My Life & Artwork - February, March, & April 2020

May 15, 2020 Teressa Jackson

Catching up with Jay at Fate Brewing Company

Uh oh! I’ve fallen off of the blog wagon again!

This year has indeed rocked and rolled right along, so let’s see if I can catch you up now. :-)

I kicked off February by catching up with my friend Jay, who was visiting from the Louisville area. It was really fun to see him and to give him a personal tour of my artwork hanging at Industrious Fashion Square. February was pretty consumed with house hunting, as our lease was ending in April and we knew if we were going to buy a house that we would need to get started early. The Phoenix housing market was crazy, with properties selling in a matter of a few days or even a few hours. We increased our budget not once but twice due to the soaring cost of living in the Valley. Finally, toward the end of the month, a house that we had loved but for which we were previously outbid became available again, and we were under contract.

The first week of March, I packed a suitcase and headed to the Caribbean island of Antigua. One of my best friends had invited me to tag along on an all-inclusive family vacation and who was I to turn her down? We had a phenomenally fun time soaking up too much sun and enjoying too much all you can eat buffet and inclusive open bar goodness. Antigua is a beautiful place and I will certainly return someday!

Of course, upon my return, it began to become clear that I would not be returning someday SOON, nor would I be traveling anywhere other than the grocery store anytime in the near future. The coronavirus had hit the United States and over the next few weeks more and more closures happened.

One of those closures turned out to be Agua Caliente Park’s Ranch House Gallery, which of course was the site of my solo art exhibition for which I had been diligently working, prepping, planning, spending, and stressing for over a year. Just a few days before I was to hang my work, it was called off. Of course, I completely understood the decision, and I also know that with the stay at home orders going into effect, little to no people would have seen my work had I been able to move forward with the show.

I ran a sale on my artwork to try to recoup some of my losses and sold quite a few pieces. It was extremely gratifying and humbling to still receive the support of so many at a difficult time for essentially the whole world. I also made a few videos showcasing my work and my artistic process (and featuring the adorableness that is my dog Lola), which can be seen on my YouTube page.

I became somewhat worried our house purchase or move would be impacted by the state of the world, the country, and the economy, but thankfully, they were not. We officially moved to our new home on April 7, and I admittedly fell off of not just the blog wagon, but also the video wagon. I have, however, made some art, remodeled a bathroom, planted a couple of trees, decorated, settled in, and generally just enjoyed having a larger space of my own during an otherwise difficult time.

I’ve also probably driven my Facebook friends a little crazy. I have made it my mission to point out the beauty of the world to them each day for the past two months. I know things seem dire right now, but the fact of the matter is that feeling terrible about it 24 hours a day/7 days a week doesn’t really help. So I hope that my posts have brought a little bit of cheer to those who need it. It’s been a fun exercise for me to document what catches my eye and my heart on the daily.

A gorgeous scene I captured on a hike at South Mountain

I’ve done a little hiking, but not as much as I would have liked. I got distracted with house madness, but also, it’s been rather busy in the outdoor spaces around here. And then it started to get hot. So… aside from trips to South Mountain, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and Phoenix Mountain Preserve, Lola and I have walked our new neighborhood in the mornings. It’s really quite scenic around here and I enjoy it a lot more than our previous location in Tempe. The area of our home is somewhat historic, with houses built in the mid-1940’s. I’ve especially enjoyed exploring the Phoenix Homesteads Neighborhood that is located just west of us, which has an interesting history, lots of trees and greenery, and some beautiful abodes.

Of course I have created some art during this time, including a couple of fun dog portrait commissions as a surprise birthday gift for my friend Stephanie (I was hired by her thoughtful husband). I’ve also made some art that is a bit of a departure from my more recent work, including an oil painting which was probably my first time using that medium since 1994, and a watercolor I titled Quarantine Queen, which was my first self-portrait in a long while. Most of the art that I created these past three months was larger in size than I have typically produced over the past few years.

I’m not sure what the future holds for much of anything right now. I hope that at some point I will still get to still have my solo exhibition. I watch with interest as many art galleries are moving to virtual exhibition formats. I feel the wanderlust stir in my belly as I long for a new adventure or two. Arizona is opening back up in a lot of ways, but the world is different, and we are all having to learn how to navigate it. In the meantime, I’m thankful for the gift of being a creative who can stay busy and entertained at home, and for those who take interest in and appreciate what I create. Things would undoubtedly be more difficult for me without both of those gifts.

Stay safe, healthy, and as sane as you can, my friends! Sending you much love! And now, here’s the art I have made these few months. :-)

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Spring Ombre (February 2020) 14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Spring Ombre* (February 2020)
14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

The Waves of Waladli (March 2020) 12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board SOLD. — *The Waves of Waladli* (March 2020)
12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board
SOLD.

Sable (March 2020) 14x11”, Watercolor on Aquabord SOLD (Commission) — *Sable* (March 2020)
14x11”, Watercolor on Aquabord
SOLD (Commission)

Original image (compilation of multiple photos)

Max (March 2020) 14x11”, Watercolor on Paper SOLD (Commission) — *Max* (March 2020)
14x11”, Watercolor on Paper
SOLD (Commission)

32nd Street Kahuna (April 2020) 10x8”, Oil on Canvas SOLD. — *32nd Street Kahuna* (April 2020)
10x8”, Oil on Canvas
SOLD.

Quarantine Queen (April 2020) 16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord For sale - visit my online shop to purchase. Also available as prints, cards, and merchandise on my Redbubble site. — *Quarantine Queen* (April 2020)
16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord
For sale - visit my online shop to purchase.
Also available as prints, cards, and merchandise on my Redbubble site.

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My Artwork - November 2017

November 30, 2017 Teressa Jackson

I'm settling into my apartment, routine, and new studio space (a.k.a. my dining area) here in Tucson. The apartments where we're living are quiet, have nice scenery, and lots of patio space to enjoy fresh air and sunsets (my favorite!). I've discovered a multi-use path that crosses nearby, and have been enjoying starting my days along the Cañada del Oro Wash, admiring the desert plant and animal life that call it home. The quails, roadrunners, and hummingbirds are some of my personal favorites. I never thought I would be intrigued by birds, but they are so different from those we saw back home in Louisville. Or, maybe I'm just getting old.

Hard at work packaging up those new greeting cards!

Last month, I talked about being excited by the opportunity to make some larger pieces of art, and a commission helped me deliver on that promise already. I was honored to help commemorate one of the most special moments in a friend's life, the day she got engaged on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. I sure hope that her fiancé is wowed by her thoughtful and creative Christmas gift. I certainly stressed enough over it!

I also rolled out a new product - variety packs of blank greeting cards. I have currently two "themes" - my Teressa's Trek cards are landscapes from my adventures over the past year, and my Reverse Mermaid cards feature those whimsical friends I recently began dreaming up. They are all professionally printed on high-quality paper that makes them closely resemble the originals. I'm very pleased with the work that the printing company did on these. I also whipped up a special custom design for a friend to use for her Christmas cards this year. I love it when people come to me with their fun and creative ideas.

I sure hope that all my friends out there had a fantastic Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a peaceful holiday season. It should be pretty low-key for us here, considering we still know pretty much no one in the area. For our Thanksgiving, I was super excited to find an authentic Chinese restaurant serving up piles of dumplings near the University of Arizona (go eat at China Pasta House now), and those were a perfect substitute for turkey in my opinion. Later in the day, I made empañadas. It was a day of stuffing ourselves with stuffed foods. How fitting!

Unfortunately, with the number of gift commissions featured on my art wrap-up this month (7 of the 9), I am a little afraid to share this post very widely and spoil any surprises. I guess I'll hit the "publish" button and hope someone out there in cyber land finds it and reads it. :-)

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"La Familia de los Pescados está Acampando"

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My Artwork - October 2017

November 1, 2017 Teressa Jackson

October was a whirlwind! Aaron and I made a quick trip home; loaded our storage unit into a Uhaul; took a 5-day journey across Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico to Arizona; stayed in an Airbnb for a couple weeks while we waited on our apartment to be ready; and moved into the new apartment. We are official Tucsonans.

Needless to say, I'm kind of proud of myself for finding the time to paint ten pieces during that craziness. My friend the reverse mermaid (and merman) made a return, and I also made a few more paintings from our time in Saint-Martin.

It's nice to finally have a place of my own to paint. I think I'll continue to mostly create smaller pieces, but it's nice to have the option to do some larger works once again, too. For most of my life, I've made BIG art, and it's been a nice challenge to change that up.

Two of this month's pieces remain available in my shop, as well as some pieces from past months. I truly can't possibly thank all of the people who have bought my art enough. It's been flattering, humbling, heartwarming, and just plain fun to see so many of my creations find new homes.

