Double Rivers Waterfall, Brasso Seco Paria

Recently we hiked up to Double Rivers waterfall in Brasso Seco Paria. It took us approximately two hours of walking along a beaten dirt road to get to our destination. The walk was thoroughly invigorating, as we were surrounded with the lush rainforest. Along the way we passed some familiar and unfamiliar flora and fauna which made our walk even more interesting. Finally, as we got to the waterfall it literally took our breath away! 

All images courtesy Jessie Pitt

Lotus flower

“Denise” according to the Urban dictionary

A Denise is without a doubt the most gorgeous girl in the universe. She will do anything for her friends. If you have a Denise as a friend, keep her, because losing her would be the worst possible thing that could ever happen. Denise's are the most amazing, fantastic, funny, and passionate girls ever. They are the best possible friend that you could ever ask for. Always willing to help you no matter what. If you are in need of anything, Denise is the one to call. No matter what. They tend to be very shy, just take time to talk to her and get to know her you are guaranteed to love this rare beauty. Her personality is like a diamond amongst rocks. Not only is she beautiful on the inside but also on the outside. She has stunning curves, beautiful big eyes, and shiny brown hair. She is the best girlfriend a guy could ever want. To date her is comparable to heaven on earth. She is always give, never take. She is not one to take advantage of you, although she is often taken for advantage. She is not the most outgoing person and guys tend to get bored of her after just a little while. They don’t give her a chance. Worst mistake ever. She is a Goddess in human form. Absolutely perfect in every way. If you find a Denise, latch on for dear life. She is a life-long friend. Never let her go. Love her till the end. She is guaranteed to always be full of surprises. Usually they are very passionate about animals and nature as well.

To have a Denise is to live happy.

Window to the soul...

The eyes are my favourite part of the body to capture... 

My piece at the end of the workshop...

Done using grid method

My first drawings!

I'm participating in a 3 day basic art workshop, below are my first day's work: 

White Oleander

Me the Extremist

Someone recently told me that I'm an extremist
It stopped me in my tracks!
What me an extremist? I literally laughed out loud!
But quietly I pondered on it for days…
I know I'm an all or nothing kind of girl
Either I'm in or out, no in betweens.
Also I do feel the need to stand up for what is right
Even if it goes against everyone’s norm
Even if it means standing alone
I believe that we are all created equally
And we all should be treat that way
So my response to her statement was:
It’s we extremists who change the world!

Denise Etienne

Yellow Walking Iris

An unopened  flower of Yellow Walking Iris 

Chocolate Making

Some folks on the island were either enjoying themselves in the Carnival celebrations, or in camp, on the beach, by the river, where ever you were I hope you had fun. Perhaps next year I may play mas you never know…

So I was feeling a bit adventurous today and I attempted to make some Dark Chocolate from the Cocoa beans(after researching it on the web) boy that was a lot of work! I got some dried Cocoa beans from Ms. Mary, roasted them in the oven, my mom assisted me with peeling/shelling the beans which took a very long time. After we both got some water bladder on our fingers, I decided to eventually crack the beans with a rolling pin, this made shelling a whole lot easier. Then I needed to blow out the shells, I had no blow dryer, so let’s just say I got a bit light headed for a while, luckily my brother gave me some help, lol!  Afterwards we placed 30% white sugar blended it finely then added 70% crushed up Cocoa beans, the texture was very powdery for a while. We then placed the mixture in the chopper it took a long time for it to start forming a thick paste, I guess the best piece of equipment to use would have been a a coffee grinder. Then we needed to use a mortar/pestle, didn't have any so we had to improvise some more. For our first attempt in Chocolate making and not having the right equipment I must say we were impressed with the end product, it was still a bit grainy but the taste was nice if you like Dark Chocolate. We hope to get the right equipment and try this again. Attached are some photos to show off our first time in Chocolate making! 

Happy Carnival!

Roasted Cocoa beans

Shelled Cocoa nibs

Cocoa nibs and sugar in chopper 

Chocolate paste

                         

End product Dark Chocolate

Red Anartia Butterfly

I remember a time when this Red Anartia butterfly was commonly seen throughout the island. Locally it is known as the "Coolie" butterfly, males are bright red with white dots, while females are paler in color.

LIFE

Sometimes in life we need to stand up for ourselves

Trust the unknown.

When we are faced with situations

That will either make us stronger, bigger, better humans,

We need to look internally

But often we just cower away from such strengths.

Because of fear which cripples us,

We rely on others to make decisions for us

That would impact the rest of our lives.

