Category Archives: Flora and Fauna

Flowers for you

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The beautiful Bay Bean grows and flowers along the shoreline

The beautiful Bay Bean grows and flowers along the shoreline

A big THANKYOU to my wonderfully caring  family and friends that have supported me these past few months.

I love you all  !!! 

My experience these last few months with breast cancer has really thrown me for a loop and been a true wake up call. It showed me the strength in having a loving family and just how lucky I am. All those tough days back and forth from Provo to Miami……tests and more tests and my breasts feeling like pin cushions. Barry was unable to come with me but kept a great sense of humour by reminding me that I was getting a two for one deal. He coped so brilliantly here at Harbour Club although it was really rough going and very busy with guests. My sister Eve and our three kids Tina, Mike and Ania rallied around and took turns staying with me in the hotel so I wouldn’t have to face things alone. They sat in on every appointment, asked questions and absorbed all the information so that they could explain things to me as well as to Barry and they waited patiently while I went through all the tests, surgery and radiation. My sister Anna (a breast cancer survivor) sent me encouraging emails every day and suffered along with me having been through it all herself.

It is soooooooo good to be back home and everyone now realizes that we all need to make the most of every day…..enjoy life to the fullest and worry less.

SO, TO ALL THE  LADIES OUT THERE ……… PLEASE GO AND HAVE THAT MAMMOGRAM DONE TODAY.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Pirate’s Cave at Osprey Rock

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Beautiful spider's web catches the light at the pirate's cave at Osprey Rock.

Beautiful spider's web catches the light at the pirate's cave at Osprey Rock.

We headed out early today towards Osprey Rock as we knew it would be sheltered a little from the wind. We anchored the boat just off the pirate’s cave and since I hadn’t been up ontop of the bluff for a while, I decided to climb up the ladder to get some photos. Just inside the cave were some beautiful spiders’ webs.

Spider's web with the ladder in the background to climb up ontop of the bluff.

Spider's web with the ladder in the background to climb up ontop of the bluff.

What a view from the top as the water was a little churned up and showed off that amazing turquoise colour.

 

I took a photo of the boat anchored below me just off the cave

I took a photo of the boat anchored below me just off the cave

 

This beautiful ground cover with little white flowers was growing out of a small pocket of dirt in the rocks

This beautiful ground cover with little white flowers was growing out of a small pocket of dirt in the rocks

We were in about two feet of water so it was easy to wade back to the boat

We were in about two feet of water so it was easy to wade back to the boat

Malaika is just starting to walk and loves playing in the sand.

Malaika is just starting to walk and loves playing in the sand.

Here she is on the beach at South West Bluff close to Osprey Rock

Here she is on the beach at South West Bluff close to Osprey Rock

Make sure you have a rental vehicle ( Scooter and Amos at Scooter Bob’s will be happy to help you out) and then you can explore the whole island which is full of unique and wonderful more remote places to see.

See you there!!

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Long Bay Beach

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Long Bay beach today was a simply spectacular sight with such clear calm water

Long Bay beach today was a simply spectacular sight with such clear calm water

I decided to head to Long Bay this morning for a nice long walk on the beach. The day was picture perfect as the ocean was so calm and clear and you could see all the sand ripples in the water.

Long Bay is one of the areas that is loaded with old, discarded conch shells

Long Bay is one of the areas that is loaded with old, discarded conch shells

We walked down to the end of the beach passing by the remnants of several Haitien Sloops that ended up on the shores of the beach. I have some photos of the sloops on this blog. You have to be a little careful when walking as the prongs from old conch shells can do some damage if stepped on.

I saw a school of small fish in the water and was able to get some photos of them since the water was crystal clear

I saw a school of small fish in the water and was able to get some photos of them since the water was crystal clear

See the school of small fish in the foreground?

See the school of small fish in the foreground?

I spotted a nice piece of bamboo which we can use at Harbour Club Villas to drape a bouganvillea over. We’ll place it between the villas and tie bouganvillea  branches to it to form an archway of sorts.

Mike carries home the bamboo I found on the beach

Mike carries home the bamboo I found on the beach

Check out Long Bay as it truly is a wonderful beach for walking and just enjoying a little bit of quiet heaven on our island. Perhaps we’ll see you there.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Orchids

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Orchids blooming with the marina entrance in the background.

Orchids blooming with the marina entrance in the background.

This Tall Encyclia orchid was growing on the rock ridge overlooking the entrance to our marina. The days have been so gloomy and so I decided to see if the rain had made our local plants bloom. The Encyclia Altissima orchids are growing all over and flowering at this time of year. This one was quite showy with vivid purple striped lines on its petals.

The Marina channel and Cooper Jack Bight were perfectly calm creating a pastel backdrop of colours as the sun tried to break through the clouds.

The Marina channel and Cooper Jack Bight were perfectly calm creating a pastel backdrop of colours as the sun tried to break through the clouds.

We have been waiting for days to see the sunshine and today was the day……….and it lasted all day!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Wild Potato Vine

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Every year before Christmas, I watch for the Ipomoea vine growing in the bush.

Every year before Christmas, I watch for the Ipomoea vine growing in the bush.

