Bella Craves Cashews

It's that time again, kids! The annual Crooked Tree Village Cashew Festival, May 12th & 13th, 2012!

I'm not sure how the cashew tree, indigenous to Brazil, came to be a permanent resident in Crooked Tree Village, Belize, but everyone there agrees that it is a gift from God. For three things, it doesn't have to be planted, watered or fertilized. The wild cashew grows where the seed falls, survives droughts, and grows in the sandy soils of Crooked Tree , making it ideal for cultivation. What I do know is that the cashew is a fruit, not a nut. The "nut" part is on the bottom of the fruit.

So what do you do at a cashew festival on the mainland in Belize? Well, you eat, of course, and party. Darn right, there's a party!

Cashews? Pshaw, you say? Well, check it out, dawg. Every part of the cashew tree has a use. The root is a cleanser. The light, water resistant bark is used to make canoes. The fruit juice,  also rich in vitamin C, cures symptoms of the common cold, sore throat, flu and dysentery. The fruit treats premature aging of the skin. The nut alleviates cough, hiccup, and depression, and lowers blood cholesterol. The gum from the fruit stems is a natural repellent against insects and ants. The oil in the shell of the nut is used commercially for varnish, paints, shampoos and conditioners. And, finally, medicinal properties of cashew have been evident against diabetes, tumors, and kidney problems.

Our day here in San Pedro started bright and early, before 8am, when "new" friend Emma came by to measure for cushions for the porch furniture. This is yet another upgrade in anticipation of "old" friends, Jim and Kim, coming to visit this weekend. You'd better have a good time, Jim and Kim!

Henrik Larsson

Jock McPake

This Just In: Jock McPake, our Scottish friend and Celtic-Football-Team-lover informed me that his dog is named Henrik, not Heinrich as I stated in a recent post. Henrik was named after Henrik Larsson, a Swedish football player who played seven years for Celtic scoring an amazing 242 goals! Sorry, Jock. Sorry, Henrik. Sorry, "Henrik." Gee, what a coincidence those two guys are wearing the same shirt! Well, except the shirt on the right is clean.

I get asked this a lot, so let me tell you some of the boring stuff about bringing a pet with you to Belize. You need a veterinary certificate issued by a registered veterinarian in your home country plus an import permit issued by BAHA, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority. (I'm no grammarian, but it sounds to me as though the Belize government thinks pets are vegetables.) To get the permit, contact BAHA at 501-224-5230 or email baha@btl.net. And the vet's certificate has to be signed no more than ten days before the arrival date. There is no quarantine, thank goodness! I mean, I'd just die!

Y'all come visit. Emma can sew us some cashew costumes for the Festival, or we can just wear our green and white Celtics shirts. You're gonna love Belize.