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Happy Bay Beach, Saint-Martin: 8/23/17, 11:49:27

Cupecoy Beach, Sint Maarten: 8/24/17, 15:19:11

Pinel Island, Saint-Martin, 8/27/17, 11:15:25

"El Pescado Está en una Tabla de Paddle Stand Up"

"El Pescado Está en el Desierto de Sonora"

"El Pescado Está en una Tabla de Paddle"

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Seeing St. Martin (as it may never be seen again)

September 10, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Our very kind host at our Playa del Carmen Airbnb delivered us to the ADO bus station, and within moments Aaron and I were on a nice, large tour bus headed for Cancun. I have forgotten the exact cost, but I'm pretty sure that the 2-hour nonstop excursion to the airport didn't run more than $8 US per person.

At the airport, we had a small issue. Apparently when we paid the 500 pesos per person to enter Mexico a couple of weeks before, they had issued us paperwork that we were supposed to keep. I distinctly remember throwing it away, since I didn't want to carry around more stuff than I needed. Well, it turns out that it was needed.

Next time, I'll pay more attention. We had to fill out the same forms again, which wasn't a huge deal. What was kind of a bigger deal was that we had to pay 500 pesos each again. Thankfully, I still had that much cash on me, but it was a bummer to part with around $60 US unnecessarily.

I nearly went crazy on a family mid-air after one of their children spit on me (she was trying to spit on her brother... but still... ugh). Unfortunately, we had to go through customs and security in Miami, even though we were headed back out of the U.S. again. Aaron told me to run ahead because he had gate checked his guitar and would have to wait for it to be unloaded. I understood that he would meet me at customs. I waited and waited, but never saw him. Finally, after becoming certain I must have missed him and even more certain that I was about to miss the flight to Saint-Martin, I went on through and ran like a track star to the gate. He hadn't been able to find me and had headed on there to wait. Our flight was a bit delayed, so all was well and I had a few moments to compose myself again.

Around 9 p.m., we arrived in Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of the island. After going through customs, we were unhappy to see that TSA had inspected our checked bag and not bothered to close it properly. It was whirling around the baggage claim half open, our stuff scattered about the carousel. We scanned the area for our belongings, stuffed them in the bag, and thankfully saw the bag that contained our shoes just as we were leaving.

The delay meant that the rental car area was deserted. A few airport workers remained, and they managed to find someone to take us to the area where the cars actually were, a small drive down the road. A little bit of luck was shining on us. The driver lamented how far we would have to drive, all the way to the other side of the island where the French rule and its name is spelled Saint-Martin. After we got the car, it took us about 30 minutes. What a trek! :-)

Our accommodations were at a huge development called Mont Vernon, which I doubt is much like the Mount Vernon that was inhabited by George Washington. There were buildings and buildings along the mountainside, named after various Caribbean islands, looking down to Orient Bay.

During our stay in Saint-Martin, Aaron and I spent the most time at Orient Bay, on the island's east side. It was a nice walk from our place, and a beautiful beach, even if they were contending with the smelly sargassum seaweed that had also plagued beaches in Belize and Mexico. The water was a beautiful clear blue-green, and several islands could be seen across the bay.

We visited one of those islands, taking a short $10 Euro per person ferry across (they use Euros on the French side, and primarily U.S. dollars or the Antillean Guilder on the Dutch side). Pinel Island was a lovely little uninhabited mountainous spot. We hiked around most of it, then settled at the area near the ferry where there were two beachside restaurants, taking a dip in the water to cool off.

Another day, we headed to Friar's Beach, a calm, clear spot on the island's north side. The northern beaches didn't have the seaweed of the eastern beaches, and have very few waves. Taking a short trail on the east side of the beach, we climbed through an iguana-filled wonderland to Happy Bay Beach, a rocky and isolated spot with few visitors. Snorkeling was fun there, with little schools of colorful fish about the rocks.

We explored other beaches on the island, including Cupecoy and Grand Anse, but our favorite besides Orient Beach was the one along the town of Grand Case, also on the island's north side. There were patches literally covered with sea glass, and we spent two full days gathering pounds of it to take home. It was a fun treasure-hunting adventure, and each day after our "work" we relaxed at a LoLo restaurant, which is basically a local open-air diner.

