We left the following day for Monroe, Virginia, (near Lynchburg) to collect my dog, Ashley, & debriefed for several days in the great care of Sue & John. Sue is an awesome cook! She made fresh bread for us on a daily basis, I had honey for my tea from her bees, & most everything there is all organic. We walked around Lynchburg one day, went to the apple orchids, hiked through the mountains every day, had a bonfire outside one evening & generally just relaxed. It was nice to just "be".
John has recently updated his phone to a Droid & it's amazing! We played with it throughout our stay, but what I loved the most about it was viewing the solar system above me & below! Very cool times we live in!
We came home late Thursday evening & left for the Pocono's on Friday, taking along with us our grandsons, Mason & Mark, & son, Steven & of course, Ashley.
Saturday we went to the little town of Jim Thorpe, not far from the house, & took the kids on their fall foliage train ride. The kids loved it! We have taken Mason several times, but this was Mark's 1st time. We then returned home, picked up Ashley, & took the boys hiking at Mudd Run. Quite the little hikers these boys have turned out to be! I was really impressed! There wasn't any whining!
Sunday, after cleaning up the house, we took the boys to the old train tunnel at Leigh Gorge State Park & then onto another hike. They couldn't get enough of hiking! It makes me so proud!! It was very different hiking at the park though. We haven't hiked there in years. Although it's a nice hike, there were lots of other people & the trail was very busy. There were also a lot of dogs so Ashley had to be kept on a leash. Something she's not used to when she's hiking. We usually hike like we camp....away from everyone & everything! Just free to be!
We arrived back home last night. I'm sick, fighting a nasty cold, flu or something, but this too shall pass. It's good to be here. The end of the week, I'll be in New York at the Photo Plus Photographers Convention at the Javits Center & then back to Virginia to take care of Sue & John's farm while they enjoy each others company in Greece for a couple of weeks.
Till next time, take care of yourselves & each other, everybody needs someone at some point!

Batsto Country Living Show...

This Sunday, October 17th, 2010, I'll be at the Batsto Country Living Show. Not sure of my space number, but come on out & enjoy a great fall time! The leaves there are usually spectacular this time of year! The cranberries are a must to come home with for the upcoming holiday season's dinner table & it's definitely time to start thinking about holiday gifts.

I hope to see you there, stop by & say hello!

Haiti ~ Home

We arrived safely back to into the USA on Wednesday evening! We can't begin to tell you how happy & grateful we are to live here! We appreciate so many things as we walk around our home. Turning on the facet & the water comes out, turning on a light switch & the light comes on, having a door to open to our home that we love so much, good food & being able to cook on a stove & then clean up after it with clean water in a sink, the shower...you actually come out feeling clean, television, well, that I'm sure I could live without, but it is a nice luxury, but that's what it is, a luxury. I get mail, it may not always be good, but, I have a mailbox & people can send me things! I'll be going to the food store today & I will love every minute of it! I'll be like a kid in a candy store! AND...security won't be waiting outside the door to take me to my guarded vechicle. I feel free, safe, the air is breathable. But, the best part of all is seeing my family again.
Steven came to pick us up at the airport. He took us to dinner at the Library in Turnersville on the way home. I couldn't get enough of him! It was so great to see him! Truth be told, I think he was really happy to see us too. Crista came yesterday morning with Mason & Myla & spent the better part of the day with us. I just can't begin to tell you how wonderful it was to see them as well. Myla came running across the house with her arms wide open towards me, I picked her up, spun her around as her legs flung through the air, she hugged me & kissed me! We danced, cooked breakfast, played games, did puzzels & read books together. Myla's vocabulary has increased to a point that I can now have conversations with her. It's amazing! Mason spent some alone time with his Mom for a bit, came back & worked on making electricty happen. He's such a smart child. Usually, when I tell him I love him, (mind you he's 9) he'll just reply with "what you said". Yesterday as he left, he said the words, "I love you", he turned, looked at me as he walked off the front porch with these eyes that really meant it. They missed us too. Now, I can't wait to see Mark.
There's a fire burning in the fireplace, fall leaves are changing & the air is crisp. It's a beautiful thing! I love this country! I love my family & friends & thanks for supporting me no matter what. You all know I'm crazy! Was it worth it.....yes. To see what we've seen & to have went through what we went through was definetley an eye opener. The images I have taken while there, well, that was worth it too. Would I go back....I don't know. There would have to be some serious discussion about that & reasoning behind it. Never say never.
Thanks to all of you who have kept up with us while away!
This weekend.....Batsto Country Living show on Sunday, Virginia on Monday till maybe Friday & the weekend in the Pocono's! We deserve it! After that, back to work. Can't be anything like Haiti though! It'll be a pleasure!

Haiti...The multi talented Ronnie AND Our Friday night!

The men only have one day off, so, this is "Friday Night". No big deal except being able to sleep in in the morning. The guys are stopping at the Food Giant on the way home again, so I'll make breakfast for anyone who is up for it.

Unfortunatley, the helicopter ride & mountain excursion seems to be cancelled at this moment. Colin, the pilot, has another flight scheduled as per his boss, so we got bumped. I guess you have to go where the money is. We're bummed, but, some things just aren't meant to be. I will let you know if anything changes though.

I went to the jobsite yesterday. Alot has changed! They're on the last phase of the market & are making good time. They won't be finished today as they had hoped, but like I said in an earlier post, stuff happens.

Yesterday, the guys errected more columns, connected beams inbetween, put up some roof trusses, unloaded the trailor, conferred with other officials, Ronnie began to plumb up the building....the list goes on & on, they are SO busy all day long! It only ends at 5:00 & then the arduous ride home begins. And if it rains, depending on what vechicle you're in, you could be detained a bit longer at the botton of the hill on the home stretch.

We're now looking at being home around mid week or so. Although, I don't know what happened weather wise down in Port Au Prince today, but, we had a intense rain storm pass through here. It rained so intensely, not for too long, but there was a lot of water!

I uploaded another album on facebook today, titled, "Haiti_jobsite_ October 8, 2010".

I will go again probably on Monday & Tueday too as this will be the end of the job & as important as the beginning

Looking forward to seeing my kids, grandkids, family, friends & my dog & of course all my many luxuries at home for I feel like such a rich person. I have so much when "All you really need is love"! (The other things just makes life so much more bearable, but they truly are luxuries.)

Oh, sidenote...it would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday today.

Haiti...A Brand New Day...

The time gets closer every day till we depart this place, but the horrors we've witnessed here may never abandon our minds. Even the stories the men come home with stick to my thoughts throughout the middle of my nights & days.
They told me of a young girl around 12, hair all matted & wearing nothing but a shirt walking the streets & it had appeared she had been out all night in the rain. I can't imagine her story. The one I have in my mind is not a pretty one.
The children finally began their schooling on this past Monday. They have not been to school since the earthquake. Some won't return because the parents haven't any money & they must pay, not only for the schooling, but they need clothes, shoes & school supplies. My grandson, Mason, had gathered many of our pencil collection, (God only knows how we ended up with so many in the first place) & sent them with me to give out to the children here. I gave them all out to the men on the job that have children. I wish I only had several thousand more.
And if you think our govenment is bad, you should visit a third world country. I've seen this too many times where the rich get richer & the poor, well, the goverment likes to beat them down every chance they get. They don't make it easy for a child to get an education. There is so much needed here. Education being the first thing that comes to my mind. The people's dream here is to one day come to America. If they made it a better place to live here, then why would one want to leave? The weather may be hot, but it's the Carribean....you think, sun, fun, beauty...they have hunted all the native wildlife here to extinction, the fish as well, the trees cut down, & water??? I've told you how they bath themselves.
This is what I would do....As much as it rains here, give them large barrels to retain the water in, (just think of your daily water use in one day) put them on stands high up so they could be gravity fed.....compost so that they could start a soil program to begin their own gardens, a food source to be better able to care for themselves, start a seed exchange & teach them when to gather seeds for future plantings....grow sustainable forests, trees or shrubery like euculyptus, bamboo, & what ever is indigenous to this area....a fish hatchery & replenish the sea...raise chickens, there sure is enough roosters CROWING from 2:00am on.....some cows, goats......and if they can't afford schooling for their children, some of the more educated parents could run a home schooling program where they could alternate their schedules so as they could continue working their jobs....teach them how to recycle, it would cut down on all this trash & let them earn a few dollars turning their trash into some other useful item. They could even make toys, shopping bags, birdhouses & such out of recycled materials to sell to tourist to make some sort of income....ok, what it all boils down to is EDUCATION. The Government has the money. We know they do. But instead, they live their corrupt little lives behind walls with barbed wire so no one can steal from them what they've stolen from the people. Alright, guess I'd better stop now...I am still in this country.
On another note....It seems Pat will not be keeping the part of his finger that was reattached while here after all. Pat, if you read this, please keep us updated with your progress. We're keeping you in our thoughts & prayers & of course wish you all the best.
The men think they are winding down with the Iron Market & the end seems to be in sight! They may be finished on Saturday, but don't hold me to that. Stuff happens. Sunday, we're going to go up in the helicopter in the morning & after that, Colin, the pilot, said he would take us up the mountain where the air is cool, there's an awesome lodge up there that has great food & the scenery is beautiful! We can't wait!
There is another facebook album with jobsite photos from the last time I was there. I am now offically caught up! Till tomorrow that is! I'll be going to the site the next couple of days so I can capture the finale! Of this phase anyway, which I think was the biggest part of it.
I'll be in touch when I can! Till then, stay well, take care of one another & Love, Love, Love!!!

Haiti...

Hello Everyone-
All is well here & we're adjusting as well as can be expected. Whenever someone here thinks they have the upper hand on us, we come up with something else! We people from the east coast live too fast & too seriously!
I went to the jobsite yesterday, Tuesday, October 5th. It is coming along quite nicely, although with one less man, they are really feeling the difference. PAT....WE MISS YOU!!!
Instead of a normal raising gang of 2 in the air, 2 on the ground & 1 raising gang foreman, whom is Billy, he is taking up slack elsewhere where ever he is needed....so he's everywhere! Ronnie is doing the same. They have Haitians working with them as well, but they aren't used to working the way our guys are. Our guys rock!
Once again, I leave for a couple of days & the Iron Market is being transformed into what is was meant to be. It's very impressive!
The heat index has been around 100 or so & if you can't find relief in the shade when your working, it takes it's toll on you. You also have to drink A LOT of water. Yesterday, Ronnie finally got to run the crane so they could finish out the day. The crane operator was seeing stars & needed to step away from the crane. Ronnie ended up running the crane for the rest of the day. He loved it! It was written all over his face!
I got to ride in the basket on the crane yesterday & went up 100 feet. That's as far as the crane booms out. I didn't realize how close we were to the water & the Port District. It's only a couple of blocks or so away. This is supposed to be the worst area in Haiti....and so it seems. I knew about all the people around us as I get onto of the tractor trailors full of steel sometimes when I hear something going on outside our walls, & I have been on top of the steel up in the air too, but you don't realize the magnitude until you're up that high. It's quite a site.
Something that really phased me yesterday on the ride in to the job was a small boy, about my grandson Mason's age, 9, was standing on a busy street corner, (well, I guess they all are) & was totally naked, pouring a cup of water over his head, washing himself in the sewer water. He was alone. That image will remain burned in my mind forever. This is how we've seen many people wash, in the sewers, with a bucket, along the sides of the road with the water running down the street, it goes on & on....never take water for granted AND teach your children well...do not waste!
We went out for pizza last night at a place the guys found while out on Sunday called Muncheez. The food was good, but we were there for around 3 hours by the time we were done. It took so long to get our food. Tip: NEVER get the american cheese...ALWAYS ask for mozzarella!!!
We had another thunder storm last night. Nothing unusual about that, but it was a good one! Lot's of rain & lots of noise! It was great to be inside, safe & sound listening to it happen.
Today I did my laundry by hand in the bathtub. It took me 3 1/2 hours. I have a whole new respect for my washing machine & for all the women here who HAVE to wash their clothes by hand. It's a backbreaking process And just let someone from up above throw down shovels full of old dried leaves & you can begin the entire fun process again! ANYWAY...don't get me started!
The guys just got in so I have to close now. It has been good talking to you all! Please continue to send messages! We love hearing from home!
God Bless!
PS I just uploaded 156 images from Saturday at the jobsite. I know I'm a little behind so I'm giving you a little teaser with the images from yesterday on here today. I'm catching up as quickly as I can!!!
PPS I hope this all makes sense as it's been a long day & I can't think straight anymore...sorry!!

