Last Week's Likes

The Top Tier

I am lucky in many ways. One is that I come from a family that loves spending time with one another. 

The whole Lewis clan does not live in Barbados but over the weekend the originals were all together. Papa (my grandfather) and his six children (aka Top Tier) were all on the same little island. We dined, brunched, and limed at the Yacht Club with rum punches in hand.

We always make sure to get photos on such special occasions.

The Top Tier

Girly Dinners
On Saturday night, I had eight of my girlfriends over for dinner. I made creamy, not-so-healthy linguine, bread rolls, and salad (made by Sanj). I am not the biggest dessert maker but everyone likes to finish the meal off on a sweet note — so with the help of pre-packaged satchels of powdered goodness, I made hot chocolate and topped each mugful with a dollop of fresh, actually-whipped-by-hand whipped cream.

We chatted about life, played games, laughed, cried, had great background music (if I do say so myself) and simply basked in each other's company.

It was a merry night!

I didn't want to use flash at the dinner table (I wanted the warm glow) so I shot with a very high ISO and used my 50mm 1.8 fixed lens. The shots are grainy but they convey the right mood.

East Coast walks
Yesterday I had lunch with family and friends at a Cattlewash beach house. The company and the food was amazing, Papa and I sharing a glass of wine with lunch was priceless.

Cattlewash is on the East Coast of Barbados, the rugged Atlantic Ocean side. Walks along this beach are always peaceful and make for some lovely photos.

I love the long shadows

"The Banana Man" by Evan Jones
My dad went to Wolmer's Boy School in Kingston, Jamaica. There he was taught a poem that he recites up to this very day. The poem teaches you not to judge others and to value simplicity in life.

When Dad recites this poem, his Jamaican accent is pronounced, he commands the room, and he makes it through just about 3 stanzas.

This passed week, he said the poem on two separate occasions. We loved it!

Below is the poem in its entirety for you to read and enjoy. There is a video of a Jamaican schoolgirl reciting the poem as well, if you are a more visual person like me.

"The Banana Man" by Evan Jones

Touris, white man, wipin his face,

Met me in Golden Grove market place.

He looked at m'ol' clothes brown wid stain ,

An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain,

He cas his eye, turn up his nose,

He says, 'You're a beggar man, I suppose?'

He says, 'Boy, get some occupation,

Be of some value to your nation.'

I said, 'By God and dis big right han

You mus recognize a banana man.

'Up in de hills, where de streams are cool,

An mullet an janga swim in de pool,

I have ten acres of mountain side,

An a dainty-foot donkey dat I ride,

Four Gros Michel, an four Lacatan,

Some coconut trees, and some hills of yam,

An I pasture on dat very same lan

Five she-goats an a big black ram,

Dat, by God an dis big right han

Is de property of a banana man.

'I leave m'yard early-mornin time

An set m'foot to de mountain climb,

I ben m'back to de hot-sun toil,

An m'cutlass rings on de stony soil,

Ploughin an weedin, diggin an plantin

Till Massa Sun drop back o John Crow mountain,

Den home again in cool evenin time,

Perhaps whistling dis likkle rhyme,

(Sung)Praise God an m'big right han

I will live an die a banana man.

'Banana day is my special day,

I cut my stems an I'm on m'way,

Load up de donkey, leave de lan

Head down de hill to banana stan,

When de truck comes roun I take a ride

All de way down to de harbour side—

Dat is de night, when you, touris man,

Would change your place wid a banana man.

Yes, by God, an m'big right han

I will live an die a banana man.

'De bay is calm, an de moon is bright

De hills look black for de sky is light,

Down at de dock is an English ship,

Restin after her ocean trip,

While on de pier is a monstrous hustle,

Tallymen, carriers, all in a bustle,

Wid stems on deir heads in a long black snake

Some singin de sons dat banana men make,

Like, (Sung) Praise God an m'big right han

I will live an die a banana man.

'Den de payment comes, an we have some fun,

Me, Zekiel, Breda and Duppy Son.

Down at de bar near United Wharf

We knock back a white rum, bus a laugh,

Fill de empty bag for further toil

Wid saltfish, breadfruit, coconut oil.

Den head back home to m'yard to sleep,

A proper sleep dat is long an deep.

Yes, by God, an m'big right han

I will live an die a banana man.

'So when you see dese ol clothes brown wid stain,

An soaked right through wid de Portlan rain,

Don't cas your eye nor turn your nose,

Don't judge a man by his patchy clothes,

I'm a strong man, a proud man, an I'm free,

Free as dese mountains, free as dis sea,

I know myself, an I know my ways,

An will sing wid pride to de end o my days

(Sung)Praise God an m'big right han

I will live an die a banana man.'

Helpful links:
If I was to make a hot chocolate from scratch, I might have used Jamie Oliver's recipe: HERE
The lens I used on Saturday night: HERE
Bio on the writer of Banana Man, Evan Jones: HERE