There was delicious food to be found at the grocery store, too. I ate far too many buttery croissants and way too much Emmenthaler cheese. It was amazing to see how many items were imported all the way from France, including milk, cheese, fresh mushrooms, yogurt, and much, much more. Things are pretty pricey there, and I'm sure that trek across the Atlantic doesn't help. Another thing I noted in Belize, Mexico, and Saint-Martin is the lack of refrigeration. All the milk sold in Mexico and Saint-Martin is shelf stable, meaning you don't have to refrigerate it until you open it, and all the eggs in all three locales are stored unrefrigerated. Think of the energy we would save if we did the same in the U.S.!

A fraction of the sea glass we collected at Grand Case Beach

Our time in Saint-Martin was so enjoyable that we extended it to a second week, and considered staying a third. We thought about heading to Puerto Rico or Miami as next stops. I'm not entirely sure why, but we decided on Tucson, Arizona instead. We truly had no idea what a fantastic idea that would turn out to be. We left Saint-Martin on Sunday, September 3, and it was sadly hit by Hurricane Irma at category 5 strength on Wednesday, September 6. I have no idea what the state of Mont Vernon is, but the latest news says that 70% of the homes on Saint-Martin were badly damaged or destroyed. And of course, Puerto Rico was hit and Florida is currently under siege. We're thanking our lucky stars to be at 2,400 feet above sea level in the Sonoran desert.

The beautiful sunset on our last night in Saint-Martin

My Artwork - August 2017

August 31, 2017 Teressa Jackson

I spent the first week of August in Belize on the small, laid-back island of Caye Caulker. We then took a water taxi and car to Tulum, Mexico, where we weathered Tropical Storm Franklin. Mid-August, we headed up to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and then to the French half of the island of Saint-Martin.

I diverged a little from my art of the past year to do some whimsical "reverse mermaid" paintings. I enjoyed envisioning these fish men just out of reach of water, and the freedom they gave me to use wild colors and fun patterns. I completed a series of six, and consider myself finished with the concept for now - but of course I reserve the right to imagine more of these guys in the future. :-)

It was a good month with a lot of relocating and eleven paintings completed. It's often difficult to maintain my momentum when I'm having to pack and unpack so much, but I overcame in this instance.

I will return to the U.S. on September 3, visiting Tucson, Arizona. My online shop will reopen for business on September 1. I hope to be shipping a lot of packages out on September 4!

Gran Cenote, Tulum, Mexico: 8/11/17, 14:08:21

Taking on Tulum

August 12, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Aaron and I packed our bags and checked out of Gumbo Limbo, our Airbnb in Caye Caulker. We were supposed to be at the water taxi dock at 6:30 a.m. Luckily, we scored a golf cart taxi almost immediately, so we didn’t have to lug our bulky load too far across town.

The water taxi took us to San Pedro first, where we had to clear Belizean immigration. It was pouring rain off and on, and the line moved at a snail’s pace. One man input our passport information into his computer, another woman took our $20 US exit fee per person, and another man stamped our passport to indicate we had left the country. There was a separate line for each – a study in inefficiency if you ask me.

When I purchased the tickets to Mexico, the woman working at the water taxi had told me that we had to pay the $20US Belizean exit fee and a Mexican entry fee of $25US. We learned on the way to San Pedro that she had told us the wrong amount for Mexico, so we had to quickly locate an ATM to get more money so they would let us into Mexico. Of course, in typical Belize style, the first one we found was out of order. Luckily, the second one was up and running.

Back at immigration, the line was nearing an end and almost everyone was ready to board again. We lined up, shuffled on, and off we went.

I don’t think that the water taxi ride is ever totally smooth sailing, but the water was especially rough due to the front end of Tropical Storm Franklin heading toward us. For nearly two hours, we rode what felt like a roller coaster while leaky windows dripped on passengers.

When we finally reached Chetumal, Mexico, we had another line for Mexican immigration. This one was far quicker and far more efficient than the one in Belize, and we soon paid our 500 pesos per person entry fee and were cleared. We scored a taxi for around the same price as the bus would have cost us, and settled in for a nearly 3-hour ride to Tulum.

I began to get an inkling of how much less expensive Mexico is than Belize on the ride to Tulum. We passed several vendors selling pineapples on the side of the road, and most were 5 or 6 pineapples for 50 pesos – which equates to around $3US. In Belize, we typically paid anywhere from $2-3 for a single pineapple.

Our accommodations also reflected this pricing change. The brand new, large, nicely appointed one-bedroom apartment was cheaper than nearly everywhere we stayed in Belize, and definitely the nicest place we’ve stayed on the entire trip.

Tulum pueblo (the town) dazzled us right away with its abundance of restaurants, shops, paved roads, streetlights, and artistic flair. While plenty of the type of bare-bones structures you might picture in Mexico do exist there, Tulum has equally as many new, modern, architect-inspired buildings. Murals line many of the streets, and an eye for décor and design is apparent. Tulum feels more like Europe than it seems related to any Mexican border town I’ve visited.

We rarely ate in restaurants in Belize, but the abundant establishments and the low prices of Tulum were too much to resist, so we typically ate out for a meal a day. These culinary delights included chile and egg stuffed and rajas (strips of poblano pepper) and cheese stuffed gorditas (like a stuffed thick tortilla), cream cheese stuffed and hard boiled egg stuffed tamales, loads of tacos al pastor for Aaron (like shawarma made of pork), quite a few vegetarian tacos for me, and a delicious stuffed pepper that was probably the best I’ve ever eaten. Most meals, including tip, were $5-10 for both of us together. Amazing.

I actually did do some shopping in Tulum, even though I try to keep my possessions minimal. My one pair of earrings had broken, and I just can’t stand to not wear something in my ear holes, so I picked up a nice new pair in a local shop. I also lost my sunglasses, so those were replaced as well. I am so grateful that I was in Mexico when I needed to make these purchases, as they would have been so far more expensive, or even impossible to even make, in much of Belize.

Our first outing in Tulum was to the beach, and it was breathtakingly gorgeous. Jungle-enveloped cliffs tumble down to some of the most beautiful waters I’ve ever seen, crystal clear and turquoise. The rocky shoreline reminds me a bit of California’s coast, but obviously the tropical temperature makes taking a plunge into the water a whole lot more inviting.

We couldn’t leave the area without visiting the Mayan ruins that sit atop the cliff along the sea, so one day we took a cab to this attraction. It’s immediately apparent that these ruins are the reason Tulum pueblo is here, and every person trying to sell tourists something within a 20-mile radius seemed to be on the scene to take advantage of the multitudes.

The blazing heat and big crowds at the ruins made our time there a little less enjoyable, but we made the best of it. I was excited to see a coatimundi just inside the entrance, and the views of the sea from atop the cliff were spectacular. It’s always amazing to think about what it must have been like to live in such a place, and to walk where these people walked, lived, loved, and worked.

One of the most enjoyable excursions during our time in the area, though, was a jaunt of around 3 miles west to the Grand Cenote. A cenote is basically a sinkhole cavern filled with freshwater. The Grand Cenote was home to a plethora of bats, fish, turtles, stalactites, and stalagmites. The water was jarringly cold, but we quickly became used to it. The gorgeous blue water was a great place to snorkel, and it was really intriguing to peer down into the dark and mysterious depths and see the formations.

We had planned to leave this morning, heading to Playa del Carmen, but it appears that our adventurous eating has gotten the better of Aaron. He’s on the mend, but we’ll be in Tulum one more day while he recovers. Meanwhile, I’ve had time to craft this write-up!

La Isla Cariñosa

August 6, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Scene along the island's southeastern side

A 30-minute water taxi ride was all it took to go from La Isla Bonita to La Isla Cariñosa, better known as Caye Caulker or Caye Corker. Aaron and I disembarked, headed up the dock, and grabbed a taxi to take us to our Airbnb.

This was no ordinary taxi, though. The only motorized vehicles navigating the sandy streets of Caye Caulker are golf carts. We even spotted a shop selling rims for these little open-air chariots.

The mantra of Caye Caulker is "Go Slow." I have to admit, I thought the slight downshift was pleasant compared to the exhaust fumes and maniacal drivers in San Pedro.

Caye Caulker is very walkable, with most things around a mile in any direction. This was good since, as we have found with many things elsewhere in Belize, the bikes that our Airbnb provided were in far less than prime condition. After our first experience with flat tires, slipping chains, and a bike lock that didn't work, we decided that our feet were as good or better than wheels.

Similar to San Pedro, there are basically three north-south streets in Caye Caulker. Also similar, "Front" street (closest to the reef, or east side) was the most populated and tourist-oriented route. The restaurants and shops to the west seem to have more reasonable prices and less frills.