Haiti images update...

I've added more images at the end of the "Haiti" album on facebook. Originally, I had planned on creating a separate album for each new upload, but, facebook was giving me issues with that. Maybe next time.

These are the airials from the helicopter ride.

Enjoy!

Oh, & thanks for all your mail, emails, & comments! They are really looked forward to & greatly appreciated!

Haiti Images.....

I have just posted 99 images on facebook for all of you to see. If your not already a "friend" just send me a friend request so I can add you to my list & you'll be able to view the album. Do a search for Holly Horner or Holly Horner Photography as I have 2 pages apparently & I have posted the albums on both. The Holly Horner one has editing, names & a little other information on some of the images. By the time I posted the album to the other page, I decided to just upload them & if I get the chance later I will label them. Right now, I want to work on more images for you all to see.

I'll be posting more as I edit....please be patient with me!

These images are from my first day at the jobsite.

I'll work on more today & do what I can, but tomorrow I go out to the jobsite again.

I don't bring my laptop there because I can't babysit it every moment of the day....I'm busy out taking pictures! The conex box is not kept locked. Although, we do keep a pretty good eye on it. We do have to monitor our water situtation for the guys. We can buy more, but, things are very expensive here & we try to count on what we have. We drink A LOT of water.

Hope to hear from some of you soon...

Hugs,

Holly

PS In this image of Billy with guys on his birthday is Ronnie, Lance, Richie, Mike & a new friend from the UN, Jim...he's actually from the states!!

Haiti...We extend our sympanthy....

We would like to extend our deepest sympanthy to John & his family for the passing of his Mother on Saturday.
John, stay strong, we know you must have so many treasured memories of her & years gone by.
Don't worry yourself about the job going on here. Ronnie, Billy, Lance, Richie, & Mike are taking care of things on this end & will make you & your company very proud.
We would also like to extend our sympanthy to Ronnie & his family on the passing of his Aunt on Friday.
Ronnie, we know you couldn't be there in person, but know you're there in spirit.

Haiti Happy Birthday to Billy Day!!

Today is Billy's birthday! It worked out perfectly being the guys only day off this week. So far, we've celebrated in our room, making Billy & all the guys a nice breakfast. Not something they've had since they've been here. (I did the best I could with what we have to work with!) Right now, we're trying to set up a helicopter ride for this evening. I hope it works out as I had one the other day & it was freaking AWESOME!!! I met Collin, the pilot, here several days ago. A nice guy from Canada & works as a bush pilot there. He's been here since March & will work here for a full year. He had to go to the airpot for fuel & asked if I wanted to go for a ride.....what else would I say??!! It was only 8 minutes there & 8 minutes back, but, so FREAKIN COOL!!!!

On another note....we have one man down. Pat. He cut off part of his finger on Friday afternoon. He was rushed to a clinic along with Ronnie by his side. Shortly there after, the part of his finger that was severed off followed. The doctor there took very good care of him, reattached the finger, shot him in the butt several times with antibiotics & pain killers, & sent him on his way back here to the hotel. Everyone thought it be best if he returned home immediatley for care in the US. The clinic was clean & everything went as smooth as possible, BUT....well, you all get it. Ronnie & I dropped him off as the airport yesterday morning to fly back home.

We miss him terribly. Pat, if you're reading this, please know how much we miss you! We wish you a speedy recovery!!

With one man down, the others are taking up the slack quite well, but, not that it's easy. Thank God for the team that we have here. If all continues to go as well as it has, we should be outta here by maybe next weekend sometime, but, we'll see.

I went to the jobsite again yesterday, Saturday, & I can't believe how the job has progressed! Even though it has only been a few days since I've been there last, it amazes me how much these guys can accomplish in such a short amount of time. They literally work their butts off.

There are still language barriers between crane operators, guards, & guys they have put to work up in the air on the steel, but everyone works these issues out. If they don't, Ronnie comes along & will jump on a crane in a moments notice(!).

I have photographed the site from every angle, up in the air, on top on the steel, on top of the tractor trailors, on top of the conex boxes, & on top of the RX building next door. The surrounding area is so busy with people, it's amazing that many people can fit in the size of that area & still have large trucks pass by them. Blowing their horns nonstop, of course, but they do manage to dissappear somewhere past them.

There was a UN tank out there yesterday. There was something going on, but, by the time I got up onto the tractor trailer, the only thing I witnessed was when they let off the water gun once on someone & then moved on past us. They had all four corners covered from the top though, fully armed. When I zoomed in on them, they were once focused in on me, talking on their radio.

