A Cabinetmaker and the Angry Dragonfly

The Angry Dragonfly

Weeks ago, we had a frost here in Florida. My banana trees have the illusion of being dead, and one of my mango trees, is. Another side effect I have noticed is that the dragon flies had not visited the shop.
Today, I noticed a small one that was calmly taking residency on a chart of the boat that hangs over my tool box. He was smaller then my usual visitor with a green body and yellow and black tail. He didn’t appear to need repair so I just let him stay on my chart.

Nine hours later, I began to clean my work area, and had forgot about the dragon fly. Having blown all of the sawdust off of my bench, below the bench, out from under the shelves, and off of the saw, I turned and shot compressed air against my tool box, my radio, and then the dragon fly.

“OOPS!”

It was abruptly smashed against the wall with the force of the air. Snapping to consciousness from it's sleeping spot, he flew across the shop, into the far wall, and fell through several dusty cabinet parts and into the floor. I followed his flight plan and saw him trying to get off the floor with cobwebs hampering his escape.

I gently cupped my hands around him and carried him outside. The sun was setting on the west coast and some large rain clouds reflected the amber hue. I opened my hands and began pulling the cobwebs from his wings and legs. I raised my hand up and down to make him fly to freedom. He held firmly to the cracks in my palm. Something was wrong?

I raised my hand to my face and looked closely at his head. He stared back at me, tilted his head to one side, stuck his tongue out at me, and flew away.

For the original dragonfly stories, and insights into my books, go to ADBanyan.com or scroll down a few posts to Yacht Cabinetry and Dragonflies.

#Dragonfly #Damsel #Cabinet #Cabinetmaker #Nature #Freedom

St. Kitts, Nevis, Caribbean vacation, Author Alex Banyan and the next three books.

Looking back at Nevis, St. Kitts

Basseterre, St. Kitts, was quiet first thing in the morning. It was humid, 85 deg. and we stopped at an open air bar for a cold soda. The shops displayed all of the same tourist products that you see all through the Caribbean, and at 10am we were still walking with empty hands.

A few minutes later, the gates were opened for the cruise ships and the cattle hit the grazing grounds. We waddled through the lines of the shops and heard similar sales pitches in each one. I am a sailor, with my own boat. I usually avoid tourist areas and drop my anchor away from the cruise ships. Here, the economy survives on tourism. Four Seasons Resort employees 10,000 of the Kitticians. I like to find the islands that have not been corrupted by the desire for wealth. I have lived on other islands only to watch cable TV, and tourism, turn a peaceful society into roving gangs and drug dealers. It is still years out for St. Kitts, but they are on that path. The outside force... and big dollar investors, are already here. All of the original people of the island were very nice, sociable, and honest. Many times in the exchange of East Caribbean Dollars to US Dollars, they were quick to inform me that I had overpaid. The taxi fee from the hotel into town was only $12.00 US. Most of the shops in the tourist areas seem to be owned by Asian investors. I am a watch collector, and used to cut gemstones, so I can appreciate the quality and knowledge that they bring to the business. Tourists from the cruise ships are still overpaying even after they haggle for several minutes. In Nevis, and I suspect, St. Kitts, you must invest $400,000 to live here. That may be the smart move that saves them.

This woman, at Newcastle pottery in the mountains of Nevis, had formed all of her creations from Nevis clay. When she is satisfied with her work, it is fired behind the building in coconut husks.

 I bought the piece below for $18.00  When I lived in St. Croix, I usually had my breakfast on the boardwalk in Christiansted. It was an open air restaurant and I poured some water into a bowl, dissolved a few packets of sugar in it, and the banana birds came from all directions. One time, I had eight birds fluttering around the sugar water. This piece reminded me of that. In the picture, it is on my coffee table in Florida with the left-over EC coins in it.

I buy coffee cups everywhere I go. What can I say?

Below, I am at the stern of the ferry, with St. Kitts in the background. 

Leaning to the starboard side, we are arriving at the Charlestown dock in Nevis. 

And last, I am walking up the dock toward town. Good vibes here.

Some of the beautiful properties on Nevis. Our driver gave us all the time we wanted.

Golden Rock Plantation.

This is Sunshine Bar on the beach.

We had a surprisingly great lunch and could see St. Kitts from the beach. There are a few shops in this area and vendors selling jewelry.

 Go easy on the Killer Bees!
They're an easy rum punch with a kick.

 The airport was small.
This photo looks old until you realize the jet is modern. We still boarded across the runway and up the steps.

The main purpose of this vacation was to get a break from the fifty-six hour weeks I'm working now. That accounts for the 70' yacht interiors. Each night when I return to my home, I add about 4 hrs a night on my writing, and advertising. (Such as this).

The strangest thing about this vacation was that Nevis / St. Kitts, were the safe havens for the main character in my next three books. As Louis refined a chemical that prolonged his life, he became prosecuted by the elite wealthy, politicians, and pharmaceutical companies. Through his prolonged life, and several wives, he escaped to a home in Nevis. I had never been there and had done all my research on the internet.

In my books, Louis played chess with an old man in the square by the police station. The old man named Charles had never been beat. I went up to a security guard at a bank and described my park. He pointed up the road and told me where to find it. I told him about the book. He said there was a man that plays chess and checkers there, and is rarely beat... but his name is not Charles. 

It was so strange to be walking through the pages of my books. They are all three finished, and presently being edited. Watch for Longue Duree' I, II, III.

#Adventure #Airline #Atlantic #Caribbean #cruise #Islands #Nevis #St. Kitts #sailing #Travel #Author #Four Seasons #Vacation, 

Yacht Cabinetry and Dragonflies.

Some of you know about my history with dragonflies.

Lately, they are back. I have had at least one visit every day for the last two weeks. Most of them, flutter around, unbalanced by cobwebs from the ceiling in the shop, and come to my workbench for help. I hold them down in the palm of my hand and carefully pull the cobwebs from their legs, wings and tails. I always talk to them as I work and take them outside and release them. Everyone at the shop makes fun of me, but also wonders why they only go to me. Personally, I wonder too?

Monday, I was pushing a large cart back from the vacuum table. I had just taken some doors over to the other room, glued them up with veneer, and applied the negative pressure on the table. On the way back to my workbench, a dragonfly kept fling ahead of me erratically. Up and down, back and forth, and finally landing on my rolling table directly in front of me, I laid my hand over him and continued to my bench. I made the repairs to his wings, etc., and released him.

Tuesday, I went back to the same room, and was returning to my area. A dragonfly, with the same erratic flight problems, flew a foot or two ahead of my face for several steps.
“Having a few navigational problems?” I asked aloud. I held out my hand and it clumsily landed in the palm of my hand.

 I about lost it.“HEY! CHECK THIS OUT!” I yelled. I did repairs and released this one. Everyone laughed and joked about the dragonfly whisperer.

Today… Friday, I found a big one under my bench, covered in webs. It was the biggest one this year. Again, I fixed him up and released him. Every year, the dragonflies come to me. I feel honored, but confused. 
Now... everyone in the shop talks to them too. I hear them all the time.

"HE"S OVER THERE!" and they point.

(While you're here, check out THE GLOW.)