In some ways, Caye Caulker seemed to be slightly cheaper than San Pedro. Snorkeling tours were as little as $30US per person, and you could get a big, delicious, filling-stuffed fry jack at Errolyn's for only $1.50US. However, the Banana Factor was the lowest thus far, with a purchasing power of just 4 bananas for 50 cents US.

We stayed at "Gumbo Limbo," located just one lot back from the beach on the reef side of the island, but the water near us was tainted with smelly seaweed that our host said was a recent appearance. The view was pretty, if you held your nose. :-/

The far north side of the island had the best spot for enjoying the water, at a beautiful area called The Split, where there is a narrow channel separating Caye Caulker from North Caye Caulker. The Split has a sea wall with stairs leading down to clear, blue-green water, a high-dive, several bars and restaurants, and no stinky seaweed. I even braved the high-dive once... fun, but one time was definitely enough for me.

Night time on Caye Caulker was relatively lively, with the streets lit up and people out strolling. Vendors sold burritos, pupusas, tostadas, salbutes, and other treats for reasonable prices. Who needs Taco Bell when you can get a big, fresh handmade burrito for $1.50US?

Belize's ongoing "charm" of things being broken, half-functional, held together with string and masking tape is wearing a bit thin. The water taxi here has a route that goes directly to Mexico, so we decided to head to Tulum and points north for a while. We may return to Belize in a bit... time will tell!

La Isla Bonita

July 31, 2017 Teressa Jackson

View from the plane as we crossed from Belize City to Ambergris Caye

From Punta Gorda, Aaron and I took off in a tiny 12-passenger Maya Island Air plane. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the airport, which was around the size of a small one-car detached garage back home. I sarcastically said that I bet they had wifi... but they actually did. The place was a one-man show, but that man was doing a great job running all facets of the operation. No security, moving sidewalks, baggage handlers, bars, restaurants, shops, or other amenities here. I will say, though, that it seemed far more efficient in many ways than the larger configurations in the U.S.

Our flight was due to leave at 11:40 a.m., and around that time, the plane landed, we boarded, and were off in a matter of minutes. We made a quick stop in Dangriga, where we picked up some more passengers, dropped some people off at Belize City International Airport, and had a short layover at Belize City Municipal Airport.

We boarded our second plane, returned to Belize City International to pick up some more passengers, and took off across the clear turquoise Caribbean waters. A few minutes later, we landed at San Pedro Airport and rode a taxi to our new abode on La Isla Bonita.

Yes, that's right. When Madonna sang, "Last night I dreamt of San Pedro..." in La Isla Bonita, she was referring to this place. They embrace the moniker, and it appears all over San Pedro town on businesses, hotels, and even trash cans.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the town of San Pedro. I knew it was the tourism mecca of Belize, where most everyone goes who visits this tiny country. That had given me the impression that it would be more polished and less authentic. I was pleasantly surprised to find that to be far from the case. After nearly a week on the island, the only familiar company name I've seen was far north of the town, at a Wyndham development.

While there are full-sized cars on San Pedro and Ambergris Caye (the name of the island that the town inhabits), the primary method of transport for most passengers is golf carts. Constant traffic, gasoline fumes, and noise result from these little carriages. I don't know what the hurry is, but everyone certainly seems to be in one, and I'm surprised I didn't see any accidents from this giant bumper-car experiment.

San Pedro Cemetery at sunset - not a bad view for eternity

Ambergris Caye is a short distance from the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world and probably Belize's biggest claim to fame. On the island's east side, you can see waves breaking on the reef a ways out from shore, across the beautiful blue-green water.

We had been warned that San Pedro was pricey, but we found if you worked at it a bit, you could manage pretty reasonably. Aaron and I continued our diet of mostly beans and rice, and enjoyed a couple times out at restaurants, too. However, it had the most expensive Banana Factor to date, at a cost of 5 bananas for $1 Belize.

Snorkeling turned out to be far less expensive from San Pedro than we had been seeing on the mainland, and we booked a trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley for less than $40US per person. We've snorkeled a few other places in the Caribbean, but this was definitely the most impressive variety of sea life I've seen.

I got a huge blister from my flip flops a few days in, which meant it must be time to rent our own golf cart. We found a reasonable place to rent one and found it to be a great way to see more of the island than we would have seen otherwise, including a long and bumpy ride out to Secret Beach, which was a beautiful calm expanse of clear, shallow, blue water. Aaron nearly lost a shoe when it vibrated out of the cart on the way back, but thankfully we back-tracked and located it.