I don't stay in one place to long as to not be anyones target. I move around alot. I think I drive the guard crazy! He follows me around like a puppy sometimes!! But, hey....that's cool!

I know a whole lot more people on the job now, which is nice. I think for the most part, everyone is really nice. I noticed that a smile goes a long way. It's universal, everyone understands it, & it opens alot of doors.

There were about 300 bodies located near the jobsite yesterday too. So sad. There are said to still be approximatley 30,000 to 50,000 people still unrecovered

Before I came, I was in touch with a friend who said learn the language if you can, they even appreciate you trying. (thank you Michelle for hooking me up with Christine!) I learned a little french before I came & can tell you, the little I learned has gotten me far. Of course then people think you speak the langauge & go off on some conversation that I don't understand! Sometimes I can get by, other times I have to finally break down & say "english?"! I plan to continue my french lessons after I leave just in case I return. (or end up in France sometime, I hear the food is amazing!!!)

Well, we're not flying today, but we may on Saturday if the guys finish the job by the end of the week.

I'll be staying here tomorrow at the hotel & promise to post images somewhere. I may have to post them to facebook & I will create an album there & let you all know if I do & where to go.

I can only post 5 at a time on here & to go through my website, I still only have so much space. Facebook seems to be the best way to go at this point for all of you to see alot of them.

The guys returned from their adventure downtown with a cake for Billy! We all sang Happy Birthday & attempted to have cake. I say attempted because after 1 bite, we couldn't eat anymore! It tasted like sawdust! Not that I ever ate sawdust, but I imagine if I had, that's what it would taste like! It was terrible! We had a good laugh though! I'll try to make another cake this week in my electric frying pan. It says it can...?!

Well, that's all for now. I'll let you all know tomorrow about where to find the pic's.

Keep in touch, stay safe, & Love, Love, Love.....

more Haiti jobsite pic's...

few more..I'll send more tommorrow

more Haiti pic's...

I can only load 5 at a time, so here are 5 more....

Haiti, the jobsite...

I went to the jobsite with the men as planned yesterday. It was everything they had told me it was. The day was long & grueling. On the ride there we wittnessed an accident beside us. The one thing that probably affected me the most was the dead dog lying in the road as everyone drove around it. We were told that evening that it would probably be on someones dinner table that night. The ride there was long, but not as long as the ride home. There is more traffic in the evening & there are traffic jams everywhere. Our driver really knows his way around though & takes us down side streets that take us back down before we go back up again.
I wasn't as shocked as the guys thought I'd be at the jobsite. It was definetley everything I thought it would be. It was hot & dirty & the smell from the raw sewerage & the decaying bodies is sickening. In the background of one of the images I'm attaching, there is a collasped building that 300 to 400 bodies had never been pulled out of. It's like this everywhere. I imagine the people were so overwhelmed with a body count of 300,000 that they eventually just stopped recovering them. Besides, where were they going to put them anyway?
The building the men are errecting is going to be a farmer's market for all the people to sell their wares in. They are building a replica of one that is sort of still standing. It's going to be beautiful! The ornamental wrought iron & cast is georgous! I think it'll be one of the prettiest places around. And if there is another earthquake, it'll probably be the only one left standing.
The guys are doing an awesome job! I'm so impressed & so proud of them! People everywhere stop and watch them. I see them on the rooftops of surrounding buildings singing! They gather & climb up high on the ruble to watch them. They wave, blow kisses, & are so happy to see this happening! Ronnie put together a great crew. The other men there compliment on how well the guys all work together & how hard they work! Some of them are watching to learn how our guys do it.
Ronnie put one haitian to work that I had been talking to all throughtout the day & this man was undescribably beaming with pride, he was so proud. He had told me earlier in the day that he had lost his wife in the earthquake & that he was raising his 4 children alone.
These guys are really making a difference here under devastating circumstances. We should all be so proud of them.

Haiti, the reality of it.....

The men had a grueling day yesterday. This is going to be another one of those days where I'm not gonna lie to you.
They came in somewhere around 8:00pm. They said it takes them about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for their return trip. The roads are bad & they are sometimes dodgeing ruble in the roads left from buildings that have fallen during the earthquake. Some are even partially down, leaning towards the road looking like they are ready to fall at any given moment.
There is a portajohn, (sorry, I can't do spell check as my laptop is only giving me french now & I'm really not that good, although, I pull it off as if I am!) but it is so bad that the men come running out vomiting. It's that bad. There is no other place to go to the toilet except in the streets & surrounding areas. This is where all the people seem to be going & it smells like it too.
They don't want to eat much as they are in fear of having to "go" on the job. They're trying to work something else out for these issues.
They said the smell of dead bodies fill the air & is sickening. Over 300,000 had died & many have never been recovered. How sad. I imagine many had died waiting.
There are some language barriers here at the hotel. Sometimes amusing, sometimes not.
All I can say is I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad I brought my own food, tylenol & toilet paper. It'll get us by. Today the men will be stopping at a food store on the way home & will be looking to supply their rooms with some items to get them through the nights when they return after a long day down there. One of the men's wives is sending a care package to him. Hopefully it arrives. I know somewhere along the way thru the airport, my food bags had been gone thru & I'm not positive, but it looks like some things are missing, I just can't say what. I had been packing for a month & a half. All in all for the most part, I'm still good.
Tomorrow I will go to work with the men against Billy's better judgement. He doesn't want me down there, but you know I have to go. Today he told me he doen't want me to be joining with the UN either that I'll only be recovering dead bodies. I don't know about that, but, it is the first time he's ever told me what to do. That's never been something that's been an issue between us. Ok, he wouldn't let me work for National Geographic either, but that's another story.....
He told me not to leave the gates of this hotel. I never did see any of the Un or Red Cross workers yesterday anyway.
I feel guilty being here all day in such an area that could use so much help. I do understand how dangerous it is though too. When they asked me what I did yesterday while they were away, I hated to tell them. I read a magazine, took a nap, went for a swim, slept again poolside in the rain, oh & I did get alot of work done that I brought wioth me. Thank God I've brought so much as I'm going to need alot to keep me going. The tv is in french & only has a couple channels. There is a tv in a bar downstairs that plays sports in english, but, that's about it. Radio is in french too. I'm glad I downloaded so many of my cd's before I left too. It's nice to be able to listen to music during the day while I work.
There is another side to the Haitians here as well. Last night there was quite the function here with about 100 people attending, all very well dressed. It looks as if there is another one here today for a different group. Of course they are held right here where the only internet service is & I continue working right in the middle of them all. And I fell so under dressed! I didn't bring any really nice clothes!
Oh well, I'll never see any of these people again anyway!
I'll try to keep you as informed as I can. Of course there will be many stories that only the men will be able to share with you.
Till next time.....stay safe, appreciate EVERYTHING & EVERYONE, for life can change in a heartbeat forever more.

