david's island blog

One of the most spectacular sights one sees on St. John (or any island in the sea) are the incredible lightening storms that are visible from great distances. We have had such a display tonight. It is like a great fireworks display, without the explosive sounds. I don't know how far away the lightening was, but I never heard any thunder. It is the kind of display our Labrador Retriever back home would enjoy, for she doesn't like thunder, or the 4th of July for that matter.

We have been on St. John since January 13. In a few days we'll be heading home to umpteen inches of snow. As we think about our wonderful time at Palladio's View, we thought it might be useful to let readers know where we ate out on this trip. So -- two excellent meals in Cruz Bay, dinner at ZoZo's and lunch at Ocean Grill at Moongoose Junction. In Coral Bay, wonderful lunch and dinner at Aqua Bistro in Coccoloba, two Sunday brunches at Lucy's on Friis Bay (I love their pinacolada pancakes with genuine Quebec maple syrup), and dinner at Concordia with good friends.

A few weeks ago Barbara and I went for a wonderful half day sail with Rick and Robin Gallup on their 40' sloop Long Distance. We sailed with another couple out of Coral Bay on a very windy morning. Because of the wind, we didn't venture out to Leduck Island or another usual snorkeling destination. Rather, we went snorkeling among the mangroves in one of the creeks in Coral Bay. The mangroves are a remarkable ecosystem, with multi-colored sponges encrusted on the mangrove roots, starfish and other interesting creatures. Robin led us on the snorkel trip and was very informative.

Barbara and I, and friends from Swarthmore, are at PV for a short visit. The house was in wonderful condition when we arrived, though there are always little things to attend to. (How did island folks shop for odd things before the Internet?) We like coming in the summer. The water is warmer. There are fewer folks around. And some of the lovliest bushes and trees (like the flambouyant) don't flower in the winter.

We had gusty winds out of the southeast for our first few days and intermittent showers as a tropical wave passed to the south. Now the winds have calmed and the sky is clearer.

If you have looked at the guest book pages of our website you will see repeated references to the spectacular views from Palladio’s View. There are, of course, excellent views from many villas on St. John. However, what makes Palladio’s View special in this regard is the way in which the design of the villa accentuates the views.

I'm sitting at Palladio's View as I write this. We visit PV several times a year. At those times I look at the comments that guests have written in our guest book since our last visit, and transcribe the comments that guests have made about our home into this website. It is very gratifying to see so many folks from so many different places describe the pleasure they have had staying here.

The United States acquired what are now the Virgin Islands of the United States (USVI) from Denmark in 1917. The USVI was administered by the Department of the Navy from 1917 to 1931, when responsibility for administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior. In that year President Herbert Hoover appointed Barbara's maternal grandfather, Paul M. Pearson, as the USVI's first civilian governor. He served in that position until 1935.

If you're going to be on St. John during the winter months, you might want to consider signing up for a Friends of the Park seminar. You can see descriptions of the 2008 seminars at http://www.friendsvinp.org/Programs/seminars.htm.

If you would like to learn about St. John's past, check out the St. John Historical Society's website, http://www.stjohnhistoricalsociety.org/.

Many houses on St John have names. Some names identify the owners. Some suggest the house's location, or history. During the several years between our purchase of the land where our house sits and the completion of construction, we considered many names, some of our own imaginings and some recommended by friends. We considered names that related to our Quaker affiliation (e.g., Friends Meeting) or location or vegitation (Calabash Hill, Tamarind Grove).