Happy Boxing Day
December 26, 2007 Posted by: ERIN

Merry Christmas! We had a lovely little first Christmas together here on San Sal. Things started off on Christmas Eve with a delicious dinner. Tom made herb-encrusted pork chops with a Guiness reduction, which I complemented with an apple-parsley stuffing and fresh-picked garlic green beans.

After dinner, we opened presents. The gift giving was a little limited, considering that the shipment containing most of our presents won't be arriving until January. Tom did get some clothes that I had picked up for him when I was in the states back in October. When he opened this shirt, he exclaimed "It's just my style ... squares!"

Lucky lady that I am, I recieved the field station tee shirt in TWO colors. Now I'll be supporting the home team in both white and ash.

I also learned that the Januray shipment will contain a first-edition of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' with my name on it, courtesy of my very wonderful and thoughtful husband. I don't think I need to explain my level of excitement!

Later in the evening we went to midnight mass. The Catholic chruch here does not currently have a preist in residence, but one has been coming in to celebrate Christmas for the past several years. The church if very pretty with French doors down both sides that are opened during services to catch the ocean breeze. And there was plenty of carol singing, which is always a big plus with me. After mass the head usher, a man known to everyone as Snake Eyes, set off fireworks as we were exiting the church.

Our Christmas Day was fairly low key, filled with relaxing, chatting with family on the phone, and a nice walk on the beach with the doggies. Last night we were invited to an annual Christmas dinner held by a retired American couple on the south side of the island. We enjoyed the company of several seasonal San Sal residents, as well as delicious meal of turkey and ham with all the trimmings. I made a tasty Corn Pudding (see below) to contribute to the feast, and my mom will be proud the hear that the priest in attendance particularly enjoyed it. It was fun to meet some new people and celebrate in the very festive atmosphere.

Living in the Bahamas, now we also get to enjoy the bonus holiday of Boxing Day! An extra day off of work the day after Chirstmas ... was a fabulous invention. Tom needs it too, because this Friday the college groups start pouring in. There will actually be record setting numbers at the field station this January, which will undoubtedly keep everyone very busy.

Corn Pudding
Adapted from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver

3 cups corn kernels, fresh or canned
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup grated Gouda or Jack cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until top is puffy and golden.

Erin's Notes:
I didn't have the recommended cheeses, but white cheddar worked out well as a substitute. I also substituted oregano for the marjoram and used fresh parsley. For the last few minutes of cooking, I placed the baking dish under the broiler to more evenly brown the top of the pudding.

Happy Holidays!

Just because they're cute
December 19, 2007 Posted by: ERIN

Dancing the night away
December 14, 2007 Posted by: ERIN

Last night was the annual field station Christmas party. The festivities included food, drinks, and music. Good times were had by all. It was a particularly lovely evening for me, because I was told that I dance in true Bahamian style. As you can imagine, this excited and honored and inflated my ego immensely. Up until now, I've always felt a bit awkward on the dance floor, but come to find out ... I was just dancing in the wrong country!

Tom also spent part of the evening cutting a rug. However when he was dancing, Bahamian choruses of "No Tom!! Not like THAT!" filled the room. I guess I'm the one with all the rhythm.

Let the composting begin!
December 8, 2007 Posted by: ERIN

Over the past two days, we've built a fantastic composting pen. I dug out the space and Tom put up an enclosure constructed of old shipping pallets. With the help of some lawn clippings and several rotten lettuces from the cafeteria, we are off to a good start. We hope to compost our own kitchen scraps as well as those from the cafeteria. The soil on the island is generally very nutirent and organic matter depleted, so the compost should give the gardens a healthy boost.

The 'boat garden' has been growing for about six weeks now. It is home to green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, and one lonely broccoli that survived Hurricane Noel. Everything seems to be coming along well, and we even got a few handfuls of beans this week. Here are before and after shots:

I've also got containers with cucumbers and grape tomatoes growing on the patio:

I'm not sure if I have a green thumb yet, but I'm trying!

My husband, the eco-friendly carpenter
December 1, 2007 Posted by: ERIN

Tom made this beautiful bench for outside our front door. Not only is it cute and comfy, but it's constructed entirely of found wood. The various boards came from the dump, packing crates, and the beach on the east side of the island where a lot of ocean debris washes up. So aside from the screws holding it together, it is 100% recycled.

As you can see, it has both style and function for a variety of uses: