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- GOING SOLAR Emailing: IMG_0913
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:46:00 -0500
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WISHING FOR A HAPPY SAFE NEW YEAR
CELEBRATION FOR ALL OF US IN THE ISLANDS.
The seas are wild and the safe boater
is moored up, tucked in and relaxing at the beach bar now.
Gigantic
swells have taken their
toll on watercraft and some swimmers, be careful out there. The
hazy
grey skies from the volcano may give us
a blue moon tonight. We are still warmer than
most.
Our New Year's Resolution
We resolve to go solar and become more
independent. The tomatoes , herbs and peppers are looking
good
and as pictured ,here are the latest 6
solar panels to add to the first 2 installed last year on our
roof.
You can see our view
of the Atlantic side of
Northwest St Thomas. It only takes 2 panels to run the swimming
pool and the newest
6 panels run the
washer/dryer,water pump and hot water heater. Even on the greyest
rainy days the daylight is enough to move
the solar pump on the pool.
THE CARIBBEAN IS A LEADER IN THE
GREEN GAME
In the Caribbean; with built in cisterns in
our homes and little or no use of air conditioning or any climate control
in our houses, we can be the leaders for
the planet in independent living.
THE WEATHER LEADS US
Island dwellers have a
greater understanding of how rain, sun, and wind can lead us to
living well without being
connected to a public
utility.
Make 2010 your year to FREE UP your
connections to the system.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2010 WILL BE MONUMENTAL FOR
POSITIVE GROWTH IN THE ISLANDS. START BY GROWING
YOUR OWN FOOD.
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- Ashy Sky
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:13:12 -0500
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Good Evening,
Does anyone have a report directly from Montserrat
that can be posted?
We hope all are safe. The ash has wiped out
our horizon.
Please keep us posted.
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- Puerto Rico Reports?
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:29:59 -0500
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Please send some reports from Puerto
Rico, we are concerned about
your hills, land, sea and
airports?
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- WEST TO EAST LOADS OF RAIN/ HOURS OF NO POWER
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:22:27 -0500
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Good Afternoon,
I'll try to rush this message in before
the next deluge comes up and knocks the power out
again.
Our airport terminal had a mud slide
thru it and we are guessing that the power company turned off our power
out
here in the rain forest so they could
use more power in town to clean up the airport. We had a few long flight
delays
today.
We had loads of thunder boomers all
night and rain west to east, around 4 a.m. it started to rain hard enough to
wake
me up to
do a window
check. By 7:30 a.m. the power was out, and the pool was completely
topped off. The rain gauge
(wine bucket) looks like about 8 "
plus! just from overnight, so we are in line with what Culebra received.
Will
go empty the bucket again for what
appears to be the repeat backwash of more coming from the south and
east.
The courtyard and surrounding hillside
to the north had the mini Niagara falls going and we were able to
download
allot of water into the cistern from
the pool overfill via generator powering the sump pump. The power outage put
a stop to any office work and the phone
line is full of static so even with power back up it creates havoc on the
office machines. Yes, I STILL
HAVE DIAL UP....are you laughing now? but at least I know it takes
electricity to flush
a toilet around here. How many
statesiders get the water and power connection? We are currently working on
installing
our second set of 6 solar panels
. Our original 2 solar panels run the pool pump and it was a struggle for
that
system to work today. Within a
month the powerless scenario will all change, can't
wait!
The seedling tomatoes got a good
hammering, hoping they perk up, and I see strips of blue sky between
the
puffy grays here. The bird
feeders were full at sun up so the little chirpers were thrilled to fly thru the
deluge to
get their sweet fix.
Now at last, enough water to pressure
wash the mold that has built up with all this rain, it is a constant
cycle. If you
know of any good uses for mold, let me
know.
Stay safe, dry , and check those
batteries.
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- ZERO VISIBILITY
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:03:59 -0500
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Good Soggy
Morning,
or is it evening already?
Daylight left about 10 minutes ago and now it looks like dusk, we are
saturated
now with at least 2 inches of rain in
the last 24 hrs. The horizon just vanished over the sea and the
rain
is swirling in from the north and west
and then coming from the other direction next time
around.
We were considering calling the water
truck last week but now the pool is topped off and the
bush
is emerald again. The local radar
shows a stormy morning but we'll see clearing later day
hopefully.
The downpour just began, we are
all closed up with the fans going full blast, this
just
may be 110% humidity.
Once again I have to say how sad it is
that our neighbors keep their dogs on chains in unprotected
areas
during weather like this. Why
have dogs if you don't care for them?
Stay safe and
dry.
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- WILD AND CRAZY RIDE FROM TOWN
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:14:21 -0500
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I just drove home from our cruise ship
dock area called Havensight in town, thinking as I pulled
out the parking spot and looking toward the east and south
that the sky was blackening up
fast. Literally within a few minutes as I drove along the
waterfront with the sea to my south
the waves came up , the darkest clouds dropped, the ferry
boat heading out to Tortola
rocked and rolled and the seaplane appeared to be taking
off into a no visibility situation.
By the time I neared the airport I had wipers going full
blast, bright lights on and watched
the familiar signs of circular winds , bush shrapnel
flying and flags straight
sideways. Up the hill to Fortuna with the choppy
waves on my left and the hill to climb the
carwash started and continued until rolling into my
country lane. It was an amazing set
of different weather settings in a 16 minute ride.
We have 4 cruise ships in today and
am hoping everyone looked up and made their own judgment
about finding shelter.
There is plenty of lightening with this bluster and my
canines are glad to see me home.
The radar shows more coming later, looks like
east to west is very confused and
the south side is sending some of it too. Look up
and sense the change, you can feel the
temperature drop and the electricity fill the air.
Stay safe today and I would suggest that
the roiling sea is a reason to stick to the beach or the
bar, as well as shopping, a great
entertainment in St Thomas. November is
still storm season and the time
for us to fill up our cisterns.
Fortuna , St Thomas
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- Puerto Rico Oil Fire
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:40:20 -0400
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Good Morning,
We have reports on CNN and NYTIMES that there is a
huge oil tank fire in San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico. Appears
that the FAA has cleared airspace in SAN JUAN, can
the Puerto Rico writers please fill us in? The story said
that 11 of 30 oil tanks are on fire, this report
was written at 4:30 a.m., and just appeared on CNN. Please
advise
anything you know, thanks.
We have a very hazy horizon and it is hot and
slightly breezy. We need rain and will need to check the cistern
today, missing our normal rainy
season.
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- HOT HOT HAZY HOT
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 17:51:39 -0400
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Is it just me, or is everyone really
HOT today? The ash blew in and the horizon is
gone, the sea is striped between
totally flat and a tiny chop. My greedy side
wants
air conditioning, and of course my
practical side that writes the check to the electric
company says what a wimp I am!
Morning was grand. Hoping for a clear
day tomorrow.
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- ST JOHN SUNSET GOODBYE TO SEPTEMBER
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- By "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 08:28:36 -0400
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Good Morning Islanders,
Here is a fantastic sunset shot from Frank Bay ,St John sent to me by my
friend Ruth
last night , it says goodbye to September in the most brilliant way.
Skies are much clearer and the super hot temps earlier in the week are gone
now.
Getting thru September with no scares is a rare treat.
We are hoping American Samoans wake to a better day today, the aftermath of
the event
must be challenging. If anyone has leads, news or ways for us to contribute
to their recovery
please post.
Looking forward to fall days and re-starting the tomato garden now.
Jane Higgins
jhigginswear at islands.vi
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
340-774-7071
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- Yesterday's WaterspoutEmailing: IMG_0780
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- From: "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:39:37 -0400
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The weather is clear , crisp and it
seems like late November. We are so lucky to be this far into
September
and not shaking in our boots. I
shot this waterspout off my deck around 3pm yesterday, and further to
the
right out of frame (this is looking
North on Atlantic side) towards the East was a sailboat, not to far
from
the action. The spout
hovered over the water for at least 15 minutes and clearly stirred up the
sea.
Hoping for a little moisture from the
wave coming up the island chain, but have to be careful what you
hope for in mid
September.
Jane Higgins
Fortuna, St
Thomas
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- Morning looking EastEmailing: IMG_0776
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- From: "Jane Higgins" <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2009 09:32:35 -0400
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Here is how it looked at 5:30a.m. looking
towards the East from our courtyard. We planted this pine tree when it
was
5 ft tall in 2002, now it towers over us.
Jane Higgins
Fortuna St Thomas
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Older reports from St.Thomas have been moved to another page.
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