Finally, after weeks of looking I spotted this showy, red flowering vine on my neighbour’s property. I’ve been watching out for the Ipomoea vine also known as the Christmas vine and or Wild Potato. I’m thinking this last week has been rainy and cool and all of a sudden, I’ve noticed bright splashes of red adorning the tree tops and in this case, on a Poisonwood tree. Perhaps the rains coaxed the blossoms to open.

A brilliant red flower and a mass of buds on this Ipomoea vine.

A brilliant red flower and a mass of buds on this Ipomoea vine.

Usually, the Ipomoea blooms for the holiday season starting in October but as I said, I saw my first one only the other day while travelling down Venetian Road.  I wandered over onto my neighbour’s property this afternoon to take pictures of  orchids and found this Wild Potato growing on a tall poison wood……a little difficult to photograph as I didn’t want to touch the poisonwood.

The Ipomoea grows throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands and is one of the prettiest with brilliant red flowers.

The Ipomoea grows throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands and is one of the prettiest with brilliant red flowers.

Watch for these flowering vines as you travel the roads of Provo…….it’s impossible to miss with those bright red flowers that stand out amongst the green foliage.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Ruddy Turnstones at Sharkbite

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This little Ruddy Turnstone dropped by for tidbits while we were having lunch at the Sharkbite.

This little Ruddy Turnstone dropped by for tidbits while we were having lunch at the Sharkbite.

Lunch at the Sharkbite in Turtle Cove Marina is always interesting……….the Ruddy Turnstones create quite a show as they vie for the choicest bits from the lunch time crowd and at night, you’ll be lucky to catch sight of the “resident” bull shark that hangs out looking for food.

Lined up all in a row along the ledge of the Sharkbite Restaurant's deck.

Lined up all in a row along the ledge of the Sharkbite Restaurant's deck.

Ruddy Turnstones are a common visitor to our shores and some are even year round residents. They seem to love the Turtle Cove area but then you can hardly blame them especially with such a variety of great restaurants with an easy food supply. They become habituated and really, we shoudn’t be feeding them but it happens everywhere……..ie. the gophers or ground squirrels at the buffalo paddocks in Banff were always such roly poly fat little things from all the visitors feeding them.

Birdwatchers can see the Ruddy Turnstone almost anywhere especially in Turtle Cove.

Birdwatchers can see the Ruddy Turnstone almost anywhere especially in Turtle Cove.

Drop by the restaurants in Turtle Cove on your next holiday on Provo. Lunch was great at the Sharkbite……..some of the best conch chowder I’ve ever tasted!!

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Christmas Wild Poinsettia

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Wild Poinsettias grow throughout the islands.

Wild Poinsettias grow throughout the islands and we're fortunate to be able to see them growing wild.

The wild poinsettia is found throughout our islands. It has leaves that are shaped like a lance and are often tipped with a deep red towards the centre. This cluster of red leaves gives the impression of a flower but the actual flower is found at the centre and in the photo the flowers have grown into green seed pods. Poinsettias are a favourite at Christmas time and many will buy the cultivated variety.
A floral bouquet of wild poinsettias and wild plumeria or frangipani in the gardens of Harbour Club Villas.

A floral bouquet of wild poinsettias and wild plumeria or frangipani in the gardens of Harbour Club Villas.

These beautiful wild flowers are found growing wild almost everywhere you go. The milky sap from the poinsettia is used as bush medicine and is a remedy for warts and corns.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Hummingbirds

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A male Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird perches for a while as I took his picture

A male Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird perches for a while as I took his picture

The pool area at Harbour Club Villas is the place to birdwatch and frequently we see these beautiful tiny creatures as they hover from flower to flower especially liking the flowers on my firecracker bushes.  The Bahama Woodstar is the only hummingbird that is found regularily in the Turks and Caicos. They are generally green on the top of the body with a brown underbody. The female is rather dowdy and drab where as the male has that magnificent irridiscent purple throat which shimmers and glints as the sun catches it.

This tiny female takes a rest on a vine under our palm tree.

This tiny female looked like a baby not quite used to flying as she takes a rest on a vine under our palm tree.

 The only time I manage to snap a photo is when they perch and rest for a while. These little guys can fly every which way…up, down, left, right and backwards too. When they hover their wings flap at about 50 times per second. Humming birds have a very fast heart and breathing rate and therefore they need to feed every ten minutes or so throughout the day.

A humming bird sits on her small nest built on a forked branch.

A humming bird sits on her small nest built on a forked branch.

One of our guests at the villas was an avid bird watcher and she discovered a nest with only one egg in it. I can’t believe how tiny hummingbird nests are. This one was precariously built in the fork of a three foot tree which was more like a twig. The cup shaped nest is built out of plant fragments and silk from spiders’ webs which is all glued together with her own saliva.

A female sits on her eggs.

A female sits on her eggs.

A female hummingbird will usually lay two white eggs which take about two weeks to hatch. A further three weeks in the nest and then the young are ready to fly. Unfortunately this twig like branch was bent over in a strong wind and the egg flew out and broke. I would have loved to have seen the young but this was not to be.

 

Enjoy nature around you and watch for the colourful Bahama Woodstar hummingbirds while you enjoy your vacation here on Provo.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com