Haiti Arrival!

We have finally arrived in Haiti. The hotel, Ibo LeLe in Petionville, is beautiful & is probably the best hotel to stay at here. There is a pool, a restaurant, wireless service, & great view of Port Au Prince. The hotel staff is treating us very well & does a wonderful job with all the upkeep that this place requires.

Upon arrival at the Haiti Airport, we were escorted to a bus in which took us less than a mile to passport control. When finished with passport control you went directly into the baggage retreival area. It was EXTREMELY hot! Coming out of there, we were greeted by all sorts of luggage carriers begging to take care of our luggage for us to an outside area where pickups are permitted. A little frustrating, but, we managed. I did have to yell at them once because the 3 men began to fight. I told them I would have to separate them if they didn't stop. They laughed & did stop fighting. I don't want to tell you what we paid for this service. We always do seem to "live & learn" about the first day.

We were greeted by John, the owner of the company who put this incredible job together down here. He had a van waiting for us. When loaded, we drove straight to our hotel which was a ride not to be forgotten. We drove thru Port Au Prince where the earthquake in January shook their world here. The tent cities were everywhere along with other make shift housing. The people had their shops set up all along the streets where ever there was room alongside the ruins from buildings gone down & the heeps of trash that I don't imagine gets picked up too often, if ever, by the size of the mountains we witnessed.

The men woke up early around 4:30ish, met at the restaurant / bar that we hung out at last night for awhile at 5:30am to have breakfast, in which they were dissappointed because it didn't happen. It's the first day & there are inevidiblely always kinks to still work out. The trucks were on time though to take them to their jobsite, so that was good, and they left around 6am. It'll be a very long day for them.

The tempture hovers around 98f everyday here. There was a welcomed storm last night in the evening that cooled things down a little. We are located outside Port Au Prince on a mountain side & are up higher so it's a little cooler here than it is down there. I pray the men fare well today. I feel for them.

When we pulled up to our hotel, the parking lot was filled with UN & Red Cross vechicles. Last night I seen many workers come in after their day & today I will try to connect with them. I'd like to do some sort of service while here if even only for a couple days a week. I will also go to photograph the jobsite at least one day a week, if not 2, & then work on other projects that I brought along with me for the rest of the week.

The electric goes in & out here, not that that matters, & they still experience earthquakes / tremors, around 4 on the rictor scale. The last one was Friday evening.

I will keep in touch as often as I can.

Please leave comments, if the blog will allow it, I would love to hear from all of you as well! If you cannot leave a comment, please email me or facebook me as I will come up to this one certain place that I will be able to recieve them.

Airport...

We're finally at the airport....updates later today.

Still here.....

After a rough day on Wednesday, I made a good comeback yesterday. I'm not gonna lie to you.....this has been a roller coaster ride....
I went to the beach, bitched to my dear friend, walked, & definitely felt better afterwards. Then I went food shopping. After all, we had thought we would be gone by now & the cupboards & fridge had went bare by this time. I figured, might as well eat good food while we're still here. I don't think food will be as accessible when we do get to Haiti.
Yesterday, back to work.
Today, I think the beach is beckoning me again!

Haiti Adventure...

OK...time to begin posting as most of you think that we've already left for Haiti and we're still in the US.

Originally, when Billy was approached to do this job, I told him I thought it would be a great project to be part of. He said he would go if I went with him. As you all know, I'm all about an adventure. I was in.

As time went on & it became closer to leave time, there were production delays on the steel. After that, there were 2 hurricanes so the barges could not leave as they only leave on Wednesday & Fridays so we needed to wait another week.

Since then, the barges had left, arrived, & now there have been holdups in customs. They have confiscated all the water & a con ex box full of tools. Last week they even wanted all the paperwork rewritten in creole by a certified creole interpreter. Presently, it's all about the mighty dollar.

We have had flight plans several times only to find out the afternoon or evening before that they had been cancelled & rescheduled. This last cancellation has resulted in a Sunday morning flight out of Philadelphia to Miami, then onto Port Au Prince, Haiti.

We'll see when Sunday comes.

I'll be in touch as the Haiti adventure continues!

I guess it's better to be held up here instead of there.

Frustrating??? To say the least!

Ocean City Boarwalk Art Show

The Ocean City Boardwalk Art Show went very well! Thanks to all who came out & stopped by to say hello! We had a wonderful weekend, but, yes....it was HOT!

Many interesting things happened while there......1st was the saving of a seagull by a fireman, who had caught it's head in between the crook of the light post on the boardwalk around 9th street. We had thought it was already too late, but then soon discovered that the seagull was totally exhausted. He came down in the hands of a OC fireman & left in the safety of an enclosure for rehabilitation.

