Tag Archives: heliconias

Aibonito Festival de las Flores


Me and a HUGE bromeliad

This week we decided to check out the Aibonito Festival de las Flores (Flower Festival) with a friend. We have wanted to check out this festival for a long time, but Aibonito is a looong way from Rincon as it turns out (about 2 1/2 hour drive). We went the south way through Ponce and then through a panoramic route through the mountains to reach it. Since we came during the week it wasn’t too crowded and we found free parking close to the festival. The entrance charge was $6 per person. We bought quite a few flowers, though I was expecting a lot more crazy and exotic plants. Maybe it’s because I am a plant person, but there wasn’t too much that I haven’t already seen. I would say it was worth it to go at least once if you haven’t seen it before!

The flowers we were most interested in: Gingers and Heliconias


We got some of these cool varieties


These carnivorous plants are so cool


Hanging out under the shade


Quite a few booths and vendors


Nice bridge and pond in the permanent Festival area


Cool Aibonito sign -Aibonito supposedly was named that when someone arrived and said “Ay, que bonito” or “Oh, wow, how pretty!”


Lots of orchids!


Live music and carnival rides. The Gran Combo is coming to play on Sunday which is a big deal! Also check out how much harder this area of the island was hit by Maria -the trees are still stripped of leaves!


Some music of El Gran Combo


The drive to Aibonito is spectacular!


On the way back we stopped at the Holiday Inn in Ponce for dinner.

Overall, it was an exhausting yet fun day and now we have a bunch of plant starts to get in the ground!

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Around the Finca in Photos: March/April 2016

It’s springtime in Puerto Rico and that means lots of life and new activity around our farm. Here’s a few fun recent photos of the homestead.

Leghorn and chicks
Two clutches of new chicks!

Wall construction
Building a wall and enclosing the lower area of the cabin with turkey inspectors

Torch Ginger
Our first red torch ginger!

Mulberries and miracle fruit
Mulberries and miracle fruit are fruiting like crazy (and tamarind too)!

Esperanza bug strange sights
Katydid AKA esperanza bug. So cool. I found hope at our finca. (Esperanza means “hope” in Spanish)

Heliconia
New heliconia flowers too!

Cabin
Cabin is really shaping up

Iguana Neck strange sight
This iguana’s neck display is pretty crazy!

Ginger and sky
Shell ginger

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Loving February Plus Heliconias!

Back in Colorado February was by far my least favorite month. The novelty of snow and cold had long since worn off, the holidays and the excitement they bring were over and cabin fever began to set in big time. It was cold and dark and everything was just waiting…waiting for spring and life again. I would often read the seed catalogs and long for spring and gardening, being outside, spending time with friends and just enjoying the beautiful warm days of summer.

Cassie and Turkeys
Playing outside in the winter. Two turkeys at a time! Just like pelicans! 🙂

But now, we basically live an endless summer. I don’t even really think about those cold Colorado days much anymore except what I hear from my friends and family. Nowadays it’s flipflops and shorts year round. It does get a bit “chilly” here now that we are acclimated. I snuggle with a small blanket at night now and I like the slightly warmed water in the shower. But all the doors and windows are open. There are no heaters or humidifiers and it just feels perfect. It’s the type of weather you don’t even really notice because you are just so comfortable in your own skin. I know some people really like the changing of the seasons and the cold, but for me, I couldn’t be happier in always warm weather. I guess it’s sort of like Mondays now. I used to dread Mondays because I loved the weekends so much, now Mondays are just another lovely day. Every day here is a Saturday in summer!

Megan and Me
Pool parties in February -with my wonderful friend Megan

Things are very much still alive here! There is less rain in February so the yard work diminishes and while some of the grasses turn brown waiting for water, for some plants like these heliconias, it is their time to shine! The whales are visiting Rincón and other animals like the turkeys and chickens are preparing for their spring babies.

Bright Heliconias
Explosion of color in these heliconias -thanks to starts from our friends Missy and Ben

What a contrast to the grey, dark and cold Februarys. I am still so much in love with living here that I feel more alive and vibrant myself every day.

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