VIEW FROM CROOKED TREE VILLAGE

Cashew Tree in full bloom! Check out the sugary white sand in Crooked Tree Village.

This is an unusual bunch of cashew, six on one stem. (Photo of cashew by Robbie Gillett:click on photos to enlarge)

Mr. Birty and Mrs. Ann Kerr, removing the nuts from the cashew fruits. In Belize there is still no mechanical method to prepare the nuts. This is an all day, back breaking chore.

Mrs. Ann Kerr and grand-son, removing the nut from the cashew fruit.

Mr. Elario Eck, picking cashew fruit (apple) with his dog.

Amber Wade: MVP of all middle schools in Belize. Next school year, Amber will be heading to high school in the city. She is being recruited by the best schools for their softball teams. We would like to congratulate Amber and wish her all the best for her future academic and softball career.

Amber Wade with a bowl of almost prepared cashew nuts, with sister Elma.

Amber Wade (MVP of Crooked Tree School Softball Team, Champions of Belize) and brother Alden Wade, Jr. preparing cashew nuts.

Anna Marie Gillett, preparing cashew nuts: Mother of Amber Wade, MVP of Crooked Tree School Softball Team

Louise Crawford: Preparing dinner for guests

Albert Crawford and Gilda Crawford Arzu(cousins): Hanging out at Louise's house for dinner. The vacation spot in Crooked Tree.

Rosita Crawford Munoz in Belize for Cashew Fest 2009

NEWEST RESTAURANT IN CROOKED TREE VILLAGE

Staff of Village View Post

Arlene Tillett, proprietor of A & B's

The staff of Village View Post had a wonderful lunch today at Crooked Tree's newest restaurant. A & B's proprietor, Arlene Tillett invited us to discover great food at reasonable prices. And delicious it was!! A & B's stands out for having a special taste on potato salad and roasted chicken.

The atmosphere was very friendly and inviting. We gave Arlene and her staff "Two Thumbs Up" for excellent service and great food.

A & B's welcomes you with Chinese Food, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice & Beans, and many more dishes on their menu.

COME HUNGRY-----LEAVE HAPPY!!!!

Earthquake Hits Honduras/ Felt in Guatemala and Belize

Spurt Holes and Structural Damages in Placencia, Belize

The Pier

Inside the Co-op

Inside the Co-op

Cracked Pavement

The Dive Shop

BREAKING NEWS!!!! EARTHQUAKE HITS HONDURAS/BELIZE AND GUATEMALA THIS MORNING!!! TSUNAMI WATCH WAS IN EFFECT

 

EARTHQUAKE WAS 7.1

AFTERSHOCK HIT THE CITY

QUAKE CAME OFF THE COAST OF HONDURAS; BELIZE AND GUATEMALA FELT IT.

OCCURRED A COUPLE HOURS AGO

HOMES DOWN IN MONKEY RIVER, WATER TOWER DOWN IN MANGO CREEK, STRUCTURAL DAMAGES IN PLACENCIA AND SEINE BIGHT. NO ELECTRICITY IN MANGO CREEK THIS MORNING

 

PLEASE CHECK ON YOUR LOVED ONES AND PRAY THESE NATURAL OCCURENCES DO NOT LEAVE TOTAL DISMAY IN BELIZE , GUATEMALA , HONDURAS …

 

A FEW LINKS TO KEEP A WATCH OUT AND FOLLOW UP ON THIS EVENT

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8529564

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_honduras_earthquake

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1069369.html

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2009/May/71-Earthquake-Topples-Homes-in-Honduras-Belize/

VIEW FROM CROOKED TREE VILLAGE

The highlight of the day was walking out to the Staine area of Crooked Tree to visit with Mr. Calvin Gillett at his cattle farm. The day was hot and humid, Crookedtreeans are hoping for some rain to help the cashew plantations with their second crop.

I don’t know anything about riding a cow or cow safety, but Mr. Gillett insisted that we ride in the rodeo today. It’s a big decision to jump on this animal, but I will have faith that cows are wonderful animals.

Thanks to Calvin and Cheryl Gillett, the evening turned out nicely after all.

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

EATING WHEAT GERM

CALVIN GILLETT, LINDA CRAWFORD, BECKY CRAWFORD AND RONALD GILLETT

TOLEDO CACAO FEST 2009: WINE AND CHOCOLATE EVENING

The Third annual Toledo Cacao Festival will be on the 22nd to 24th May, 2009 at Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District


You can't afford to miss this year's Cacao Festival; it will be bigger and better than ever.


Remember this weekend will be a long weekend in Belize - Monday 25th is a Holiday "Commonwealth Day"


For more information you can call 011-501-722-2531


Please forward to friends.

THE ROAD TO BLACKBURN-CROOKED TREE VILLAGE

The new Blackburn Road across the Crooked Tree Western Lagoon

Glen Crawford and family at the entrance to Blackburn

Glen explaining the clearing and destruction of the land in Blackburn

May 17, 2009 Crooked Tree Village will witness the inauguration of a controversial new road across the Western Lagoon that will take farmers to the Blackburn Area.