We had heard that theft was a big problem before leaving for Belize. Until San Pedro, we hadn't been the victim of theft or any other crime, or even an unkind word. One afternoon, we stopped at an El Salvadoran pupuseria for some amazing pupusas. When we got back, we were one beach towel lighter. As they belonged to our Airbnb, we ended up paying $15US for this incident. I think we'll live. :-)

Our next destination is Caye Caulker, a smaller island south of Ambergris Caye. The locals in San Pedro all say that Caye Caulker is what San Pedro was like twenty years ago, with sandy unpaved streets and a slower pace.

Hopping Down to Hopkins

July 4, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Aaron and I landed in the tiny Belize City airport around 11 a.m. on June 28. We spent around half an hour collecting our bags and clearing customs, and then met Marlon, our driver, outside. The first thing we noticed was the humidity... the Ohio Valley has nothing on Belize, which regularly sees levels of 80-90%.

Marlon of Belize Shuttles & Transfers was very friendly and told us about Belize as we drove the nearly three hours south to Hopkins. Although the distance is less than 90 miles, the roads aren't great and the speed bumps, which seem to be randomly placed along the road, are rather vicious. That's one way to keep speedometers in check.

Two kids played with bottlecaps on the Hopkins pier

We passed through Belize's capital of Belmopam, which was gone in nearly the blink of an eye. With less than 400,000 people in the entire country, there is no such thing as a big city here. After Belmopam, the landscape became more scenic, with dense jungle vegetation, citrus orchards, mountains, and even a glimpse of Mennonite farmers on a horse-drawn wagon, wearing the same conservative dress as they do in the U.S.

Hopkins is 4 miles off the main highway, and consists of only one real street (a pothole and puddle-ridden dirt road), running north to south along Hopkins Bay. The Garifuna, descendants of West African, Central African, Island Carib, European, and Arawak people, are the majority population of this village.

All Seasons Guest House, our home for the next week, is located near the edge of the south side of town. We were greeted by Becky, All Seasons' owner, who is from northern Indiana. She and her husband Gary packed up and moved down here just four months ago, and are almost constantly painting, power washing, sweeping, and fixing.

It was 3 p.m. Belize time (5 p.m. Eastern), and most restaurants were closed. We hadn't really eaten much at all, and dinner the night before had been gas station food in Indianapolis. Mango and cantaloupe smoothies and Guinness chocolate cake at the coffee shop down the street were a good way to tide ourselves over.

Lorraine, who was working at the coffee shop, made us feel right at home. After preparing our food, she followed us out to the porch and sat down with us to chat. She spent several years working on cruise ships, and her favorite location was, of all places, Alaska! Hopkins is home, though, and she recently returned with hopes of finishing her associate's degree in accounting.

The friendly faces in Hopkins certainly aren't limited to Lorraine's. As you walk down the street, most everyone greets you. Alex, who sells his creations at a shop near our guest house, is no exception. One morning he told me that he gets up every day at 5 a.m., rides his bike for an hour, swims in the ocean and is often joined by manatees, takes a shower, and starts his workday. Each time we walked by, he greeted us with a smile. Aaron had Alex make some custom guitar pics for him, and he was excited to try his hand at a new challenge. They were done in less than two hours, and the quality was fantastic.

There was a Garifuna holiday during our time at Hopkins. I didn't get the name of it, but the people drummed off and on for three days. They are known for their drum making and playing here and it was a beautiful and exotic sound. The holiday's final evening, I'm pretty sure the drumming lasted until daybreak. Apparently the occasion celebrates the dead, and takes place every three years. During that time, many of the women dressed in what looked like traditional African clothing, the fabric adorned with bright colors and patterns.

Alex, hard at work. I think this is the only time I saw him NOT smile. :-)

There are several businesses run by the Chinese in this town of 1,500 people, including pretty much all the grocery stores. As we waited on Chinese food one night, a four-year-old boy came up to our table, took my bottle cap, and began playing with it. He and Aaron began a game of "hockey" on the table with the cap, and he was more than happy to tell Aaron "You lose!" each time he failed to hit the goal he made between his two tiny hands.