This is your life, this is my life

Live it before it’s over!

~Din

"Clouds"

White and greys

Puffy, heavy and light

Floating, dancing and swirling
Evolving, shapeshifting and fading

Peaceful, majestic and tumultuous.

"Opinions"

The sculptor etches away

Creating this masterpiece he has in mind,

And so we too etch at ourselves, at the end of the day

Hoping to reveal our real humankind.

How honest can you really be?

Knowing only the truth will set you free.

There are days when I think it’s my last

But somehow they usually past.

On this journey we call life

We all have our own share of strife.

This somehow jolts us into reality

Where we sometimes find true tranquillity unexpectedly

El Cerro Del Aripo

Photos by Eddison Baptiste

 Some of you may know my heart is in the forest ~ it brings me a sense of calm and always refreshes my soul! Today we took a hike with the Field Naturalist Club to El Cerro Del Aripo, which is the highest point in Trinidad and Tobago just about 3,084ft.

Our hike started at about 9:00 am from the lower end of La laja road. We walked along an old road that was once used as a short cut to get to Brasso Seco by some of the villagers many years ago.

As we started to ascend on the ridge to our destination you could feel the coolness in the air. The forest was vibrant with many shades of greens, all the rainfall over the last few days had the leaves looking shiny and new. We heard many calls along the way including Wrens, Bellbirds, Thrushes, Trogons, Toucans and even a Black-faced Ant-thrush walked by and said hello!

As we reached the summit we were greeted with a fleeting glimpse of a Red Brocket Deer! It was the first time in my life that I saw this animal in the wild; it literally took my breath away! I think I was happier to see him, than I was to realize that we were at the peak of our destination.

It was noon as we stood there in the open having our lunches, and the rains came down and washed us off. Then it was time to descend again, going back was trickier and I only fell twice! I have not had this much fun in a very long time. I do look forward to more exciting times ahead with the Feild Naturalist Club. Thanks for a wonderful day and a great experience!  

Denise Etienne

Millipede

Millipede   © Denise Etienne

Yesterday I was weeding my garden and came upon an interesting pair of Millipedes. Perhaps they were mating? 

Millipedes do not bite and are harmless to humans. Usually they are found in damp or moist areas.The word Millipede means 1000 legs, but in reality they have a lot less. In fact, the more common ones usually have 200 to 400 legs on average, having two pairs of legs per body segment.

Their diet consists mainly of decaying plant matter, such as leaves, wood and rarely ever green leaves.

Guava

Guava  © Denise Etienne

I consider the Guava fruit to be a powerhouse of nutrients. It is low in calorie and rich in dietary fiber, protein, potassium, vitamins A & C (it is know to contain over four times the amount of vitamin C than an orange) and lots more.

There are several species of Guavas. Usually they are green in color, but as they ripen they turn yellow.

The Guava has many health benefits including; helps with coughs and colds, helps to reduce blood pressure, the juice of the leaves cures tooth aches and swollen gums, helps with diarrhea and the list goes on.

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Red-eared Slider

Red-eared Slider © Denise Etienne

Here are a few shots I took of the Red-eared Slider when I was last at the Emperor Valley Zoo. Their name is derived from the red skin around the ear region, and the fact that they are known to be extremely brisk creatures! They are fresh water turtles and excellent swimmers.

Red-eared Slider © Denise Etienne

These turtles are omnivores, some of their foods include; fruits, vegetables, fish, aquatic plants and insects.

As you can see they also enjoy basking in the sun!

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Basil

Recently I added Basil to my garden, which is an aromatic plant belonging to the mint family. It is a popular herb with many varieties including lemon, anise, and cinnamon. Basil leaves are often found in several recipes, it can be used cooked or raw. It is also known to treat nervousness, reduce fevers, chewing leaves can cure mouth infections, headaches, and lots more. This is definitely one of my favorite plants!

© Denise Etienne

Naturalist Notes: Cashews

 Another fruit that’s also in season is the Cashew, but which part is really the fruit? Is it the soft fleshy pear-shaped part (which can be red, yellow, or orange) or the nut hanging on underside that looks like a comma? While the soft fleshy part which is sometimes known as the Cashew apple is eaten, the true fruit really is the nut on the underside.

The nuts are dried and then roasted, during this process it releases a dangerous toxin called Urushiol which is also found in Poison Ivy. So you need to be extremely careful when roasting these nuts because it can cause serious irritations. Afterwards they are cracked open and there you have the tasty Cashew seeds.

© Denise Etienne