Soulful Sundays: Jacob Miller

Jacob Miller left long before he was able to share with the world all the music he had in him. He died tragically in a car accident in March, 1980.

Jacob Miller
Soulful Sundays; Jacob Miller

A prolific musician, Miller was leader singer of the reggae band, Inner Circle (of Bad Boys fame) and worked on several solo projects. He and the band were preparing for an American tour with Bob Marley when he died. He was only 27 years old.

Miller was a fun, playful person, whose onstage performances were always energetic. Despite his heft, he was electrifying on stage, moving around with the agility of someone half his size. He was also known to be always ready with a joke. But there was no joke about his music.

Miller made his first recording in 1968 with well known Jamaican producer, Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and recorded several singles before signing on as lead singer with Inner Circle. Tenement Yard, was his first hit song with the band.

 

Travel Photo Thursday: Jamaican Poui Tree

It’s hard to miss the poui tree with its brilliant yellow (or pink) flowers. It appears in full bloom, as if by magic one day, then a few days later, its flowers carpet the ground.

Travel Photo Thursday: Jamaican Poui Tree
Travel Photo Thursday: Jamaican Poui Tree

I don’t remember poui trees in the Jamaica of my childhood and had not noticed them on any of my many visits back. But sitting on the porch one morning a few months ago, a bright yellow tree in my neighbor’s backyard caught my eye. Then a day or so later, I watched as pieces of yellow fluttered silently to the ground, in ones or twos, like flakes of snow. By evening, the branches of the poui tree stood bare and forlorn; its flowers clustered so closely together, it looked as if the tree had on a bright yellow skirt.

I was disappointed and mystified. What happened? I wondered. How could such beautiful flowers not stay around longer for me to enjoy?

Travel Photo Thursday: Jamaican Poui Tree
Travel Photo Thursday: Jamaican Poui Tree

Sometime later, out of the blue, a riot of yellow appeared again in the backyard. This time, I snapped away happily and decided to watch, not sure whether the flowers would return and, if they did, how long they would take.

Two Fridays passed and the limbs were still brown. About a week later, I noticed flecks of yellow and the following morning, the poui tree was once again in full bloom. Sadly, these delicate flowers were no match for the torrential rain that came mid-morning. When the clouds cleared and the sun returned, not a speck of yellow was left.

But the poui tree was not to be beaten. Within a day or two, there was the unmistakable yellow calling out to me. I smiled. The world was right again.

Tabebuia, photo from Wikipedia
Tabebuia, photo from Wikipedia

Some Poui Facts:

Scientific Name: Tabebuia Serratifolia (Yellow), Tabebuia Rosea (Pink)

Common Names: Poui, Trumpet Tree, Pau d’Arco, Ipê

Location: Can be found from Southern Florida to Northern Mexico and South America. Also found in the Caribbean, notably in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago.

Size: According to the species, the poui tree can grow up to 150 feet, with a base 4-7 feet in diameter. The flowers are about 1-4″ and grow in dense clusters. Flowering season runs from January to May.

Uses: Because of its durability — it lasts 25 years — and ability to resist insects and termites, the wood of the poui tree is commonly used for decks, furniture and other outdoor projects. Since the 1960s, the New York City Parks Department has used the wood to maintain its boardwalks, including the one at Coney Island.

This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website.

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey

I love the word journey. It suggest so much more than a trip, tour, travel or visit. Each place I visit is a new journey, a new opportunity to explore and learn something about the people who live there, their language, culture and way of life, etc.

Because journey is such a strong word, I knew that it had to be part of my blog name, InsideJourneys. And when I saw that it was the theme for this week’s Photo Challenge at WordPress, I had no doubt that I’d have plenty of suitable photos to choose from.

Bus at Robben Island
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey - Bus at Robben Island

This bus got it right: We’re on this journey together.

Virgin airline
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey - Virgin airline

A journey of a thousand miles….

Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey - Ships in Montego Bay
Canoes in Falmouth, Jamaica
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey - Canoes, Falmouth, Jamaica

Life is a journey.

End of the journey, Zimbabwe
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey - End of the Journey, Zimbabwe

This is my entry to the Weekly Photo Challenge organized by WordPress.

Travel Photo Thursday: Holy Thursday

I’ve been wanting to do a church/religious themed post for a while and since today is Holy Thursday, I thought it’d be the perfect time to do so.

Jamaicans are perhaps the most contrary people on earth. We have the distinction of having the most churches per square mile as well as the most bars per capita. Only 21% of the 2.7 million people who live here claim to have no religious affiliation. Of the 79% remaining, Protestants are in the majority but there are also Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Rastafarians, Buddhists, Bahá’is, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Brethrens.  Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas are among the national holidays that are observed.

Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, most of us will put on our Sunday best and fill our churches just like we do at Christmas and next weekend, we’ll jump carnival. You know where to find us the rest of the time – in bars!

Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Sacred Heart Church, Seaford Town
Anglican church, Bath, St. Thomas
Anglican church, Bath, St. Thomas
Anglican church, Seaford Town
Anglican church, Seaford Town

This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website.

I’m also submitting this post to Friday Daydreamin’ on the RWeThereYetMom? site. Head on over to see enjoy more travel photos.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged

Sometimes it takes a while to find a photo or photos that interpret the theme chosen for WordPress’ Weekly Photo Challenge. Does this really capture the one word description? Will another reader get it? These are some of the questions that play at the back of my mind as I sift through my collection of photos.

One of the first things that came to mind as I saw this week’s challenge word, arranged, was flowers. I was pretty sure I’d find some arranged photo flowers but I didn’t. These are what I found instead.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged
Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged

I took this late last year on the last day of the Taste of Jamaica, a food festival that was held at the Montego Bay Convention Center. Except for the scallions, everything looks pretty fresh.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged
Weekly Photo Challenge, Arranged

This is from a lunch I had a few months ago with fellow blogger and new friend, Elizabeth who blogs at Mirth and Motivation.

 

Soulful Sundays: Third World

I’ve seen Third World perform so many times, I’ve lost count. They are the only act I can say that about. The first time in Washington, DC, my friends and I went to see them and during the intermission, two of us decided to move closer to the stage. Isn’t that where all the cool people hang out?

Reggae band Third World
Reggae band Third World

Well, we were so close that the next day, I could still hear the constant bzzzzz from the speakers. It took a few days for my hearing to get back to normal and I swore I’d never get that close to speakers again – and I haven’t.

The reggae band Third World was formed in 1973 by Michael “Ibo” Cooper (keyboardist) and Stephen “Cat” Coore (guitarist and cellist). With their mix of Rhythm & Blues, classical music and reggae, they still are unlike any other reggae band. They’ve worked and collaborated with The Jackson Five, Bob Marley and the Wailers and Stevie Wonder.

Third World has recorded more than 20 albums and produced several hits, including the two featured today – Try Jah Love, which was written by Stevie Wonder, and (1865) 96 Degrees in the Shade, a song about the 1865 slave rebellion in Morant Bay.

Despite several changes in their lineup – Cat Coore was later joined by “Bunny Rugs” Clarke,  Richard “Ritchie” Daley (bass), Lenworth “Ruption” Williams (drums), Maurice Gregory and Norris Webb (vocals) and a decline in their popularity around the 1980s, the band continues to perform including at this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

Their most recent album, Patriots, features collaborations with Toots Hibbert, Marcia Griffiths, the late Gregory Isaacs, Tarrus Riley, and Stephen and Damian Marley among many others.

The 10 time Grammy nominated reggae band has received numerous awards including the United Nations Peace Medal (1986), the Jamaica Music Industry Award for Best Show Band (1992 and 1996).

Take a listen to another version of (1865) 96 Degrees in the Shade.