Dong Lee Supermarket, where we did much of our shopping

Walking back to the room that night, we encountered a group of kids, all of whom were probably under age 7. They were "shooting" each other with sticks and boards, and we became part of the game. We became victims of a "holdup" and they loved that we played right along. After being released, we got excited fist bumps from the kids. I really wish we'd had room in our luggage to bring a few treats for them. They are so sweet.

We tried to eat at restaurants only once a day to stretch our budget, which was challenging since we had no kitchen. Between the grocery stores, fruit stand, and the back of a guy's truck, we purchased plenty of mangoes (the hugest you've ever seen), tangerines (which have a green peel here), avocados, plantain chips, tortilla chips, Marie Sharp's hot sauce, and fruit juices (soursop juice is pretty awesome). Restaurant meals consisted of mostly beans and rice for me. Aaron enjoyed chicken fried rice and one night he was served a whole fried fish, complete with head. Oh, and I can't forget the fry jacks, which are a breakfast delight - big pieces of puffed fried bread you can fill with beans, eggs, and lots of other fillings. Delicious!

We didn't go on any fishing or snorkeling excursions in Hopkins, instead spending our time walking the street, riding bicycles, sitting on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and trying to get used to the humidity. I'm not sure I have ever sweated so much in my entire life. It's been a nice place to get acclimated to Belize and to get some clue as to how things work here, although we still have a long way to go before we have it figured out.

Next up, further south to Placencia!

My Artwork - June 2017

July 3, 2017 Teressa Jackson

June was busy, busy, busy... but unfortunately not with art production. As I discussed in my last post, I am in Belize. June included a visit to my sister in Oregon, a cross-country trek from Oregon to New Albany, Indiana, and preparation for life in Central America.

I have a lot of inspiration from my many locales waiting to take shape into artistic expression, but the craziness of June saw me paint just three pieces. Two were commissions I was hired to paint and one will be for sale when I either figure out shipping from Belize or return to the U.S. (potentially several months from now). One of the commissions was 10" x 13", quite a bit larger than my usual 5" or 8" squares.

Feel free to e-mail me to be added to a list to be notified when artwork is available again.

Belize Bound

July 3, 2017 Teressa Jackson

I arrived home with two commissioned paintings to complete, contract work to do, immunizations to get, and other loose ends to tie up. My husband and I were headed to Belize on June 28! The plan is that we will be here for several months, but we will see how it goes and how our cash flow looks.

There was a lot to think about to prepare. First things first, I knocked out the two paintings that I'd been hired to produce. Without a real idea of how difficult or expensive it would be to ship artwork from Belize, I wanted to make sure those were finished. Two happy customers in check (see right for the one I did for my friend Kate, along with the photo that inspired it), I then got as much contract work done as I could before we had to really pack up shop. The little left that we own went into storage, and we had to time that just right so that we wouldn't be "homeless" for too long.

Travel arrangements required some logistical wrangling. We booked one-way tickets to Belize, but there was a chance we'd be denied entry because we had no return ticket. So, we purchased refundable one-way tickets home that we would cancel after we arrived. The bus schedule didn't sync well with our arrival time, so I found a reasonable shuttle to our first stop. And, of course, I booked the first week's accommodations... except the host cancelled them a week before we departed, so I had to find another place to stay. Such is life on the road, and even more so in Belize, I think. You have to roll with the punches.

Another dilemma was that I had to determine where to get a typhoid vaccination. My doctor tried to send me to a travel clinic, but even a month ahead of time, they were all booked up. I luckily discovered that Walgreens provides travel vaccinations, and was able to get it and my Hepatitis vaccination taken care of quite efficiently in one day without leaving New Albany.

There was also the quandary of what to bring. We won't have a car in Belize due to the very high cost of renting (think $80 or so a day) and the insane gas prices ($5-6 a gallon). We are essentially "backpackers" and need to be able to carry everything. Toiletries and medications were the source of many difficult decisions, as they are heavy to carry but also more difficult to find and expensive in Belize.

My final clothing inventory was:

1 long sleeve button down
1 sleeveless button down
4 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of socks
3 sports bras
A swimsuit
1 pair shorts
1 skort
2 tank tops
1 short sleeved t-shirt
1 pair flip flops
1 pair hiking shoes
1 pair Chacos sandals

Just like I knew it would, time flew right by. I was sad to leave home without being able to get together with most of my friends, but hopefully I'll be packed with great stories to share upon my return. With only the first week's locale known, Aaron and I boarded an airplane out of Indianapolis bright and early June 28 to visit a Central American country we'd had never seen before.

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