This new road is a battle between the environment and development in the Crooked Tree Village Wildlife Sanctuary. In April of last year there was a dispute between the Area Rep. Hon. Edmond Castro and the Belize Audubon Society over the aforementioned road.

Crooked Tree Village is renowned for its birds, cashews and Cashew Festival. Crooked Tree Village is an inland island in the middle of a protected area; in fact, it is the only protected area in Belize where people resides. The first causeway to the village was built in 1983, to connect the village to the mainland across the Crooked Tree Lagoon.

The construction of this similar 1.7 mile road has been the source of significant controversy. The Belize Rural North Area Representative claims that the people have been suffering for a long time and this road will give some of the villager’s access to their farm lands and pasture across the Western Lagoon.

Last year was perhaps the lowest point in the long relationship between Belize Audubon Society and Crooked Tree Village. A few of the Villagers organized and collected money for fuel and borrowed bulldozers and other equipment to start this new road. Mr. Castro claimed that the first road was not well planned and that it impeded much of the natural flow for half of the lagoon’s drainage, and the environmental impact was dramatic.

The Audubon Society said the second road was even less well-planned, and it could be a disaster for the entire lagoon. The Belize Audubon Society said that they are not against progress, but a proper environmental impact assessment was not completed and a lot of community goodwill was sacrificed in the process.

A significant number of people in Crooked Tree Village have a fundamentally different view of the community’s responsibility to the protected status of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (CTWS). The challenge will be to work in that context to truly balance the needs of people and nature even when all the parties don’t agree on exactly what that means. This will be a long process. It’s not merely a matter of ignorance or lack of alternatives here.

Despite its importance for the people and the environment the future of Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is under threat. The increasing pressure for development and land clearing is reducing the ability of the wetland to carry out its important role of flood control and water filtering. If this trend continues there is a serious risk that the wetland won’t be able to protect the land and the people of Crooked Tree Village from serious flooding as well as continue to provide clean water and food to people and wildlife. The removal of large areas of vegetation in the Blackburn and surrounding area of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary will cause the water to flow off the land and could create problems of erosion and loss of fertile land. It could also reduce the ability of the wetland to absorb and filter the water, therefore reducing its ability to protect the villagers from floods.

Protecting the CTWS does not mean that development cannot take place. There should be a solution in striking the right balance between people and wildlife. For example, some of the farmers could retain some of the big trees while clearing the land and leaving a strip of the forest between properties no less than 60 feet from the lagoon. By doing this, it will ensure that the wetland can continue to function and everyone can profit from development. 

CASHEW HARVEST IN CROOKED TREE VILLAGE

AT THE CASHEW FARM: CLICK TO ENLARGE

Today is the day to pick cashew nuts at my sister's farm. Her property is very beautiful; 18 months ago this place was nothing but a jungle, such a big improvement!

As luck would have it, the day turned out to be very windy, which makes it quite easy to gather the cashew.

A week of being in Crooked Tree Village has boosted my mood and energy levels. After all, the day turned out to be a real treat. Becky and I gather more than two buckets of cashew nuts.

TREES OF BELIZE: SHOWER FLOWERS

GOLDEN SHOWERS

Click on photos to enlarge

My sister Becky and I went to Belize City yesterday. The day was extremely hot and humid, along the highway we stopped at this beautiful yard to take a picture of this tree all in bloom.

I have never seen this plant before in Belize, and now that it’s the blooming season, they are everywhere enjoying their short term glory. The name of this plant is “Golden Showers”. Becky is really into her plants and garden in Belize. She moved from the US eighteen months ago and loves every bit of it!

One of the charming things around Crooked Tree Village this time of the year is the many little gardens that people have in their front yards. I love exploring each little corner by foot or bike.

UNIFORMS FOR CROOKED TREE VILLAGE SCHOOL

Children of the Crooked Tree Village School all decked out in their uniforms

In Belize, all government schools and most private schools, uniforms are compulsory. The idea of school uniforms is suppose to serve two purposes; to instill pride and belonging in the schools and to eliminate competition in personal dress. All schools have very detailed requirements and they also issue a uniform list which explains all items for day-to-day wear. Often this list includes shoes and sometimes specialized sports wear and equipment.
Belize and many former British colonies have uniforms based on traditional English styles. The uniforms for girls are usually knee length navy blue ( or some other dark color) pleated skirts and a lighter color polo type shirt; for boys, it's the same colors in long slacks and polo type shirts.

The parents of Crooked Tree Village and the principal of the Crooked Tree Village School would like to thank Yvette and Lyndon Quiros for donating twenty one uniforms for girls to the Crooked Tree Village School. Your donation of these new school uniforms helps to boost the self esteem of these children.

THANKS FOR YOUR DONATION!!!