Later there was a man who was freaking on his son, in front of his family as well as everyone on the boardwalk, using foul language, screaming, when a woman grabbed this man by his shirt sleeve as he began to walk away and gave him a piece of her mind. This woman was a hero! This man was way out of control & his family, especially his son, was being verbally abused. I pray he gets the help he needs.

There was also a woman who had a battle of wills with her 2 year old named Holly. I could relate with this little girl as I also was a strong willed child. Anyway you look at it, threatening to leave your 2 year old on the boardwalk 9:00 in the morning because she is having a meltdown is not the answer. Mom was maybe 75 - 100 feet away & was, in my opinion, way too far. Dad finally came as Mom walked way away, picked little Holly up & left. 2 is tough, we all know that.

Then on a brighter note, there was a little old couple dressed in the Victorian era that was the cutest thing I've seen in a long time! How refreshing it was to see a couple dressed as they were, looking totally in love, strolling down the boardwalk without a care in the world! I can't figure out how to upload from facebook so you can see the images, but if you go to my page, you can see them!!

Thanks again to all who strolled the boards & checked out the art....it's important to all of us who are trying to keep the arts alive!

Ocean City Boarwalk Art Show

Next weekend will be The Ocean City Boardwalk Art Show, August 6th, 7th & 8th. Come on out & show your appreciation for the arts! I'll be between 9th & 10th, closer to 9th Street. Stop by & say hello :)

Petition to Halt the Use of Chemical Dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico

Petition to Halt the Use of Chemical Dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico

Galeton was superb! The lil' town carnival, the fireworks, the lumberjack fest.....very cool country stuff!

On Sunday morning before we left to go back to the Pocono's for the night, a bear came up to the back yard behind the cabin we were staying in. I went out there to photograph her & then another smaller bear came. I believe it was a mother & cub. The larger bear became a little annoyed with this smaller bear & became a bit aggressive towards it, charged & chased it right past me. The ground thundered beneath me & I had a lil' scary feeling right in the center of my belly....but the pictures were all worth it!!!

Our hosts were the best! They took great care of us & showed us a wonderful time! They have a little slice of heaven up there & sure know how to appreciate it!

We brought back "Sky Lanterns" from the

carnival which are similar to miniature hot air balloons. They are made out of biodegradable materials, have a pad that you light in the center of the bottom opening, they rise into the sky & only come down when they burn out. They are truly magical! Last night, we went to my son, Steven's, new house for dinner down at Jeffer's Landing and we shared them with the kids, grandkids & a best friend with her son.

Very awesome time...nobody got hurt & we didn't burn anything down!

4th of July weekend & Upcomming show schedule

This weekend we'll be spending it in Galeton, PA, Potter County. I just found out the other night that this is the darkest place on the east coast & astronomers come from all over the world to view from this area. How cool is that??!!
Besides that, there is a very cool lumberjack festival, a carnival & the best fireworks display we have ever seen!
We'll be staying at a cabin way up on the mountain without electricity or phones. However, there is a generator. We're sooooo looking forward to this!

On another note...I miss Africa every day.

Upcomming shows.....This is the schedule so far.....August 6, 7, & 8th, I'll be on the Ocean City Boardwalk, NJ.....September 11th & 12th, The Brandywine on the Brandywine River in Wilmington, Delaware.....September 18th & 19th, The 28th Wings n' Water Festival, at The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ.....October 17th, The 25th Annual Batsto Country Living Fair at Batsto in Hammonton, NJ

Ocean City Boardwalk, NJ

Thanks to all who came out over the weekend on the Ocean City Boardwalk! You helped make the weekend a success!

Mayfest at Smithville, NJ, May 15 & 16, 2010

This weekend I'll be showing my art at The Mayfest, in Smithville, NJ. I'll have new work from Africa, "Ukutula", The White Lion Conservation Reserve!
Stop by & say hello! My booth # is 114.
I hope to see you there!

Leaving Africa....

As I sit and watch the sunset over Johannesburg, memories of my experiences at Ukutula play through my mind. It's almost gone now...I watch the last minute...it's over.
Although it has only been 2 1/2 weeks, it seems so much longer. I already miss the cubs, Emma, (the 18 month old cheetah), the tiger cubs, and the roaring of the lions throughout the days and nights. The sores on my hands will linger on for a short time longer, but the bottle feedings from which they came will live on in my heart forever. I will miss being in the bush for I am a bushgirl in my heart, my soul and from within my every being. There is truly nothing else like it. The peaceful, zen like atmosphere can not be duplicated. The sounds of the wild, the air that you breath, the smell of the earth in its purest form. It will all be sadly missed.
Although it rained often, even if it was very unusual, it was a blessing, even though it sometimes kept us from what we would rather have been doing.
I have learned so much here.
I have met many new friends from many different countries and hopefully our paths shall cross again someday.
Yes, I am in love with Africa, but not as much with what calls me home, but I shall return again, and again and again.

New Baby Lion Cubs!

We retrieved the new baby lion cubs from their enclosures today. The rangers had moved their Moms to another area before we got down there. Upon their return, they may only look around for a few moments, then go on about their business as usual. This is what would happen in nature as well.
When we returned to the lodge with the cubs, we weighed them, bathed them, held them some more and named them. I wanted to name one after Richard, but with all the controversy between the volunteers, it got voted out. Still not positive what the final outcome of names were except 1, Michelle. She was the only white one and a female who was named after one of the volunteers that was here for several months and had left this afternoon.
There was 1 other female and 3 males. There had been one more, but earlier in the week there had been a disturbance between the lions and the cub had been killed in the middle of it all.
It was absolutely incredible to see them, hold them and photograph them especially at such a young age. (Less than 2 weeks old!) Although this was unusual to take them as soon as we did, this is usually done at 3 weeks old.

Lion cubs growing up...

I was on cub team today. The cubs are now too big to feed with a bottle anymore. Today will have to be the last day. They are too aggressive while feeding them and scratch and bite us. For now on they will be having only meat. In the morning we will be taking the new cubs away from their Mothers and putting them in with the other cubs. These are the cubs that were born when we arrived. It'll take them 2-3 days before they begin to suck on the bottle. It should be interesting to watch from the very beginning!
We had lots of guests today including a school from Brits. I really enjoyed working with them and Vince, the lion I had was extremely good!
We leave on Monday and it's so hard to believe it's been almost 2 weeks. I will miss this place a lot. It has been quite an education and the interaction with the lions has been amazing! Gill and Willie keep this place in such incredible shape, not an easy task, but they work very hard at it and it shows. The whole family works at it together. It'S a beautiful thing to watch. It's a wonderful experience for anyone who comes here.

Lion cubs get a bath!

Park was awesome yesterday! We had seen rhino, jackal, elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, blue wilderbeast, impalas, warthog, brown hyeana, springbok, kudu, and a full moon! We had a picnic lunch by a lake and a really great time!
We arrived back at Ukutula at 7:30/19:30 just in time for dinner.
Went to bed after that.
Today I decided to hang out close to the cubs.
First we fed the cubs and then we bathed them. It was actually harder feeding them their bottles than giving them their baths! It went a whole lot better than I ever could have expected!
We got confirmation on the cause of death of the tiger yesterday as it was an pnemonia.
After lunch we will have to clean the gremlin pen again. I just hope we don't let them all out again. I can't imagine having to collect them all as now it's just Richard, Laura and I.
Seems hard to believe we'll be leaving in 4 more days.

Sun shines again in Africa!!

Can't believe the rain has finally stopped! It's sooooo nice to finally see the sun again!
Today Gill is taking us to Pilanesberg, a game reserve that is supposed to be like kruger Park.
Yesterday, rained most of the day of course, we had a cow delivered that had died in a ravine giving birth. We fed it directly to the adult lions.
After that we went to the vets place and picked up the dead tiger out of their freezer. The plan is to have it stuffed for the wall. For now it has just been placed in our freezer.
We also picked up the dead chickens.
Late lunch after that. With the rain, there's not a lot going on, so off to edit some more n then a short nap.
Woke up n everyone was at the bar, joined them n then had a late dinner.
We watched "Green Zone" after dinner.

Tiger passes away

I had cub duty today. This included making bottles, an 11:00am proper feeding, and then feedings when guests came which was 4 times today + the one I missed because of consoling the owner of the large tiger who died. (This was the meat feeding)
It was really quite sad. We're not really sure yet what the cause was, but at first was told it was a snake bite. The vet is now performing an autopsy. They really need to know as to not endanger the lions.
It's still raining. Not EVERY minute, but MOST of them. It has rained every day since we've been here but one.
It was finally wash day and thank God cause I have no clean clothes. I didn't bring enough warm clothes, they just didn't make the cut in the end. And then, I brought more shorts that I may never get to wear. Isn't that how it goes?
I think I forgot to tell you that our 5th travel person from our group finally made it out of the UK and arrived here yesterday. Arrangements have been made and he will be able to stay the extra week that he missed.
Richard had interesting day of killing the cow that they went to go fetch, collecting dead chickens, cleaning up old construction material, go to the bakery in Brits and having coffee at a neighbors farm. Busy day in the rain and I think it's wearing on him. We try to take care of him as much as we can.
Laura, my room mate, busies her self with her music and drink concoctions and is preparing for the punch at the bar this evening that the owners son made this afternoon. She really does have a lot of great music!

Sunday with the lions....

Yesterday was an off day. It was nice not to have to be anywhere, although I was on kitchen duty again. I don't mind as everyone here really pitches in n helps out, so it not that much work.
I did go for another lion walk, only this time with 9 toddlers! There were 3 of us that went. It was amazing! I LOVE walking with lions! It's just so freeing!!!
Played with the tigers some and they are calming down a lot too.
Ate too much food as it gets better n better n we also had tea n cake because it was Sunday, in the afternoon.
Hung out in the room editing the rest of my free time n in the evening.
Got a rash on my chest during the night on Saturday night and one on my face Sunday night. Changed all bedding today and sprayed under bed. They think it could be a spider bite.
Richard is feeling better now as he had a slight cold it seems. He scored Ginger wine while in town on Saturday n it seems tpo have worked!

Rain Day

(Saturday, 24, April, 2010)
It has been raining since yesterday afternoon so they decided to let us have the day off pretty much. I'm on kitchen n ranger duty today. I don't mind the kitchen duty at all, but thank God we didn't have to go fetch any dead animals. I would have done it, but riding in the back of the pickup truck n getting across some of the cow pens in the rain would have been rough, not to mention dragging those dead cows by hand in all that mud.
Richard, our relentless 72 year old man from Australia and has more energy than a lot of people I know, had cub duty again, so he had to tend to the cubs n I think he had 2 cub interactions with guests.
This morning after breakfast, when it was decided it wouldn't be a work day, 12 of us piled into the Land Rover n caught a ride to town (Brits). Just a lil' one horse town, but it was nice to go there. We were there for about an hour n then returned.
Had an awesome lunch, (as the food keeps getting better n better as each day passes!) Then returned to our room with a hot cup of tea n took a nap. Sweet!
I woke up, edited a lil' as this is going to be completely overwhelming, then went n played with the cubs as I do with most spare time. I've become quite attached to these animals.
Dinner, then back here to do this to keep you all updated on this amazing adventure I've been on!

Lion Cub Duty

Friday our team was on cub duty. This work entails making baby bottles in the morning n hand feeding the lil' cubs. It, like every other was an amazing experience! We then missed breakfast, but we didn't go completley hungry though as Melissa n Laura made us toast + we had a few other scraps that were left. All in all, it was worth it as we won't be bottle feeding that same schedule anymore because they are getting too big. The only bottle feeding now will be 8:00am n when we have guests for cub interaction. Lunch was pretty good actually n good thing we ate before our next chore of taking the meat n dead chickens out of the freezer to thaw for the next feedings. Fowl is foul. In the afternoon we had guests to monitor. I love the looks on their faces! Even though I can't understand what they're saying, their expressions say it all.
We cleaned the gremlins pen, which at one point about 20 lions got loose, (not my fault, by the way)but, shortly after, surprisingly, they all came back. These are medium size lions.
At 16:00 hours Jill, one of the owners, took us to see the newest additions to the cub club! They were born the day before n the day of our arrival. They were so small n cute! Mommy of one of them almost came through the enclosure at me. A lil' scary at times, but, I tried not to let on(!)
Then off to feed the chickens n meat to the cheetahs n bigger lion cubs, n we also introduced larger pieces of meat to the littlest cubs. They took to it very well.
Then dinner n called it an early night.
Oh, and lots of rain.

A Day at Ukutula

Cell wouldn't work last night so...Yesterday...we began the day fetching another dead cow, then on to the dead chickens. Those cow are extremely heavy, but those chickens smell so foul that I'll take a dead cow over the chickens any day. The ride in the back of the truck wasn't so bad yesterday as it was dry at least, even if it does smell bad from cleaning out the lions cages. Played with the tigers again till lunch. Laura went to town with other volunteers, n brought us back some supplies for our room for when we miss our next meal. Richard went n delivered the cow we fetched to the lions.
We had lunch, which was not bad n our team had kitchen duty yesterday so we haD to clean up n set up for dinner. We played the waiting game for a bit n around 17:00 we went for a walk with lions in the bush down to the watering hole so they could go for a swim. It was a beautiful thing!
Back for dinner after that n then onto the bar for a proper send off for the Germans that just left about an hour ago. We played the Adams Family Game, (can,t tell you how though, it's a secret.) n then they had wanted me to see the Genie.(Long story)
Retired after that n actually had a good nights sleep.

Our 1st Work day with the lions!

Ok...so excuse me if I seem short sometimes as I'm doing this on my blackberry n it's not that easy. I pd for toggle to laptop, but they forgot to tell me it didn't work in gsm (?) mode.
Today...8:00am, (SA time)had breakfast n went straight 2 work cleaning out the lions pens, then off to get rid of the goodies we collected, old poo n bones n such, to the bone yard. This is still on the property as the property is approx. 800 acres, n is a hugh hole in which they dump everything n burn it. While some of us do this, the rangers n some others play bone baseball. It was a hoot! Can't wait to sho you pic's! Then we collected sand, Then off to fetch dead cows 4 the lions. These were at other farms around the area. We brought them back to Ukutula, (the place where I m) n came to lunch, late, needless to say, I now get what they mean you have to eat when u can around here.
After lunch, straight off to feed the teenage lions n the bigger ones. WHEW! We were exhausted. I then played with the baby bengal tigers. Yes, they tore me up, but, I survived. They are much rougher than the lions They let go after that so off to regroup n take a much needed nap. Thank God I woke up in time for dinner. WE have a food plan though as we are going to get a ride out of the bush sometime soon, go to town, n get supplies to keep in our room for just such an emergency. We do understand why everyone is so skinny now! Hey, I could always stand to loose a few lbs so I'll survive.

Lion Cubs!

I can't begin to explain the feeling of being with these baby lions and cheetahs.
This is truly one of the most fascinating moments of my life! Even with the lil' babies attacking you, you can't help but to love them. Tomorrow we work with the rangers. There were 3 new cubs born between yesterday and today, 2 brown cubs and 1 white one. Another surprise was the delivery of 2 7 week old bengal tigers! I must sat they're a lil' more rough than the lions though.

Union Building

I'm @ the Union Building now. Very cool to be walking where Nelson Mandella has walked.

I'm in Atlanta, GA airport right now awaiting my next flight. I've got an almost 5 hour layover, taking off at 19:45 & will be on the plane for the next 15 1/2 hours after that going straight to South Africa.
Sad news, it does'nt look like my friends Bob, from Dublin, Ireland, & Anton from the UK will be able to meet on time & possibly, not even at all. The volcaneo in Iceland has an ash cloud that is covering most of the UK at this time & shows no sign of blowing over anytime soon. BUT, we're still keeping our fingers crossed & hopefully they will make it to the project. They will be missed.

Farm Daze...

Began my day with breakfast at "Howell's", great food & excellent company! My daughter, Crista, & grand daughter, Myla took me out before I leave them for awhile.
Stopped by my friend Tracey's house after that. I needed to drop something off & wondered if we could do one of our walks together. Tracey lives on a farm with horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, & kids. Today she decided I needed to help with the farm animals before we did anything as it would be a great experience for me before I left for Africa to take care of baby white lions. Does she really think I needed the experience??!! Really though, it was great fun! (plus I do love riding them :-) ...)
Later, Michelle came to help me pack the camera case. This was a very calming experience for me! She also suggested I take a photo of it all in the end so when they rip it apart at the airport, I'll have a clue as to how to put it all back together again. Good idea.
Tonight, time with grandson, Mark, & in the morning, Myla for the day then I'll pick up grandson, Mason for the rest of the afternoon.
In the evening, dinner with the inlaws.
Friday.....I pull it ALL together!